"Tears Of Joy/Connection" by DON ELLIS (December 2017 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs onto 2CDs - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This and 100s more review like it available in my e-Book:

"...Euphoric..."

Including the 1971 2LP set "Tears Of Joy" on Columbia Records 

What you get here is the last two albums Big Band Leader and Jazz Trumpeter Don Ellis made for Columbia Records (USA) - one being a full double-album from 1971 of new material recorded over several nights live at the legendary Basin Street West Jazz Club in San Francisco - and the other, a 1972 single studio album of contemporary covers augmented with three new songs. Both albums are newly remastered here in 2017 from licensed Sony tapes - with the first's running order split across two CDs in order to make it fit without audio compromise.

A collection of contemporary cover versions across a wild scope of genres (Gilbert O'Sullivan to Yes, The Carpenters to The Crusaders), the second album "Connection" has probably Don Ellis' most sought after crossover moment – his jagged yet funky original theme to the ultimate gritty cop chase movie "The French Connection" starring Gene Hackman (Frog 1 baby).

But there's so much more - the fabulously inventive and superbly recorded and played "Tears Of Joy" 2LP set is rated by fans as one of his best – seventeen minutes of "Strawberry Soup" baby. And man does it all sound good too (England's Beat Goes On (BGO) has done a top job as usual). Here are the euphoric details...

UK released 15 December 2017 (22 December 2017 in the USA) - "Tears Of Joy/Connection" by DON ELLIS on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1317 (Barcode 5017261213174) offers two albums (one a double, the other a single) Remastered in full onto 2CDs that play out as follows:

Disc 1 (60:11 minutes):

1. Tears Of Joy [Side 1]

2. 5/4 Getaway

3. Bulgarian Bulge

4. Get It Together

5. Quiet Longing [Side 2]

6. Blues In Elf

7. Loss

8. How's This For Openers? [Side 3]

9. Samba Bajada

Tracks 1 to 9 are Sides 1, 2 and 3 of the double-album "Tears Of Joy" - released October 1971 in the USA on Columbia Records G 30927.

Disc 2 (68:54 minutes):

1. Strawberry Soup [Side 4]

2. Euphoric Acid

Tracks 1 and 2 are Side 4 of the double-album "Tears Of Joy" - released October 1971 in the USA on Columbia Records G 30927. All songs written by Don Ellis except "Get It Together" by Sam Falzone, "Samba Bajada" by Hank Levy and "Euphoric Acid" by Fred Seldon

3. Put It Where You Want It [Joe Sample song, Crusaders cover] - Side 1

4. Alone Again (Naturally) [Gilbert O'Sullivan song]

5. Superstar (from the Rock Opera "Jesus Christ Superstar") [Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice song]

6. I Feel The Earth Move [Carole King song]

7. Theme From "The French Connection" [Don Ellis song]

8. Conquistador [Keith Reid and Gary Brooker song, Procol Harum cover]

9. Roundabout [Jon Anderson/Steve Howe song, Yes cover] - Side 2

10. Chain Reaction [Hank Levy song]

11. Goodbye To Love [John Bettis and Richard Carpenter song, Carpenters cover]

12. Lean On Me [Bill Withers cover]

13. Train To Get There [Richard Halligan song]

Tracks 3 to 13 are the single album "Connection" - released November 1972 in the USA on Columbia KC 31766.

The card slipcase lends the reissue an air of class and the 20-page booklet comes resplendent with new MATT PHILLIPS  (Musician and Founder of soundsosurprise.com and movingtheriver.com) and all the original artwork including the song-by-song notes from Ellis that adorned the inner gatefold of the mammoth "Tears Of Joy" double. It's nicely done with new Remasters from BGO's long-standing Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON. These CDs sound great - the new transfers bringing out the best of the original Don Ellis and Phil Macy production values. To the Jazz...

Although "Tears Of Joy" was recorded live (climaxing a US tour) – such is the restraint of the crowd – you'd barely notice. But don't let that make you think the performances are too staid or po-faced reverential. If you want to know how a band 'cooks' – check out the staggering syncopation of the ensemble on "5/4 Getaway" – eight minutes of trumpet and horns merging – the two drummers Ralph Humphrey and Ron Dunn giving in some solo time before the whole group keeps it tight-tight to the end followed by whoops from a clearly geared-up crowd (sticks man Humphrey would join Zappa and his band just after this). From that and the wildness of the Sam Falzone contribution of "Get It Together" – we feel the complete contrast of "Quiet Longing" – a lone trumpet with some strings - sounding just like its title – images of a lone hombre on the range aching for his love as he stares up at the stars in the stillness of the night.

"Blues In Elf" begins in a reverential classical mode until piano player Milcho Leviev (much to the mirth of the crowd who spot the clever mood change) gets all sloppy New Orleans on its ass. Leviev is later joined by a string section and Don Ellis on Trumpet, the combo of which suddenly turning the initial Jazz Blues rhythm into something way cooler and more 1971-contemporary. "Loss" is equally beautiful and its complex string arrangements buffering off the trumpets and horns gives it a sort of magnificence that is truly epic. The hank Levy composition "Samba Bajada" that ends Side 3 feels like Santana crossbreeding with a Big Band by way of Herb Alpert – its eleven minutes again displaying amazing virtuosity from the whole ensemble (joyful stuff). Side 4 offers us two – an epic 17:38-minutes of "Strawberry Soup" where a lone sad cello is followed by cascading flute but is soon thrown into pure Zappa experimental territory – the band still managing to sound musical as it sounds at times like "The French Connection" – the extended car chase.

The predominantly covers album "Connection" opens with a very clever choice – Joe Sample’s fabulously funky and groovy "Put In Where You Want It" – an instrumental from the "Crusaders 1" double-album on Blue Thumb Records released only months earlier in 1972. Never one to take the easy route, Ellis then unfortunately embarks on an unwise cover of Gilbert O'Sullivan's mega hit "Alone Again (Naturally)" but instead of sounding cool, his version feels destined for some horrible elevator somewhere (going down). His takes on the Jesus Christ Superstar title track is a bit better as is the lesser-heard Procol Harum single "Conquistador", but you can't help racing towards that real moment of cool – his jerky theme to "The French Connection" movie – very groovy stuff indeed. Another smart choice is his suitably brass-bopping take on the Fragile track "Roundabout" – a Yes cover that even features some Rick Wakeman copycat keyboard sounds.

The double is a wonder, a genuinely great release that's unfairly forgotten now while the 1972 platter may have been cool-ish back in the day, but sounds the most dated of the two despite its odd moments of brilliance. Still with presentation and great audio, this is another stellar five-star winner form BGO. Dig in and get connected...

"Gonna Rock Tonite! The Complete Recordings 1969-1971" by FLAMIN GROOVIES (February 2019 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

Featuring the album "Teenage Head" from 1971

"...Pistol Packin' Mama..."

Like most fans of San Francisco's all-partying, all rocking, all greasy FLAMIN GROOVIES – I've had the 2009 Rev-Ola CD that offered up their kicking third and fourth albums on Kama Sutra Records - "Flamenco" from June 1970 and "Teenage Head" from March 1971. They’ve been snottily leaping around my mancave shuffle plays for years now. And before that - the double-album you used to pick up in secondhand record shops in the late 1970s that paired those two crackers together for our voracious vinyl consumption and my Dustbuster battered Garrard SP25 turntable.

Well reissue heroes ahoy but England's Grapefruit Records have gone and decided to expand into the album prior as well ("Supersnazz" from September 1969) and throw in a whopping seventeen bonuses too – all three albums and extras newly remastered in a cool and tactile pre Brexit mini box set. Why it’s enough to make me wanna rub jam all over my soggy doughnuts (while its still legal like). Here are the Super Snazzy details...

UK released 22 February 2019 (1 March 2019 in the USA) - "Gonna Rock Tonite! The Complete Recordings 1969-71" by FLAMIN GROOVIES on Grapefruit CRSEGBOX051 (Barcode 5013929185104) offers their second, third and fourth albums Remastered onto 3CDs in a Clamshell Box Set with Seventeen Bonus Tracks (Singles and Outtakes) that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Supersnazz" Album + Bonus Tracks (47:12 minutes):

1. Love Have Mercy [Side 1]

2. The Girl Can't Help It

3. Laurie Did It

4. Apart From That

5. Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu

6. The First One's Free [Side 2]

7. Pagan Rachel

8. Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama

9. Brushfire

10. Bam Balam

11. Around The Corner

Tracks 1 to 11 are their second studio album "Supersnazz" - released September 1969 in the USA on Epic Records BN 26487 in Stereo (no UK issue). Produced by STEVE GOLDMAN - it didn't chart.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Rocking Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Single Mix) - 18 July 1969 US 7" single on Epic 5-10507, A-side

13. The First One's Free (Single Mix) - 18 July 1969 US 7" single on Epic 5-10507, B-side

14. Somethin' Else (Single Mix) - 31 December 1969 US 7" single on Epic 5-10564, A-side

15. Laurie Did It (Single Mix) - 31 December 1969 US 7" single on Epic 5-10564, B-side

FLAMIN GROOVIES for "Supersnazz" was:

CYRIL JORDAN - Lead Guitar, Vocals and Acoustic Guitar

TIM LYNCH - Lead Guitar, Cello, Vocals and Harmonica

MIKE LANG - Keyboards

GEORGE ALEXANDER - Bass, Vocals and Harmonica

DAVID MIMH - Drums and Percussion

Disc 2 "Flamingo" Album + Bonus Tracks (65:04 minutes):

1. Gonna Rock Tonite [Side 1]

2. Comin' After Me

3. Headin' For The Texas Border

4. Sweet Roll Me On Down

5. Keep A Knockin'

6. Second Cousin [Side 2]

7. Childhood's End

8. Jailbait

9. She's Falling Apart

10. Road House

Tracks 1 to 10 are their third studio album "Flamingo" - released June 1970 in the USA on Kama Sutra Records KSBS 2021 (no UK release, but see Note below).

BONUS TRACKS (Recorded Live in Studio A, 13 January 1971):

11. Shakin' All Over

12. That'll Be The Day

13. Louie Louie

14. My Girl Josephine

15. Around And Around

16. Rocking Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu

17. Going Out Theme (Version 1)

Tracks 11 to 16 first issued on the 1976 US-only vinyl compilation "Still Shakin" on Kama Sutra BDS 5683

Track 17 first issued as one of the six Bonus Tracks on the 1999 'Original Masters' CD Reissue of "Flamingo" on Buddah 74321 71691 2

Disc 3 "Teenage Head" Album + Bonus Tracks (52:07 minutes):

1. High Flyin' Baby [Side 1]

2. City Lights

3. Have You Seen My Baby?

4. Yesterday's Numbers

5. Teenage Head [Side 2]

6. 32-20

7. Evil Hearted Ada

8. Doctor Boogie

9. Whisky Woman

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fourth studio album "Teenage Head" - released March 1971 in the USA on Kama Sutra Records KSBS 2031 (no UK release, but see Note below).

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Scratch My Back

11. Carol

12. Rumble

13. Somethin' Else

14. Walking The Dog

15. Going Out Theme (Version 2)

Tracks 10, 11 and 15 first issued as three of the seven Bonus Tracks on the 1999 'Original Masters' CD Reissue of "Teenage Head" on Buddah 74321 71690 2 (Track 14 was also one of those bonuses)

Tracks 12 and 13 first issued as two of the six Bonus Tracks on the 1999 'Original Masters' CD Reissue of "Flamingo" on Buddah 74321 71691 2

Track 14 first issued on the 1976 US-only vinyl compilation "Still Shakin" on Kama Sutra BDS 5683

FLAMIN GROOVIES for "Flamingo" and "Teenage Head" was:

CYRIL JORDAN - Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Percussion and Vocals

TIM LYNCH - Lead Guitar, Cello, Percussion and Vocals

ROY LONEY – Guitar, Lead Vocals and Percussion

GEORGE ALEXANDER – Bass and Percussion

DAVID MIMH – Drums, Percussion, Piano and Organ

Guests:

Commander Cody plays Piano on three "Flamingo" album tracks - Comin' After Me, Keep A Knockin' and Second Cousin

Jim Dickinson plays Piano on three "Teenage Head" album tracks - High Flyin' Baby, City Lights and Have You Seen My Baby?

Note: In August 1971, Kama Sutra in the UK issued both the "Flamingo" and "Teenage Head" LPs for the first time as a belated British double-album package on Kama Sutra 2683 003, simply called "Flamin' Groovies" (it was also issued in Germany entitled "2 Original LP's" on Kama Sutra 2623 101). That 1971 British double album was again reissued in October 1976 (by Pye Records) as "Teenage Head", but in slightly different artwork on Kama Sutra KSMD 101.

DAVID WELLS provides the superb October 2018 liner notes in the new and chunky 24-page booklet. Even though its not part of the remit for this set - the notes explain how the band's self-made 1968 "Sneakers" debut on their own Snazz Records came about - a 7-Track 10" Mini LP of 4500 copies they sold themselves in Tower Records (pressed up in three batches of fifteen hundred). Its artwork (front and rear) is pictured on Page 5. There are trade adverts, a Billboard piece from November 1970, publicity and live photos, rare single artwork and a line of those Epic and Kama Sutra singles (including Promo copies). Interviews with band members Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan are included illuminating the hectic 1969 to 1971 period. Experienced and dedicated names like DAVID WELLS and JOHN REED collated and organised the Box while Remaster Engineer OLI HEMINGWAY of The Waxworks did the audio tweaking. Like the Rev-Ola CD - this baby sounds amazing – huge presence and all the muscle you would want without being over done...and I like the three single card sleeve repros...nice

Apart from the cover versions of Little Richard's Rock 'n' Roll masterpiece "The Girl Can't Help It", the barroom R'n'B of Huey Smith's "Rocking Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu" (which Kama Sutra issued as a US 45) and the Eddie Cochran twofer "Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama" - most of the "Supersnazz" album sees us bombarded with flashy originals from both Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. "Love Have Mercy" and another single "The First One's Free" rip and roar while "Bam Balam" and "Around The Corner" round things off very nicely. And I have to admit that I've never heard the single mixes - very nice touch.

"...Ten head hunters...with a buzz saw...and they was comin' after me..." - the boys tell us in the raw and raunchy guitar-pop of "Comin' After Me" - ten state troopers chasin' close behind with meat hooks. But the Proto-Punk edginess really starts to come screaming in on "Headin' For The Texas Border" where the band is headed to New Orleans to get their mojo back. I love the rapid guitars and the transfer gives it serious wallop. It's 1970 for gawd sake but it could be 1976 - so damn sharp. They then cleverly switch to Acoustic Rock 'n' Roll with "Sweet Roll Me On Down" as they Buddy Holly 'ah-ha' through the chorus. I'm reminded of the British band Fumble who also did Little Richard's brilliant "Keep A Knockin'" in the same all out rocking way - letting the inner joy of this Fifties anthem rip. Roy Loney stumps up another rocker in the excellent "Second Cousin" - the lyrics straying dangerously into Jerry Lee Lewis lawsuit territory.

Things finally settle into a Hank Williams saunter with "Childhood's End" - a very witty childhood song from Ron Loney where he sounds amazingly like Mick Jagger circa "Exile On Main St." doing his best Hillbilly impression. "Jailbait" is a cool and snarly blues chugger where he pleads 'baby what you tryin to do!' to a mean guitar barrage. The fantastic "Gonna Rock Tonight" is the kind of out-and-out Rock 'n' Roll homage that Dave Edmunds would have loved when his regal Zonophone 'Rockpile' album was in play over in Blighty - ooh-wee baby indeed (and dig that huge grungy Bass solo too). The weird but utterly wonderful "She's falling Apart" follows - a song that feels wildly out of synch with the rest of the album but actually a song I return to most. It then blasts into a frantic Punk-rocking finish with the trashy "Road House" - rapid guitars a go-go.

For album number four we go Dr. Feelgood with the fabulous slide guitar intro to "High Flyin' Baby" – a superb little Ron Loney and Cyril Jordan rocker. We then return to "Exile On Main St." with the boozy swagger of the acoustic barroom "City Lights" and it’s hard to understand why this wickedly cool Acoustic Blues was slagged off at the time (still sounds so damn good to me). The hard-rocking and deliberately grungy "Have You Seen My Baby?" was probably too much Rock 'n' Roll for delicate minds back in the day - but I love it and "Yesterday's Numbers" that follows it which could have been Brinsley Schwarz or Help Yourself or even Free - stunning acoustic Rock that stays with you. Amidst the bonus stuff you’re clobbered with a fantastic loose cover of Link Wray’s guitar magnum opus – the album outtake of "Rumble". Jordan and the boys are clearly having riffage fun with the famous menace Link’s song exudes – a very cool bonus indeed that even includes giggles at the end from a band that would have worshipped at Wray’s feet in the blink of an eye.

Summing up - how cool is it to see these three storming platters in the one place and with so much excellent bonus material too (Sundazed issued the debut in 1996 as an Expanded CD should you want to check out their beginnings).

The New York Dolls, MC5 and especially The Stooges are constantly name-checked as keeping the wild snotty pure spirit of Rock 'n' Roll alive in the early Seventies - a time when Hard Rock and Prog Goliaths dominated the chart landscape and bedsits of the world threatening to swamp all three-minute blasts of proto-punk with hairy chests, tales of wizards and semi classical pomp. I loved them too (truth be told) - but spare a dime brother for the Bay's FLAMIN GROOVIES – fab, groovy and side burning into the Devilish bargain. Well done to all involved...

"Morning Brings The Light/John James/Sky In My Pie/Head In The Clouds" by JOHN JAMES (June 2017 Beat Goes On Reissue - 4LPs Remastered Onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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This Review is available along with many others in my e-Book

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Volume 2 of 3

Specialising in Folk and Reggae

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Features the "John James" Album from 1971 on Transatlantic Records 

"...Through The Lanes..."

Now here's an obscuro. And once again England's Beat Goes On Label (BGO) has done our unsung hero a Welsh Guitar Picker solid (if that's not too rude).

Stretching from 1970 to 1975 – you get full four albums originally on Transatlantic Records in the UK remastered in 2017 by long-standing Audio Engineer Andrew Thompson onto 2CDs – the first two containing some vocals but the last two strictly instrumental with genres crossing between straight-up Acoustic Folk to Bluegrass, Dixieland Jazz and Ragtime (all on Acoustic Guitar). Here are the skies in the pie...

UK released 16 June 2017 (23 June 2017 in the USA) - "Morning Brings The Light/John James/Sky In My Pie/Head In The Clouds" by JOHN JAMES on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1301 (Barcode 5017261213013) offers 4 full LPs originally on Transatlantic Records (UK) in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1975 newly remastered in 2017 onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (75:05 minutes, 22 Tracks):

1. If Only I [Side 1]

2. One Long Happy Night

3. Pickles And Peppers

4. Liverpool Lullaby

5. Hogan's Alley (Black Eyed Blues)

6. Once I Lived By The Sea

7. Picture Rag [Side 2]

8. A Little Blues

9. So Long Since I Was Home

10. Ostrich Walk

11. Lampeter

12. Morning Brings The Light

Tracks 1 to 12 are his Debut album "Morning Brings The Light" – released August 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 219 (produced by Chris Golby).

13. To Meet You I Hurry Down [Side 1]

14. Original Rags

15. Jazzbo's Holiday

16. Evening Comes Quickly

17. Three Through The Lanes

18. Tim E Whay

19. Song Around A Square [Side 2]

20. Rolling On Down

21. Stoptime

22. Daughter Of The Wind

Tracks 13 to 22 on Disc 1 and Track 1 on Disc 2 are his second album "John James" - released November 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 241 (produced by John Whitehead).

Disc 2 (79:56 minutes, 27 Tracks):

1. Listening To That Old Rag/Ragtime Dance

Tracks 13 to 22 on Disc 1 and Track 1 on Disc 2 are his second album "John James" - released November 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 241 (produced by John Whitehead).

2. And Sam Came Too [Side 1]

3. Sailor's Farewell

4. Mammy O'Mine

5. Easy Street

6. Out On The Rolling Sea

7. Sky In My Pie

8. Conquistador

9. Bach Goes To Town [Side 2]

10. Kicking Up The Dust

11. Nola

12. Quiet Days

13. Weeping Willow

14. Blap Bam Boom

15. Be Mine Or Run

16. Turn Your Face

Tracks 2 to 16 are his third album "Sky In My Pie" (credited to JOHN JAMES and DAVE BERRYMAN) – released 1972 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 250 (produced by Stephan Grossman).

17. Georgemas Junction [Side 1]

18. Black And White Rag

19. Head In The Clouds

20. Slow Drag

21. Wormwood Tangle

22. Stranger In The World

23. Rags To Riches [Side 2]

24. Blues For Felix

25. Heliotrope Bouquet

26. Secrets In The Sky

27. Stretching Of A Young Girl’s Heart

Tracks 17 to 27 are his fourth album "Head In The Clouds" – released November 1975 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 305 (produced by Ritchie Gold).

The outer card slipcase lends these BGO reissues a classy feel whilst long-time associate to the label JOHN TOBLER has penned the new 12-page liner notes and interviewed John James especially for the project. Anyone who knows the original vinyl platters – their rear sleeves had a few words but little by way of any meaty info (the 1970 and 1971 Jeremy Gilbert and Robin Denselow original liner notes are here nonetheless). I say this because James now enlightens of many of the tunes and their genesis and his collaborations with Berryman on the 3rd LP and John Renbourn on the fourth. The ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters are quietly lovely – strings pinging - sweetly done – the original tapes clearly in very good shape. To the music...

Songs like on "Once I Loved By The Sea" and "A Little Blues" are like pretty John Renbourn or Bert Jansch vignettes - plaintive, lovely and peaceful on the ear and head. Scott Joplin is never far from James' thoughts either - his own "Picture Rag" a beautifully gut-string-picked nod to the great Ragtime man - whilst "Ostrich Walk" is another instrumental but this time more in the Dixieland style. On the second self-titled album his then wife Jo James joins him on two tunes in duet vocals - the awful hippy claptrap of "Rolling On Down" which is rescued by "Daughter Of The Wind" - a James original Ralph McTell might have looked at with envy. Pete Berryman who would share a credit on the third album "Sky In My Pie" turns up on album two having written the playful travelling song "Jazzbo’s Holiday".

The third LP "Sky In My Pie" is a co-credit with another guitarist – PETE BERRYMAN (don’t you just love that gorgeous John Ashcroft artwork). JOHN RENBOURN of Pentangle guests as Second Guitarist on three songs (all instrumentals) – two by James called "Georgemas Junction" and "Stranger In The World" and a Renbourn original called "Wormwood Tangle". Parts of the melody in the fab "Stranger In The World" almost come across as Acoustic Prog while the Charlie Byrd cover of "Blues For Felix" feels very Leon Redbone without the voice. Scott Joplin turns up once again in the lazy afternoon mint-juleps-on-the-lawn feel to "Hellotrope Bouquet" – the very accomplished fourth album then ending in four and half minutes of "Stretching Of A Young Girl’s Heart" where some of the playing actually mimics such young hurt.

So hard to find on original vinyl now and unlikely to see reissue on the format (even in these vinyl is cool days of 2019) – this BGO 2CD twofer is a superb reissue and welcome too. John James will probably never be a household name – but this is a sweetly stacked reminder of what we all missed first time around...

"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