"Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS and IAN CARR (29 March 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 6CD Clamshell Box - Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 100s of Others Available in my e-Book:

"...Labyrinth..."

Including the 1971 Albums "We'll Talk About It Later" and "Solar Plexus" on Vertigo 

Scottish Trumpeter IAN CARR (raised in Newcastle) has deserved this kind of lavish clamshell-dom for some time now. But fans will quickly clock that nine album front covers onto six card sleeves does not artwork go. I say this because on opening this still brilliant Esoteric Recordings mini box set (which the spirit of textured gatefold LP sleeves within me has been looking forward to for some time) - I have to confess to being slightly crest-fallen. Five of the single CD card sleeves reflect the original and cool Roger Dean and Keith Davis artwork for sure (disc three has the October 1972 Ian Car solo album "Belladonna") – but my fave die-cut for their brilliant debut "Elastic Rock" had to be replaced with a period image instead. Boo hoo...

But not to fear my elasticated rocking alley cats – this Jazz Rock Prog-tastic monster hasn’t missed anything else that I can see - all of the original artwork inside and out is repro’d faithfully in the substantially chunky booklet, alongside a whole lot more from magazine and personal archives, most of it seeing the 2019 light of day for the first time in nearly five decades.

But for me, best news is the new Audio - fabulous Paschal Byrne Remasters taken from original Vertigo Records mastertapes, which for my money is one of 'the' reasons for fan purchase. Sweet as a zone that’s torrid (as they say in pre Brexit Brussels). There's a veritable magma flow of solar plexus blowhard horns and synths to wade through, so once more my swirl label devotees unto the die-cut breach...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS & IAN CARR on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 62663 (Barcode 5013929476301) is a 6CD Clamshell Box Set offering 9 albums in full (no other bonuses) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (64:42 minutes):

1. 1916 [Side 1]

2. Elastic Rock

3. Striation

4. Taranki

5. Twisted Track

6. Crude Blues (Part One)

7. Crude Blues (Part Two)

8. 1916 - The Battle Of Boogaloo

9. Torrid Zone [Side 2]

10. Stonescape

11. Earth Mother

12. Speaking For Myself, Personally, In My Own Opinion, I Think...

13. Persephones Jive

Tracks 1 to 13 are their debut album "Elastic Rock" [as NUCLEUS] - released June 1970 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 008 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING. 

14. Song For The Bearded Lady [Side 1]

15. Sun Child

16. Lullaby For A Lonely Child

17. We'll Talk About It Later

Tracks 14 to 17 are Side 1 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

Disc 2 (67:27 minutes):

1. Oasis [Side 2]

2. Ballad Of Joe Pimp

3. Easter 1916

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

4. Elements I & II [Side 1]

5. Changing Times

6. Bedrock Deadlock

7. Spirit Level

8. Torso [Side 2]

9. Snakehips Dream

Tracks 4 to 9 are their third studio album "Solar Plexus" [as IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] - released June 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 039 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone and Flute

KARL JENKINS - Baritone Saxophone, Oboe, Piano and Electric Pianos

CHRIS SPEDDING - Guitar

JEFF CLYNE - Bass Guitars

JOHN MARSHALL - Drums and Percussion 

Above line-up for the first two LPs, but for "Solar Plexus", these additional:

Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett on Trumpets (Tracks 4, 5, 8 and 9)

Tony Roberts – Tenor Saxophone, Bass and Clarinet

Ron Matthewson – Bass

Keith Winter – VCS3 Synthesiser

Disc 3 (65:56 minutes):

1. Belladonna [Side 1]

2. Summer Rain

3. Remadione [Side 2]

4. May Day

5. Suspension

6. Hector's House

Tracks 1 to 6 are the album "Belladonna" [by IAN CARR] – released October 1972 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 076 (no US issue) – Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Alto and Bamboo Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER - Drums

7. Origins [Side 1]

8. Bull Dance

9. Ariadne

10. Arena

Tracks 7 to 10 are Side 1 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

Disc 4 (73:59 minutes):

1. Arena/Exultation [Side 2]

2. Naxos

Tracks 1 to 2 are Side 2 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER – Drums

Plus Guests:

Kenny Wheeler – Trumpets and Flugelhorn

Norma Winstone – Vocals

Paddy Kingsland – VCS3 Synthesiser

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion

Tony Levin – Drums

3. Roots [Side 1]

4. Images

5. Caliban

6. Whapatiti [Side 2]

7. Capricorn

8. Odokamona

9. Southern Roots And Celebration

Tracks 3 to 19 are the album "Roots" [by IAN CARR’S NUCLEUS] – released November 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 100 (no US issue) – Produced by FRITZ FRYER

IAN CARR – Trumpet

BRIAN SMITH – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute and Bamboo Flute

DAVID MacRAE – Electric and Acoustic Piano

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

CLIVE THACKER – Drums (Percussion on "Images")

AUREO de SOUZA – Percussion (Drums on "Images")

JOY YATES - Vocals

10. In Procession [Side 1]

11. The Addison Trip

12. Pastoral Graffiti

13. New Life

14. A Taste Of Sarsaparilla

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

Disc 5 (67:24 minutes):

1. Theme 1 - Sarsaparilla

2. Theme 2 - Feast Alfresco

3. Theme 3 - Rites Of Man

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

IAN CARR – Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BOB BERTIES – Alto and Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet and Flute

GORDON BECK – Electric Piano and Percussion (Solo on "Sarsaparilla")

GEOFF CASTLE – Electric Piano and VCS3 Synthesiser (Piano on "A Taste Of Sarsaparilla")

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars (Solo on "New Life")

KEN SHAW – Guitars (Ring Modulated Piano on "In Procession")

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

BRYAN SPRING – Drums, Tympani and Percussion

Guests:

Keiran White (of Steamhammer) sings Vocals on "The Addison Trip"

4. Rat's Bag [Side 1]

5. Alive And Kicking

6. Rachel's Tune

7. Snakehips Etcetera [Side 2]

8. Pussyfoot

9. Heyday

Tracks 4 to 9 are the album "Snakehips Etcetera" [by NUCLEUS] – released April 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 119 and Sire SASD-7508 in the USA (first album by Nucleus issued in America) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Disc 6 (41:22 minutes):

1. Phaideaux Corner [Side 1]

2. Alleycat

3. Splat [Side 2]

4. You Can't Be Sure

5. Nosegay

Tracks 1 to 5 are the album "Alleycat" [by NUCLEUS] – released November 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 124 (no US issue) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Line-Up for both "Snakehips Etcetera" and "Alleycat"

IAN CARR – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Acoustic Piano, Moog, Percussion

BOB BERTIES – Alto, Baritone and Soprano Saxophones, Flute, Voice

KEN SHAW – Guitars and Percussion

GEOFF CASTLE – Keyboards, Moog, Percussion

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

ROGER SELLERS – Drums and Percussion

Guest:

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion on "Phaideaux Corner" and "Alleycat" on the "Alleycat" album

Compiled and co-ordinated by MARK POWELL with full involvement from those still around the band, the 48-page booklet is an impressive affair and very proudly flaunts the boxes of original Vertigo master tapes across its many picture-festooned pages (along with all of that dinky Roger Dean artwork). Noted writer SID SMITH (who did the liner notes for the impressive Panegyric 'Definitive Edition' CD and BLU RAY reissues of YES) digs in deep for a history across nine studio albums beginning with Carr’s career as part of the Don Rendell Quartet (1965 to 1969) on to Best Group awards at The Montreaux Jazz Festival and celebrated dates in the USA. There are promo pages from Phonogram (who distributed Vertigo), a concert poster for the Queen Elizabeth Hall where a program would set you back a frankly extortionate 10p (ten new pence to you mate) and so on. To the music...

I suspect the last time anyone had these albums on CD in their mits was the 2005 Repertoire reissues – here the Audio is not so in-your-face – warmer and fuller. Spedding trades his guitar licks with the horns of Ian Carr and Karl Jenkins on "Taranaki" – a Karl Jenkins mellow instrumental on Side 1 of "Elastic Rock" and two things are apparent – the band has been listening to Miles Davis and his 1969 Columbia/CBS Records output for a entire year and that the Remaster is fantastic. Sure the separation of instruments is a tad harsh but man are they reproduced well in this transfer. Again the Chris Spedding intro to "Earth Mother" over on Side 2 accompanied by some heavy Oboe soloing is clear and present – Jeff Clyne on Bass. Another moment of remaster clarity comes with the drums, guitar and brass unison opening of "Crude Blues (Part Two)" – a short but very cool opening to Side 2 of the album. Many fans rate "Elastic Rock" as a brilliant account-opener and they’d be right – apart from the one and half-minute drum nonsense of "Speaking For Myself..." – there is hardly a wasted moment.

Issued in February 1971, the proper full-on Jazz-Prog-Rock of "Song For The Bearded Lady" from their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" was chosen as the representative track for the "Time Machine" 3CD Box Set covering Vertigo Records in 2005 ("Torrid Zone" from the 1970 debut album is in there too). And frankly it’s easy to hear why – a neck-jerking seven and a half-minute instrumental workout with clever musical breaks and a hat-tip to King Crimson over on Island Records. Spedding gets to wah-wah his gee-tar on the Clyne/Marshall jabber "Sun Child" behind Carr and Jenkins letting it rip. Miles Davis pretty surfaces in the guise of "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", but the echoed vocals of "Easter 1916" Zappa-fy the album finisher too much for me (and not in a good way).

By the time we reach album three, Ian Carr has taken over composition of all tracks. Guests Kenny Wheeler on Flugelhorn and Tony Roberts on Tenor Sax act as the soloists on "Changing Times" – Nucleus getting Funky. Karl Jenkins does the Oboe solo on the sad Tudor soundscape of "Bedrock Deadlock" with Jeff Clyne drawing his bow across large Double Bass strings before the six and half-minute track takes a sudden and unexpected Funky direction change with a treated guitar from Spedding (very clever and sounding spiffing on this transfer). Confirming its rep as a quality Nucleus outing, the album ends on an epic 15-minute slink – "Snakehips’ Dream" – a tribute to a lady dancer Carr once knew called "Snakehips" Johnson. It’s the first time for me that the keyboards/guitar battles get pride of place – and it so works (best track they ever did methinks).

The inevitable Ian Carr solo album arrived in October 1972 in the shape of "Belladonna" – again its six lengthy instrumentals steeped in the smooze of IC’s acknowledged hero – Miles Davis. The transfer on the lovely and nay even sexy "Summer Rain" is so sweet – with newcomer Dave MacRae bringing his keyboard chops to the party. Jon Hiseman’s production certainly amps up the Alan Holdsworth Guitar and Brian Smith Brass blasts on "Hector's Party" – a song that sounds exactly like its hep title.

A muscular loincloth-clad gladiator brute-type manhandles a Minotaur on the front cover of "Labyrinth" – Nucleus commissioned by the Park Lane Group (with Arts Council funding) to create music based on the antiquities myth (Athens vs. Crete etc). They augmented the band with so many musicians that they literally get a credits ‘Plus’ on the front sleeve – amongst the names being Norma Winstone on Vocals with ace sessionman Tony Levin on Drums (years later he would become the defacto kit-man for Peter Gabriel’s touring band). It opens with the suitably ominous danger inherent in the stabby "Origins" only to go all Bullet bass lines chase sequence on the sexy "Bull Dance". Shimmering Greenslade-type electric piano notes open seven minutes of the excellent "Ariadne" with Norma Waterstone’s high-flying vocals singing of seekers and their detractors - while over on Side 2 the two lengthy workouts "Exultation" and "Naxos" bring the ancient tale into serious Prog-Fusion mode.

Highlights from albums five to nine include the first-time-on-CD appearance of the much-sampled "Roots" LP from November 1973 – resplendent here on CD 4 with its fab Keith Davis designed sleeve. Super cool slow-Drums and Brass-jabbing Grooves give the title track the feel of a Seventies Cop TV show where some Superslick Detective falls in love with a babe from the driver’s seat of his cigarettes ‘n’ coffee filthy car (fantastic remaster too). The cool continues with "Images" where Joy Yates Jazz-moans her words as the British lads smooze the backbeat. "Caliban" sees Nucleus once again embrace their inner Billy Cobham by way of Donald Byrd – funky and sounding like a dead ringer for the sequel "Baby Driver 2: Behind The Wheel Again". Keiran White of Steamhammer moans scat vocals on the hipster Jazz-Funk of "The Addison Trip" while Roger Sutton lets rip on a Bass solo.

The "Under The Sun" album is probably the most Jazz of the lot while I’ve always been partial to the Jon Hiseman produced "Snakehips Etcetera" LP with its garish glossy laminate sleeve (fave tracks "Alive And Kicking" and "Pussyfoot"). And on it goes...

For sure listening to nine albums worth of Jazz Rock, Prog Fusion and even Jeff Beck like funkiness may prove too much for the uninitiated – but I’ve loved this vaults trawl. And how good is it to see the missing digital hole of "Roots" finally be filled and in such Audio style too.

As Sid Smith quite rightly points out in his typically excellent liner notes, bands like Chick Corea’s Return To Forever and John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra probably sold more album on Columbia/CBS in a month than poor Ian Carr did across six years in Blighty - even when Prog Rock and Fusion were literally flavour of the year in 1973 and 1974 – regularly nabbing the No. 1 spot on the LP charts for ELP, Yes, Jethro Tull and Top 5 for Genesis.

But spare a moment for the nine-LP Spice Girls of Jazz-Rock – NUCLEUS. They may have only charted their debut album for one miserly week in 1970 (at No. 46) - but their consistent (yet commercially ignored) brilliance is reflected in this jam-packed box. Man, I could even forgive Ian Carr’s seriously garish Tartan trousers on Page 41 of the booklet as he giggles at the advances of a scantily clad lady in hots pants threatening to do things to his improvisational ass with a Bottle of Stout that may have worried those nice people over at the BBC. Them were the days baby. Recommended and well-done to all involved...

"Second Album" by CURVED AIR (August 2018 Esoteric Recordings CD+DVD 'Expanded Edition' Reissue - Francis Monkman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

As featured in my e-Book 

"...Back Street Luv..."

"Second Album" by CURVED AIR from September 1971 (UK), November 1971 (USA)

There's nothing like a big fat hit single and Pans People on Top of the Pops doing a sexy lingerie routine to its groove to put an otherwise difficult band on the map. And June 1971's tan label Warner Brothers UK 7" single "Back Street Luv" was that doozy. When the album followed in September of that amazing year (see my e-book "There's Something About 1971...") the single had caused a flurry of interest and pushed its elaborate 'multiple flaps' sleeve presentation up to No. 11 in the UK LP charts – impressive stuff for a band that came on like a precursor to Roxy Music with a hot girl singer out front instead of a man sporting glitter and a squinty face. Warners even gave the American gatefold sleeve different artwork when they finally put the album out there in November 1971 - but Curved Air never made any real waves Stateside and it didn't chart.

Which brings us to 2018 and Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) who have clearly developed a passion for the band because like their exemplary Greenslade and Colosseum reissues – they've gone the full Prog Hog on England's CURVED AIR with dusted off archive recordings from the BBC and even Promotional/Euro Pop Programme footage on DVDs – much of it Previously Unreleased. They are even declaring that the fourth album "Air Cut" from 1973 is only now being released with the use of real master tapes (all other variants have been dubbed from vinyl apparently). Let's get the ever dance...

UK released 24 August 2018 (September 2018 in the USA) - "Second Album" by CURVED AIR on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22637 (Barcode 5013929473744) is a CD + DVD 'Expanded Edition' Reissue/Remaster that plays out as follows:

DISC ONE - CD (71:26 minutes):

1. Young Mother [Side 1]

2. Back Street Luv

3. Jumbo

4. You Know

5. Puppets

6. Everdance [Side 2]

7. Bright Summer's Day '68

8. Piece Of Mind

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second studio album "Second Album" – released September 1971 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46090 and November 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1951 (in different artwork). Produced by Colin Caldwell and Curved Air – it peaked on the UK LP charts at No. 11 (didn't chart USA).

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Young Mother In Style

BBC Radio One JOHN PEEL 'Top Gear' Session – Recorded 5 Jan 1971

10. It Happened Today

11. Blind Man

12. Propositions (including What Happens When You Blow Yourself Up)

13. Vivaldi

Tracks 10 to 13 are BBC Radio One 'John Peel Sunday Concert' Recordings from 4 March 1971, recorded at the BBC Paris Theatre, Regent Street, London – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

DISC TWO - DVD (75 minutes, NTSC, All Regions):

Curved Air On The Air – Television Recordings 1971

1. It Happened Today

2. Vivaldi

3. Screw

Tracks 1 to 3 are a 'Warner Brothers Present Curved Air' – A 1971 Promotional Film – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

4. Back Street Luv

5. Propositions

6. Interview

7. Vivaldi

Tracks 4 to 7 are 'Pop Deux' – Recorded at Taverne de l'Olympia, Paris on 6 July 1971. First Broadcast 4 September 1971 – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

8. It Happened Today

9. Propositions

10. Vivaldi

Tracks 8 to 10 are 'Beat Club' Radio Bremen TV Sessions 1971 recorded March 1971

11. Back Street Luv (Version 1)

12. Piece Of Mind

13. Back Street Luv (Version 2)

Tracks 11 to 13 are 'Beat Club' Radio Bremen TV Sessions 1971 recorded September 1971

CURVED AIR was:

SONJA KRISTINA (Linwood): All Lead Vocals

DARRYL WAY: Vocals, Electric Violin and Piano on "Puppets"

FRANCIS MONKMAN: Guitar, Keyboards and VCS3 Synthesizer

IAN EYRE: Bass Guitar

FLORIAN PILKINGTON-MIKSA: Drums

The three-way foldout digipak and booklet reproduce all aspects of the John Kosh original album artwork – a many-flaps sleeve with the rainbow design that mirrored the concept of Terry Riley's "A Rainbow In Curved Air" US album from 1969 on Columbia Masterworks from whence the band took their name. Although they had no input into the design, it certainly made the LP feel substantial and combined with that lightning-in-a-bottle single – propelled the 12" record out of the racks into onto Garrard SP25s everywhere. There are also lots of great black and white photos of the band from the period – most of which I've not seen before and the May 2018 liner notes by MALCOLM DOME are typically excellent and informative. The only thing I would say is that the US gatefold card sleeve had different artwork and it seems a tad remiss not to have reproduced it here.

The Remaster has been done by band member FRANCIS MONKMAN and compared to my 2008 Rhino Encore version is a big improvement. The opener "Young Mother" explodes on so many levels – those violin and keyboard passages and the power in "Back Street Luv" with that right speaker keyboard separation is almost disconcerting.

Speaking of which - in the 24-page booklet that features new interviews – Sonja recalls how the "Back Street Luv" seven-inch single changed everything for the band – coverage, acceptance and even screaming from the front rows of subsequent tours. Originally released 18 June 1971 (ahead of the LP) as Warners WB 8029 with the album track "Everdance" on the B-side – when distribution of the Warner Brothers 'Kinney Music' catalogue started 1 July 1971 (previously done by Pye) – somewhere in there the single for the British "Back Street Luv" 45 was re-pressed as Warner Brothers K 16092. Using this catalogue number, it entered the charts for the week ending 7 August 1971 at No. 34, dropped out for a week and returned 21 August 1971 at No. 30 and thereafter quickly rose to a peak of No. 4 for the chart week ending 18 September 1971. Sitting comfortably alongside The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again", Family's "In My Own Time", T. Rex's number 1 "Get It On" and Atomic Rooster's "Devil's Answer" (similar sounds around those same weeks) – the Funky Prog Rock groove of "Back Street Luv" grabbed the listener by the short and curlies and didn't let go (the sultry looks of lead vocalist Sonja Kristina helped matters too). The album of course benefitted from this hugely as did the size of gigs they were now playing.

Despite the obvious killer sexiness of the single - for me one of the LP's best melodies is "Jumbo" – a ballad by Darryl Way and Sonja Kristina that feels like a string quartet is accompanying all those keyboard moments – it's almost Tom Waits in its gorgeousness (stay in your room after dark, don't venture outside, Sonja warns her young listener). We're back to rocking with the guitar-driven "You Know" – a deadringer for a second 45 from the album but Warners never went with it (Monkman plays a blinder here and a huge Remaster too). Side 1 ends with another Way/Kristina composition – five and half minutes of "Puppets". It opens with giggles, then keyboard phasing and I must admit I found the Remaster has somehow made that rhythm section seem even discombobulating and not necessarily in a good way. Monkman provides all three on Side 2 beginning with the manic "Everdance" – sort of like The Flock let loose at the local school hall. I've always had an aversion to the three-minute manic-jaunt that is "Bright Summer's Day '68" – a relationship disintegrating in a disconcertingly happy-go-lucky sunshine-shining-down kind of a way. It ends on the album's undoubted monster – the near thirteen minutes of "Piece Of Mind" - an opus sounding not unlike ELP meets Blood, Sweat and Tears via Linda Hoyle's Affinity (over on Vertigo Records). The Remaster has made that pounding piano and violin duo feel even more eerie and powerful and when that keyboard solo comes in and the pace kicks up a notch – the effect is spectacular – Sonja talking the lyrics (wish they'd reproduced them in the booklet).

The opener BBC track "Young Mother In Style" features a typically excited BBC intro at a new song from the ‘sensational’ band. The following Peel Session (recorded in March 1971 and Previously Unreleased) features four songs from their "Airconditioning" debut alum released in November of the previous year – one of which "Propositions" incorporates the non-album B-side "What Happened When You Blow Yourself Up" (the flipside to their first British 45 "It Happened Today"). The audio is a wee bit distorted for the beginning of "Blind Man" as Sonja warbles her voice but thereafter it’s really rather shockingly good. The heavy guitar and bass "Propositions" stretches to six and half minutes as it incorporates the funky keyboard groove of "What Happened When You Blow Yourself Up" towards the end (the essence of creation baby). There’s hiss too on "Vivaldi" but the performance is all out at eight and half minutes. Which brings us to the visuals...

The DVD is pleasingly long at one hour and fifteen plus minutes - beginning with a decidedly ragged-looking lead in to a 1971 Warners Promotional film that gives us three tunes from their debut. Both Bassist and Guitarist sport plastic see-through body instruments (oh you're so cool boys) while Darryl Way dangles a scarf from the tuning screws of his violin – Sonja looking absolutely gorgeous in silver tassels. There doesn't appear to have been any restoration to the footage of newspaper clippings as the band plays "It Happened Today" nor as Way goes on a wild violin whig-out during "Vivaldi" (impressive playing by the way). Better is the French footage that begins at 16 minutes with a storming live cut of "Back Street Luv" – Curved Air singing "...ragged back streets...head on a wall..." and sounding/looking like a band that's arrived. There's a short between tunes interview with Sonja and Trevor that's translated into French on screen before we're back to the best footage of all – the three at the end that feature great image and sound combined – the Version 2 of "Back Street Luv" simply showing more visual effects than Version 1 because someone no doubt thought it looked cooler.

All in all – this is a great reissue of an album that’s been all but forgotten except by the faithful. Fans will adore it and Prog investigators will need to dive in and get air-conditioned. Well done to all...

2018 CURVED AIR Reissues on Esoteric Recordings

Francis Monkman Remasters

Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are 'Expanded Editions' - No. 4 is album-only

1. Airconditioning (November 1970 UK Debut LP)

2CD Remaster UK released 26 January 2018 on Esoteric Records PECLEC 22616 (Barcode 5013929471641)

2. Second Album (September 1971 UK LP)

CD + DVD Remaster released 24 August 2018 on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22637 (Barcode 5013929473744)

3. Phantasmagoria (April 1972 UK LP)

CD + DVD Remaster released 27 July 2018 on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 22638 (Barcode 5013929473843)

4. Air Cut (April 1973 UK LP)

CD Remaster (no Bonus material) released 26 January 2018 on Esoteric Recordings PECLEC 2617 (Barcode 5013929471740) First Use of Original Tapes

"Truth: The Columbia Recordings 1969-1970" by THE FLOCK (September 2017 Esoteric Recordings 2CD Reissue - Ben Wiseman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters 
As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On
Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Big Bird..."

Featuring a 7" single "Mermaid" from 1971

Reading the liner notes on the rear cover to "The Flock" - you knew your were in good hands - they'd been penned by the much-admired and musically trusted British Bluesman John Mayall. He talked of their July 1969 "Whiskey A Go Go" live debut in the famous Los Angeles musical bolt hole - and how only two months later with the US September 1969 release of their self-titled debut album on Columbia Records - it was time for both the British Press and Public to wake up to their Chicago based Fusion-Rock headed by the Vocals and Guitar of Fred Glickstein and the wild bow magic of Violinist Jerry Goodman.

The Bluesbreaker mainman was of course right. Sporting a seven-man line-up - The Flock joined with the likes of Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears in that initial flowering of Fusion-Based Rock coming out of America in 1969 - a sound that encompassed a little bit of Blues, complicated and challenging Rock, Jazz, Psychedelic and even Gospel. In fact along with the Latin Fusion of Santana – Columbia Records was the big-label home of innovation and this kind of music at the time. And how good is it to see The Flock's small but memorable legacy of Art Rock be treated so well by England's champions of all things complex and well 'Flocky' - Esoteric Recordings. Let's get to those high-flying big birds...

UK released Friday, 29 September 2017 - "Truth: The Columbia Recordings 1969-1970" by THE FLOCK on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22606 (Barcode 5013929470644) is a 2CD anthology which offers both of their studio albums - "The Flock" from 1969 and "Dinosaur Swamps" from 1970 – six outtakes first issued in 1993 (two from the debut and four from an abandoned third album) and six US and European single sides/edits (Previously Unreleased on CD). This new twofer plays out as follows...

Disc 1 (65:30 minutes):

1. Introduction [Side 1]

2. Clown

3. I Am The Tall Tree

4. Tired Of Waiting

5. Store Bought - Store Thought [Side 2]

6. Truth

Tracks 1 to 6 are their debut album "The Flock" - released September 1969 in the USA on Columbia Records CS 9911 (Stereo) and April 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63733 (Stereo). Produced by JOHN McCLURE - it peaked at No. 48 in the US LP charts and No. 59 in the UK.

7. What Would You Do If The Sun Died?

8. Lollipops And Rainbows

Tracks 7 and 8 first appeared on the April 1993 CD compilation of Remasters - "Flock Rock: The Best Of The Flock" (Columbia CK 53440 – Barcode 74645344027). Both were unreleased outtakes from the debut album sessions recorded 6 June 1969.

9. Tired Of Waiting (Single Version, 2:40 minutes)

10. Store Bought - Store Brought (Single Version, 2:41 minutes)

Tracks 9 and 10 are edits (for both sides) released as a US 45 on Columbia 4-45021 in October 1969 and in the UK in April 1970 on CBS Records 4932 (Previously Unreleased on CD)

11. Clown (Part One)

12. Clown (Part Two)

Tracks 11 and 12 released as two-part 7” single in France only (with a picture sleeve) on CBS France 4965 (Previously Unreleased on CD)

Disc 2 (65:19 minutes):

1. Green Slice [Side 1]

2. Big Bird

3. Hornschmeyer's Island

4. Lighthouse

5. Crabfoot [Side 2]

6. Mermaid

7. Uranian Sircus

Tracks 1 to 7 are their second and last studio album "Dinosaur Swamps" – released October 1970 in the USA on Columbia Records C 30007 (Stereo) and in the UK on CBS Records S 64055 (Stereo) – both in Gatefold Sleeves. Produced by JOHN McCLURE – it peaked at No. 96 in the US charts but didn’t chart in the UK. 

8. Chanja

9. Atlantians Truckin’ Home

10. Afrika

11. Just Do It

Tracks 8 to 11 first appeared on the May 1993 US CD compilation of Vic Anesini Remasters - "Flock Rock – The Best Of The Flock" (Columbia/Legacy CK 53440 – Barcode 074645344027). They were outtakes to their unreleased third album recorded 16 December 1970.

12. Mermaid (Single Edit, 2:43 minutes)

13. Crabfoot (Single Edit, 2:48 minutes)

Tracks 12 and 13 issued a US 45 7” single in January 1971 on Columbia 4-45295 (Previously Unreleased on CD)

The 16-page booklet has new liner notes from noted writer MALCOLM DOME featuring photos of the band, the outer and inner gatefold sleeve to "Dinosaur Swamps" and of course that famous photo of Jerry giving it some wired violin. MARK POWELL of Esoteric did the compilation and archiving whilst long-standing Audio Engineer BEN WISEMAN handled the superb Remasters. Last time Columbia/Legacy handled the Flock was 25 years ago on the "Flock Rock...Best Of..." CD compilation from May 1993 – which featured Vic Anesini Remasters of 15 tracks – here we get comparable Audio – beautifully clear and powerful.

THE FLOCK was:

FRED GLICKSTEIN - Lead Guitar and Vocals

JERRY GOODMAN - Violin and Vocals

RICK CANOFF - Tenor Sax

TOM WEBB - Tenor Sax

FRANK POSA - Trumpet

JERRY SMITH - Bass

RON KARPMAN - Drums

JERRY GERBER on Saxophones, Flute, Banjo and Vocals replaced Tom Webb for "Dinosaur Swamps"

Most British fan's introduction to The Flock came not through the belatedly released debut album in April 1970 - but through a 6 March 1970 double-album sampler designed to promote CBS UK's roster of artists - the David Howell compiled "Fill Your Head With Rock - The Sound Of The Seventies". CBS Records SPR 39/40 was the third release from the British side of Columbia Records capitalising on the June 1969 chart-placing of their first two budget LP samplers - the fondly remembered "Rock Machine I Love You" and "The Rock Machine Turns You On". I mention all this because on the front cover of the 6 March 1970 2LP sampler "Fill Your Head With Rock" was Jerry Goodman of The Flock giving it some full-colour bare-chested Rock-God Prog-Jazz-Fusion Violin-Virtuoso (yeah baby). The image had graced the back cover of the debut album "The Flock" - but in black and white. Here he looked amazing - the 2LP set contained the album-cut of their Ray Davies and The Kinks cover "Tired Of Waiting". Although the double wasn't issued Stateside - it was a hit across loads of European and Asian/Australian markets. The Flock played Rotterdam 26 June 1970 on the back of it - only to stand naked and tall two days later at the Bath Festival in the UK where a certain Led Zeppelin made a pivotal impression. On that bill were other Prog acts like Pink Floyd, Colosseum and The Nice as well as Rock acts like Rory Gallagher's Taste, Ten Years After and their British pal/champion - John Mayall.

I must admit it’s been decades since I played their debut and I’m struck by how damn good most of it sounds after all these hairline-receding years. Opening sweetly with Acoustic strums - "Introduction" – the first of five original band compositions - soon succumbs to Jerry's ever-present Violin - sounding not unlike Fiddler On The Roof on acid. For sure the overly long "Clown" has some very dated vocal passages before the music takes over and romps to its 8:49 ending - but Glickstein proves himself a rocking guitar player – battling it out with Jerry Smith’s Bass lines (they released the wildly un-radio-friendly "Clown" as a two-parter single in France with a picture sleeve – wow – them was the days!). "I Am The Tall Tree" features some toe-curling lyrics vying for space with soulful playing - while it’s not surprising that Columbia and CBS both tried the band’s cover of The Kinks 1965 hit "Tired Of Waiting For You" (shortened to "Tired Of Waiting") as a 45 to plug the album – it’s probably the most (dare we say it) commercial cut on the record. Unrecognisable here – The Flock do the tune proud with some suitably grungy guitar work that ups the garage feel of the Kink Size original (the single edit is particularly impressive). Side 2 has only two tracks – the guitar-laden "Store Bought – Store Thought" which features wicked guitar and brass passages – and the seriously challenging but brilliant fifteen and half minutes of this compilations namesake - "Truth". Part Blues, part Prog, part Jazz Rock – it’s an amazing tour-de-force of Violin vs. Guitar vs. Brass - even if by the end the Bluesy jam – the song threatens to overstay its welcome. Having said that - if I were asked to point a singular finger at an example of this American band’s brilliance – it would be at this musicianship-showcase track "Truth".

By the time the band reached mid 1970 – a chemically enhanced visit to Boston became the basis for their ELP vs. The Mahavishnu Orchestra second album – the ambitious and occasionally brilliant "Dinosaur Swamps". With a doomy fade in - "Big Bird" then suddenly and unexpectedly becomes the Fiddle of Area Code 615 meets the Brass section of Blood, Sweat & Tears. By the time the voices arrive – it may have lost its way a tad – but structurally its impressive stuff nonetheless (and the Audio is fab). The near nine minutes of "Hornschmeyer’s Island" offers more of the same – our seven-piece heroes floating jazzily upstream in a musical canoe. The bopping "Crabfoot" is almost a single similar to Chicago’s "25 or 6 to 4" and the mad "Uranian Sircus" ends the album on loony laughter and dense rhythms that sound like they’re too stoned for their own creative good. Of the four jams that were to make up the unreleased third album supposedly to be entitled "Flock Rock" – the short "Chanja" offers up wild Zappa-like guitar – while the trumpet-soloing of "Just Do It" shows how far they’d veered towards Jazz and away from Rock.

For sure THE FLOCK won't be everyone's idea of a fun night in with a bottle of Chardonnay and a scented Michael Buble candle. But if your like your Prog Rock and Fusion with a dash of Jazz 'Brasso' and some 'Vim' Violin as a chaser – then this wicked reminder of headier days is the "Fill Your Head With Rock" bare-chested brat for you...

"Fuchsia" by FUCHSIA (November 2015 Esoteric Recordings CD - Paschal Byrne Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…A Song To The Moon…"

Released on the then obscure Pegasus Records label in England in November 1971 – Fuchsia's lone Acid-Folk Prog-Rock LP had gorgeous artwork courtesy of Anne Marie Anderson, dense and impressive layers and trippy Acoustic based music that felt genuinely magical at times - but typically - garnished bugger all sales on its initial release.

The band were to tour the complex largely acoustic-based arrangements in December of that year but the tour never materialised – and with only a shared advert in the Melody Maker alongside the likes of UK rockers Nazareth and British folkies Shirley Collins and the Fairport Convention offshoot The Albion Band – "Fuchsia" received no other promotion - and so like much on the B&C Records label imprint - Pegasus PEG 8 sank without a trace. Cue a decade later and Prog aficionados go all Mellow Candle on its rarity ass and start forking out serious money on the very hard-to-find vinyl LP (listed at £250 but often sells for much more). So Mark Powell's Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red) seems determined to rescue this lovely obscurity from the grips of bootleggers and give the album the release and remaster it deserves. And indeed they have. Here are the scented and flowery details…

UK released 27 November 2015 (December 2015 in the USA) – "Fuchsia" by FUCHSIA on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2518 (Barcode 5013929461840) is a straightforward CD transfer of the November 1971 LP on Pegasus Records PEG 8 and plays out as follows (40:56 minutes):

1. Gone With The Mouse

2. A Tiny Book

3. Another Nail

4. Shoes And Ships [Side 2]

5. The Nothing Song

6. Me And My Kite

7. Just Anyone

Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 written by Tony Durant – Track 3 written by Tony Durant and Robert Chudley – Track 6 written by Robert Chudley

FUCHSIA was:

TONY DURANT – Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar and Lead Vocals

MADELINE BLAND – Cello, Piano, Harmonium and Backing Vocals

JANET ROGERS – Violin and Backing Vocals

VANESSA HALL-SMITH – Violin and Backing Vocals

MICHAEL DAY – Bass

MICHAEL GREGORY – Drums and Percussion

The 16-page booklet featured reminiscences by principal songwriter Tony Durant on the formation of the band, the making of the album and the disappointing aftermath of no sales and no tours – as well as lyrics and a photo of the six-piece ensemble - three of whom were ladies and their violins. The famed Decca/Deram Producer DAVID HITCHCOCK did the original Producer honours at the console - giving the whole album a real polished feel (his work from the period 1968 to 1975 includes Caravan, Camel, East Of Eden, Genesis, The Pink Fairies, Curved Air and not surprisingly Mellow Candle). PASCHAL BYRNE – a name that’s graced oodles of these classy reissues – has handled the exclusively licensed Remaster – and the audio on songs like "Shoes And Ships" and "Just Anyone" can only be described as wonderful – clean, warm and expressive. This is a beautiful sounding CD reissue...

The opening cut "Gone With A Mouse" feels like the more Acoustic and ambitious sections of 1971's "Foxtrot" by Genesis (which David Hitchcock produced) – the remaster allowing the complicated breaks and changes to spread across the speakers with real power and impressive finesse. Durant's obsession with all things plucked-Acoustic comes shining through the violins and clashing cymbals on the delicately lovely "A Tiny Book". The seven-minute "Another Nail" has the three ladies opening with suitably 'scratching' sounds on their ELO-type strings before Michael Day and Michael Gregory gets all Horslips Bass and Drums on the trippy violin song (shades of East Of Eden's "Mercator Projected" and "Snafu").

Time to get really impressed. There are parts in the gorgeous six-minutes-plus of "Shoes And Ships" that feel like Nick Drake at his Spanish Acoustic Guitar best – mixed in with Durant's Duncan Browne sounding Lead Vocals – all topped off with the sheer prettiness of the string arrangements featured on Fotheringay's self-titled 1970 debut LP and Mellow Candle's magnificent 1972 "Swaddling Songs" album (very impressive stuff). "The Nothing Song" is a bit too Prog for me and the harmonium hippy "Me And My Kite" is lovely too – ending on the winner that is "Just Anyone".

Tony Durant later spent time with Punchin' Judy who managed one self-titled album on Transatlantic Records in 1973 – joined the reggae band Greyhound for a while before immigrating to Australia where he became a successful jingles writer. A full 35-years after the initial non-event Durant returned in 2013 with the CD "Fuchsia 2: From Psychedelia To A Distant Place" and even toured with a Folk-Prog band from Sweden called "Me And My Kites" named in tribute after the track on the album.

You wouldn't say "Fuchsia" is the champ-like obscure-monster of say "Mellow Candle" from April 1972 that regularly sells for £3000 and more and is worth the money (see separate review) – but there is so much to love on this forgotten gem. And typically - Esoteric Recordings have done the album and its legacy proud. Dig in and mucho enjoy…