Plastic Penny - Everything I Am The Complete Plastic Penny (1967-70 uk, remarkable organ drivin' groovy psych rock, 2019 three disc clamshell box)

Subtitled “The Complete Plastic Penny”, this new collection brings together everything recorded under the name, including all surviving BBC sessions and two albums in Two Sides Of A Penny and Currency, the former in both mono and stereo forms……LTW’s Ian Canty finds a band that were conjured almost out of thin air to promote the surprise success of Everything I Am…..

Plastic Penny were originally conceived as a classic “Tin Pan Alley” ruse, constructed by Page One label head and manager extraordinaire Larry Page. The ex-Kinks/Troggs kingpin had identified Everything I Am as a song with potential, finding it on the flipside to the Box Tops’ Neon Rainbow, the follow up to their smash hit The Letter. He decided that session singer Brian O’Shea (soon to be renamed Brian Keith) was just the man to replicate Alex Chilton’s vocal style and with backing from other members of the session scene the track was completed. A composition by Brian Keith and keyboardist Paul Raymond (later of UFO), entitled No Pleasure Without Pain My Love, was also taped and provided the b side.

This single was duly released on Page One Records late in 1967 under the name Plastic Penny. 9 times out of 10 back then these type of things disappeared without trace, but Page was shrewd cookie and the song got good airplay and made the charts, climbing as high as number 6. This success presented its own problem: how do you promote a record rising rapidly up the charts without a band? Thus the first real line-up of Plastic Penny was quickly thrown together, with Keith and Raymond joined by the Sunderland-based duo of drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Mick Grabham, with Tony Murray (who was a member of Universals along with Keith and Raymond) completing things on bass.

The quintet promoted the single on its journey to the UK Top 10 and were entrusted with playing on, if not actually writing, the follow-up. This point in time was pretty much make or break for Plastic Penny, so Nobody Knows It was sourced from the sure-handed pairing of Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. These two had been behind many a hit and had recently won the Eurovision Song Contest with Sandie Shaw, so the catchy number they provided seemed a sure bet. The band managed to render the song with some nice organ swirls that pushed it close to “flavour of the month” Procul Harum in terms of sound. Another hit could have seen them establish a run in the charts, but sadly it was not to be, as the record did not trouble the Top 50. Even so, they pushed on with completing their debut album.

In truth Two Sides of A Penny was an uneven LP and somewhat aptly named. As far as I’m concerned, the better material is mainly situated on the second side and the stereo version carries a little more zing than the mono take, but that is a closer call. Although the hit (that most of the band never played on) was a nice bit of ornate late 60s Pop, the attempts to follow in the same style with Keith at the helm are a bit lumpy. Plastic Penny were generally a better outfit when they were given something more to get their teeth into, which they did on side two.

I Want You has drummer Olsson taking the microphone on an excellent tough fast rocker, but Mrs Grundy is the album’s real highlight, a fine piece of Psychedelic storytelling with some great instrumental touches. Take Me Back has a nice fresh feel to it and It’s A Good Thing is busting out with Pop/Soul goodness. They also have a dart at the Fabs’ Strawberry Fields Forever, which is ok but doesn’t add a great deal to the original (apart from grafting on a bit of Hello Goodbye). Both sides of their first two singles feature as bonus tracks on this disc, along with a couple of Italian language reworkings of the a sides.

The second disc, which houses the stereo version of the debut album, has a marvellous bonus in 14 BBC session tracks. For the most part the songs put down for the Beeb don’t differ vastly from the released versions, but do have some great Brian Matthew intros and outros (these recordings are taken from transcription discs, so Brian appears all over the place, even if the tracks were originally set down for other DJs’ shows), which give them a lovely “period” feel. There are a few Plastic Penny songs here which never saw official release though. Turning Night Into Day is a Baroque Pop treat, lots of strings and a soulful vocal – really nice stuff and the Killing Floor shows their tougher, more R&B influenced side. In addition Penny reunited with Brian Keith (see below) for an early version of his solo effort The Shelter Of Your Arms. Overall this part of the boxset is probably the most interesting and exciting section.

After the album was released came the inevitable split between the band and Keith – they had been effectively pulling in different directions for a while and Keith opted for a solo career. A brand new record heralded Penny’s next phase, the excellent Your Way To Tell Me To Go/Baby You’re Not To Blame single. Though again not a hit, this was for me probably their best release. The A side is a real winner, thunderous playing more in the style of the Move and the Who and the flipside is no slouch either, with a rolling bass line, cool piano and a great build to the chorus. Both have some excellent guitar work adorning them. Unfortunately the following Hound Dog single is a bit “of its time”, slowed down jamming covers were all the rage, but this was still a bit naff. More positively Currency, which occupied the other side, is a smart instrumental goodie.

On the whole you would have hoped that the good showing on 3 out of 4 of the single sides would augured well for their second album, also entitled Currency. Unfortunately it again feels to me like it isn’t quite the LP they truly had in them. Part of the problem is the amount of outside material, with four out of the nine selections being covers. I can understand why they did MacArthur Park in the grandstanding style of the Nice, it was all the rage at the time these types of things, but all these years on it feels like it is just banging up the running time. Elton John was circling the band at the time, but his and Taupin’s Turn To Me isn’t one of their best.

The sad thing is their own material is by far the best stuff on the whole album. Give Me Money is really top quality, they had played this one a while before Currency was cut (it is on disc 2 in its BBC session form), but it is still good to hear more than once. A wonderful, punchy and catchy uptempo piece of Power Pop that would certainly have given Roy Wood or Pete Townshend a run for their money. The aforementioned Your Way To Tell Me To Go, Baby You’re Not To Blame and Currency are all superb and Sour Suite is an effective jam which gives the band a chance to show their chops. On the positive side, this LP represented an improvement on their debut, but time was not on their side. You also have to factor in that even their better material would have seemed dated by 1969 (but with the elapsing of so much time, it sounds right on the money now).

In fact the band virtually folded after the record, with Raymond and Murray dropping out. Mick Grabham and Olsson put together a final line up, being joined by Stewart Brown on vocals and Freddy Gandy on bass. Even Olsson had scarpered by the time the final Plastic Penny single was released She Does/Genevieve. Despite the much changed personnel, this was another cool single, with the topside’s joyous vitality proving infectious and early song Genevieve being given a good dose of late-Psych vim. Still, it was too late in the day for Plastic Penny and soon after they were no more. The final three singles, plus rarity Celebrity Ball, which only was previously available on the obscure Heads I Win – Tails You Lose (Page One weren’t going to give up on the coin-related puns easily!) Plastic Penny compilation make up the bonuses here. The pick is She Does, a great single which really deserved much better.

Despite some reservations, Everything I Am: The Complete Plastic Penny is an excellent and thorough compilation of Plastic Penny’s recording career with an in depth sleeve note that tells the band’s convoluted story very well. Though people might only remember them for that single if at all, they were far better when they were given a chance to be a “proper” band rather than puppets fronting a record they didn’t record. That hit didn’t do them many favours, but on the evidence here Plastic Penny had more to offer, including some great songs of their own in Give Me Money and Your Way To Tell Me To Go. It was a shame that they were never given their chance to produce a whole album of their own material, but this collection has a few powerful 60s Pop gems to be gleaned. Another sterling effort by the Grapefruit imprint.

by Ian Canty, February 20, 2019

Tracks

Disc 1 "Two Sides Of A Penny" 1968 (Mono)

1. Everything I Am (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr.) - 2:22

2. Wake Me Up (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 3:08

3. Never My Love (Dick Addrisi, Don Addrisi) - 2:22

4. Genevieve (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:08

5. No Pleasure Without Pain My Love (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:44

6. So Much Older Now (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:36

7. Mrs. Grundy (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 5:14

8. Take Me Back (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:20

9. I Want You (Jack Bruce, Graham Bond) - 3:23

10.It's A Good Thing (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:46

11.Strawberry Fields Forever (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:23

12.Everything I Am (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr.) - 2:27

13.No Pleasure Without Pain My Love (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:41

14.Nobody Knows It (Bill Martin, Phil Coulter) - 2:31

15.Happy Just To Be With You (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:54

16.Guarda Nel Cielo (Nobody Knows It) (Bill Martin, Phil Coulter, Giovanni Sanjust) - 2:28

17.Tutto Quel Che Ho (Everything I Am) (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr., Giovanni Sanjust) - 2:27

Tracks (1-11) The album Two Sides Of A Penny, mono, Page One POL 005, released April 1968

Tracks (11-13) Single, Page One POF 051, released December 1967

Tracks (14-15) Single, Page One POF 062, released March 1968

Tracks (16-17) Italian single, Ricordi International SIR 20.067, released May 1968

Disc 2 "Two Sides Of A Penny" (Stereo) 1968

1. Everything I Am (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr.) - 2:28

2. Wake Me Up (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 3:08

3. Never My Love (Dick Addrisi, Don Addrisi) - 2:22

4. Genevieve (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:07

5. No Pleasure Without Pain My Love (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:43

6. So Much Older Now (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:37

7. Mrs. Grundy (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 5:14

8. Take Me Back (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:21

9. I Want You (Jack Bruce, Graham Bond) - 3:24

10.It's A Good Thing (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:47

11.Strawberry Fields Forever (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 4:25

12.Turning Night Into Day (Tony Murray) - 2:39

13.Everything I Am (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr.) - 2:25

14.Take Me Back (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:26

15.Everything I Am (Dan Penn, Dewey Lindon Oldham Jr.) - 2:29

16.No Pleasure Without Pain My Love (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:55

17.It's A Good Thing (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:35

18.It's A Good Thing (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:34

19.Nobody Knows It (Bill Martin, Phil Coulter) - 2:40

20.So Much Older Now (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:25

21.Your Way To Tell Me Go (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:49

22.The Shelter Of Your Arms (Brian Keith, Paul Raymond) - 2:43

23.Give Me Money (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:24

24.Killing Floor (Chester Burnett) - 4:02

25.Strawberry Fields Forever (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:56

Tracks (1-11) The album Two Sides Of A Penny, stereo, Page One POLS 005, released April 1968

Tracks (12-14) BBC session for Top Gear, recorded 10 January 1968, first broadcast 14 January

Tracks (15-17) BBC session for David Symonds, recorded 22 January 1968, first broadcast 29 February

Tracks (18-20) BBC session for David Symonds, recorded 19 March 1968, first broadcast 25 March

Tracks (22-23) BBC session for David Symonds, recorded 12 July 1968, first broadcast 22 July

Tracks (24-25) BBC session for Dave Cash, recorded 17 February 1969, first broadcast 1 March

Disc 3 "Currency" 1969
1. Your Way To Tell Me Go (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:49
2. Hound Dog (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2:48
3. Currency (Mick Grabham, Nigel Olsson, Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 3:39
4. Caledonian Mission (Robbie Robertson) - 2:59
5. MacArthur Park (Jimmy Webb) - 7:35
6. Turn To Me (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) - 2:45
7. Baby You're Not To Blame (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:53
8. Give Me Money (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:59
9. Sour Suite (Mick Grabham, Nigel Olsson, Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 8:12
10.Your Way To Tell Me Go (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:49
11.Baby You're Not To Blame (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 2:52
12.Hound Dog (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2:47
13.Currency (Mick Grabham, Nigel Olsson, Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 3:39
14.Celebrity Ball (Alan Gordon, Garry Bonner) - 2:42
15.She Does (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 3:07
16.Genevieve (Paul Raymond, Tony Murray) - 3:00
Tracks (1-9) The album Currency, Page One POLS 014, released February 1969
Tracks (10-11) Single, Page One POF 079, released July 1968
Tracks (11-13) Single, Page One POF 107, released November 1968
Track (14) Mid-1969 outtake, first release on the compilation album Heads I Win - Tails You Lose, Page One POS 611, released April 1970
Tracks (15-16) Single, Page One POF 146, released July 1969

Plastic Penny
*Brian Keith  - Vocals
*Michael Graham - Guitar
*Tony Murray - Bass
*Nigel Olsson - Drums
*Paul Raymond - Organ, Piano

1968  Plastic Penny - Two Sides Of Penny 
1969  Plastic Penny - Currency

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Clouds - Watercolour Days (1971 uk, impressive prog rock, bonus tracks edition)

A significant advance from their debut album, Watercolour Days shows Clouds plunging straight into virtuoso-style progressive rock, shedding any of their lingering psychedelic playfulness in favor of a much more brooding, serious sound. Billy Ritchie's keyboards are the dominant instrument, even with some overdubbed orchestral accompaniment, and their more aggressive sound suits Ritchie's and lead singer/bassist Ian Ellis's vocal capabilities. 

The album's overall sound is a mix of organ-centered art rock with some of the heavy hard rock sound one expected from Deep Purple, and it holds together amazingly well on numbers such as "Cold Sweat" and the title track. The guitar sound -- which was evident in small doses on their first album -- is missed sometimes, as it was in concert as well, but Ellis' bass work and Ritchie's powerful keyboard playing more than fill the gap. Indeed, hearing this album anew nearly 40 years on, it's even more difficult to understand how this trio didn't find more success than they did, especially given their reviews of the period. 

by Bruce Eder

Tracks
1. Watercolour Days - 5:30
2. Cold Sweat (Billy Ritchie, Ian Ellis) - 3:38
3. Lighthouse (Ian Ellis) - 5:05
4. Long Time (Billy Ritchie, Ian Ellis) - 4:37
5. Mind Of A Child (Billy Ritchie, Harry Hughes, Ian Ellis) - 2:52
6. I Know Better Than You (Billy Ritchie, Harry Hughes, Ian Ellis) - 4:55
7. Leavin' - 3:25
8. Get Off My Farm - 3:28
9. I Am The Melody - 2:41
10.Why Is There No Magic - 2:43
11.Shadows - 2:40
12.A Day Of Rain - 3:42
13.Clockwork Soldier - 5:06
All songs by Billy Ritchie except where stated
Bonus Tracks 10-13

The Clouds
*Ian Ellis - Organ, Guitar Acoustic, Bass, Vocals
*Harry Hughes  - Drums, Vocals
*Billy Ritchie - Organ, Guitar, Piano, Bass, Harp, Organ  Hammond, Vocals

1966-71  Clouds - Up Above Our Heads (2010 double disc extra tracks edition) 
1968/71  Clouds - Scrapbook / Watercolour Days 

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Grace Slick With Paul Kantner - Sunfighter (1971 us, fantastic psych prog folk rock)

More than anything the Airplane has ever done, Sunfighter sounds most like an extension of “I’d Swear that Someone Was There” and “What are Their Names” from the David Crosby LP, both in theme and arrangements. The instrumentation is performed by the same David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Steve Stills etc. crew, as well as Kantner. Electric violin work is done by Papa John Creach.

Most of the songs deal with the problems of the human race; Man’s inhumanity to man, overpopulation, and evil.

Time and again, the theme of looking back on the ruined land called America many years after it’s demise, comes up in Kantner’s work. “Earth Mother” could have fit well in Kantner’sJefferson Starship album with it’s science-fiction theme. “Remember what we sang/ Remember how we danced/ In America so many years ago.”

All the songs on the album follow the same vocal pattern, in which Grace and Paul both sing simultaneously, while Grace holds each note a bit longer than Kantner, with the exception of “China.” “China,” in which Grace solos, sings the praises, hopes and the fear of raising her’s and Kantner’s child. “I hope she sees something to make her life happy.”

There is truly no one song that fails on the album, musically or lyrically, yet of all the songs, I find “Diana” the best. Although it is less than a minute in length and is continued on the opposite side as “Diana 2,” the mythological theme and the excellent vocals make the song one that will last as a classic for quite a time. “Diana/ Huntress of the moon/ Lady of the Earth.”

Not absent is the poetry cry for man’s return to nature. “Look at the Wood” is the story of humans raised in the wonders of nature. Perhaps. I am overemphasizing the lyrical aspect of this album, but actually, it is hard not to. It is a rarity when the quality of the lyrics and the instrumentation both reach the level of excellence they reach in this LP. Too many songs, or even albums, suffer from the repetition of the usual poetic cliches.

Grace Slick’s and Kantner’s talents as lyricists have gone almost unnoticed until now, and it is about time that their work be given the credit it deserves.

Credit must also go to the arrangements which paint as much imagery as the lyrics do. For the most part, the instrumentation is kept simple but not barren. In this period where Spectorisms are so frequent, it is quite refreshing to find an arrangement that is not in the least bit pretentious.

Sunfighter is a mystical album, almost a mysterious album. Despite the fact that it’s success is guaranteed because of the fame of the group Kantner and Slick regularly record for, the album definitely stands on it’s own merit as an excellent one.

by Cameron Crowe, "San Diego Door" January 13, 1972  – January 27, 1972

Tracks
1. Silver Spoon (Grace Slick) - 5:40
2. Diana  (Grace Slick, Paul Kantner) - 0:52
3. Sunfighter  (Paul Kantner) - 3:50
4. Titantic  (Phill Sawyer) - 2:25
5. Look At The Wood  (Grace Slick, Paul Kantner) - 2:08
6. When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves  (Grace Slick, Paul Kantner) - 4:59
7. Million  (Paul Kantner) - 4:02
8. China  (Grace Slick) - 3:17
9. Earth Mother  (Jack Traylor) - 3:16
10.Diana (Part 2)  (Grace Slick, Paul Kantner) - 1:01
11.Universal Copernican Mumbles  (Patrick Gleeson, John Vierra, Paul Kantner) - 2:03
12.Holding Together  (Grace Slick, Paul Kantner) - 7:40

Musicians
*Paul Kantner - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Grace Slick - Vocals, Piano
*Jack Traylor – Guitar, Vocals
*Jerry Garcia - Guitar
*Papa John Creach - Electric Violin
*Craig Chaquico - Lead Guitar
*Bill Laudner - Vocals
*Jack Casady - Bass
*Spencer Dryden - Drums
*David Crosby - Vocals
*Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar
*Graham Nash - Arp
*Chris Wing - Drums
*Pat Gleeson - Moog Mumbles
*John Vierra – Synthesizer, Keyboards
*Phill Sawyer - Sound Effects
*Peter Kaukonen - Guitar, Mandolin
*Shelley Silverman - Drums
*Joey Covington - Drums
*Edwin Hawkins Singers (Edwin Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Tramaine Davis Hawkins, Elaine Kelley, Norma J. King, Barbara Gill, Ruth Wyons, Daphne Henderson, Shirley Miller, Eddie Bayers) - Vocals
*Steven Schuster - Flute, Saxophone, Horn Arrangements
*Greg Adams - Horns
*Mic Gillette - Horns

1973  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg - Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun 

Related Acts
1965-66  The Great Society - Born to Be Burned
1968-71  Grace Slick And The Great Society - Conspicuous Only By Its Absence / How It Was
1966  Jefferson Airplane - Takes Off (2014 audiophile remaster)
1972  Hot Tuna - Burgers (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica) 
1976  Hot Tuna - Hoppkorv (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica)

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Boffalongo - Beyond Your Head (1970 us, awesome jazzy psych rock, 2020 edition)

The continuation from the CyberDesk of Larry Hoppen

Boffalongos personnel changed before we cut our 2nd LP  Beyond Your Head in the same studio, now upgraded to 8-track! Keith left, Basil stayed, I moved to guitar, David ‘Doc ‘Robinson joined on bass and Ritchie still drummed on the record. However, the live band changed radically, right after the LP was released.  

 Sherman Kelly replaced Basil on keyboards/vocals and my former college roommate, Peter Giansante, entered on drums – just long enough to record a new song named Dancin’ in the Moonlight, written by Sherman in 1969.

Beyond Your Head shows the band’s growth from the first LP, with a preview of things to come through a first recording of what would become a global, iconic song, plus tunes by Doc and myself including a 3-song suite a la CS&N. (Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

 A few years later, Doc would be the lead singer on the huge hit rendition of Dancin’ in the Moonlight by King Harvest (1973), a band which included Sherman as well as (the late) Wells Kelly – Sherman’s younger brother - who both became Boff’s drummer until we disbanded in late 1971 and then joined up with John Hall to start Orleans in Woodstock, NY, bringing me into the initial trio in Feb. of 1972.

Tracks
1. $1000 Week (Dave "Doc" Robinson) - 2:40
2. Pioneer Song (Basil Matychak) - 3:11
3. Beyond Your Head (Larry Hoppen) - 4:57
4. Snow White Lady (Dave "Doc" Robinson) - 2:49
5. Endless Questions (Larry Hoppen) - 1:59
6. Galaxy Glide (Dave "Doc" Robinson) - 5:08
7. Hard To Keep From Cryin' (Larry Hoppen) - 4:53
8. Sleepy Time Guy (Basil Matychak) - 2:05
9. Dancing In The Moonlight (Sherman Kelly) - 3:08
10.Goin' Away (Larry Hoppen) - 2:41
11.Cold Town In Winter (Larry Hoppen) - 2:37
12.Please Love Me (Larry Hoppen) - 5:20

Boffalongo
*Larry Hoppen - Guitars, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
*Basil Matychak - Vocals, Keyboards
*Dave "Doc" Robinson - Bass, Vocals
*Richie Vitagliano - Drums
*Sherman Kelly - Vocals
With
*Jeremy Steig - Flute
*Peter Giansante - Drums
*Wells Kelly - Timballs
*Erick Blackstead - Vocals

1969  Boffalongo - Boffalongo (2020 reissue) 

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Boffalongo - Boffalongo (1969 us, elegant jazzy psychedelia early prog, 2020 reissue)

From the CyberDesk of Larry Hoppen

I’d just left Ithaca College as a Music Ed. student when I joined Boffalongo. In pretty short order we cut 2 albums in New York City (released in 1969 and 1970).

The first LP is the original band, Keith Ginsberg on guitar/vocals, Basil Matychuk on keys/vocals, the late Ritchie Vitagliano on drums and me on bass; 7 of their songs and 5 written by me. I played some guitar, organ, trumpet and sang as well. Recorded in a ‘state of the art’ 4-track studio on 54th Street, it exemplifies the sheer energy / exploration of youth: a first effort from a group of kids with an eclectic, intellectual and sometimes ethereal idea of pop music.

Tracks
1. The Sea's Gettin' Rough (Larry Hoppen) - 2:19
2. Marble Clown (Basil Matychak) - 3:24
3. Nightmare (Larry Hoppen) - 2:11
4. Alladin's Lamp (Basil Matychak) - 3:36
5. Please Stay (Larry Hoppen) - 2:41
6. Woes Of Home (Keith Ginsberg) - 2:21
7. Tomorrow Not Today (Larry Hoppen) - 2:45
8. B.N.I. (Batteries Not Included) (Keith Ginsberg) - 5:28
9. I Know The Feeling (Larry Hoppen) - 4:22
10.Band Of Fools (Basil Matychak) - 2:52
11.Rest Awhile (Keith Ginsberg) - 3:28
12.Mr. Go Away (Basil Matychak) - 2:40

Boffalongo
*Larry Hoppen - Bass, Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Trumpet
*Basil Matychak - Vocals, Keyboards
*Keith Ginsberg - Guitars, Vocals
*Richie Vitagliano - Drums
With
*Marilyn Mason - Cowbell
*Pattie - Flute

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Fickle Pickle - A Complete Pickle (1970-72 uk, amazing baroque psych harmonies, 2018 three disc clam shell box)

A North-West London studio based quartet consisting of members best known as producers, engineers and session players, Fickle Pickle was actually a bit of an English psych pop supergroup consisting of Cliff Wade (lead guitar, rhythm guitar and bass guitar) and Geoff Gill (drums) from The Smoke, best known for their late 60’s acid classic “My Friend Jack” along with Wil Malone (piano, organ and electric piano) from Orange Bicycle and Steve Howden (lead guitar, rhythm guitar and bass guitar) from Red Dirt. Vocals for the band were supplied by all four members. The three bands had in common that they recorded at Morgan Studios in London, so it was rather inevitable that the four combined their talents and recorded a handful of singles as well as an LP that received very limited distribution. Luckily for fans of the band, albeit some fifty years later, the complete works of Fickle Pickle have been lovingly compiled and annotated by David Wells in a three CD box set aptly titled “A Complete Pickle” released on Morgan Music Co. Ltd.’s Morgan Blue Town imprint.

The three discs comprising “A Complete Pickle” are thematic. Disc one contains the twelve tracks from Fickle Pickle’s 1970 album “Sinful Skinful” which was released only in The Netherlands on the Explosion Records label along with nine non-LP single sides issued on various labels between 1970 and 1972. Disc two has twenty six tracks recorded, all but five previously unreleased, taken from the Morgan Blue Town tape library, while the box set’s real treat is disc three which contains fifteen previously unreleased studio tracks recorded during rehearsals for a Dutch tour, making for a total of sixty two tracks, thirty six of which make their debut on “A Complete Pickle” and making for an exhaustive document, nearly three and a half hours in length, of a finely tuned band who most certainly deserved a much better fate than they received.

Disc one begins with the LP tracks which unlike their singles, consist of only band originals, with Gill, Wade and Malone contributing the lion’s share of tunes. Throughout the band exhibits its ability to combine gorgeous melodies and beautiful vocal harmonies with skillful musicianship. Produced by Geoff Gill and Cliff Wade, the albums opens with “California Calling” co-written by Gill, a jazzy keyboard driven number that was a mainstay in Fickle Pickle’s live set. Originally released as a medley, the album’s title track, a Wade, Gill and Malone composition is a piano led tune with delicate vocal harmonies and a tastefully restrained lead guitar line, while the medley’s other half “Sandy” is a beautiful ballad featuring exceptional acoustic guitar work. “Doctor Octopus” hints at the heavier side of the band as well as serving as an example of the band’s Monty Pythonesque humorous element. “Let Me Tell You” the opening track on side two of the album begins with more delicate piano and gorgeous vocals before a fuzz guitar enters building to a mid-tune solo giving the tune a much heavier feel. “Down Misty Lane” is the LP’s longest tune at about four and a half minutes and has a Move like vibe with its 12 string guitar fitting perfectly. 

Two other tracks in particular stand out. The vocal intro of “Sunshine Pie” brings to mind “Western Union” a smash hit by the US band The Five Americans before its tastefully restrained lead guitar line and solo take over, showcasing the rockier side of the band, and the album closing, Beatlesque “Our Time Is Thru” with its fuzzed out guitar leading to another hot solo, the tune being the album’s heaviest without question. As a finishing touch the band’s sense of humor shows once again as at the three minute mark the albums’ credits are read off. A very solid piece of melodic power pop one can only wonder why “Sinful Skinful” was a Dutch only release. With its combination of original material, masterful musicianship and excellent production there was certainly a place in music shops for an album of its quality. Disc one closes with nine non-LP single sides and includes some potential big sellers. The band’s take on Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” is a prime example, with its piano intro and gorgeous vocals giving way to an uptempo lead guitar leading to a hot solo that plays the song out. With McCartney having not released the song as a single it seems Fickle Pickle’s label missed the perfect opportunity for a hit. The strongest track, however, may well be the band’s red hot cover of the Paul Williams classic “Just An Old Fashioned Love Song” a huge hit in the US for Three Dog Night. From the outset, the lead guitar is to the fore, with the piano, bass and drums all pushing the beat and the vocals much less prominent in the mix. This might just be the best recording of the song to date, and definitely another missed opportunity for a hit. One other single of note was “Millionaire” with its sitar-esque intro, delicately gorgeous vocals and lyrical social commentary.

Disc two consists of twenty six tracks, twenty one previously unreleased, taken from the Morgan Studios tape vaults. While the majority of tunes showcase the melodic side of Fickle Pickle and are dominated by keyboards and luscious vocals, there are five tunes in particular that remind the listener that the band was quite capable of rocking and deserve individual recognition. “Playing With Magic” opens with a heavy guitar intro before settling into a driving riff, supplemented by trippy phasing and an especially nice lead line. “Like A Good Man Should” has a driving beat as well as a stunning lead guitar line and solo complemented by Malone’s gorgeous piano interlude. “Ride Ride Ride” has plenty of punch supplied by its heavy guitar intro and stinging lead line, making for quite a snappy rocker. The group’s cover of Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” features fine piano and organ work by Wil Malone with a smoking lead guitar line and an especially impressive solo, in addition to the band’s ever present melodic vocals. 

Malone’s “Everyday” is a moody tune which adds strings for texture, while containing even more impressive guitar work. The tunes found on this disc also show the close relationship between The Smoke and Fickle Pickle, as “Guy Fawkes” for instance, was indeed recorded by both bands. In addition, two cover tunes in particular stand out. America’s “I Need You” is especially fitting as it is centered around the band’s vocal harmonies with melodic piano accompaniment. The disc closes with a reggae flavored take on “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” a huge hit for Manfred Mann and another wonderful fit for Fickle Pickle’s luscious vocals. All in all, the tracks found on this disc stand as evidence of the vocal, arrangement and production talents of Fickle Pickle and hint at the possibilities had the band only been able to break through in either the U.K. or U.S. market.

The third and final disc of “A Complete Pickle” contains fifteen tracks, all previously unreleased, recorded in the studio in preparation for a tour of The Netherlands, and as such is an incredible document of the band’s musicianship and showmanship. The material is a wonderful mix of band originals and covers, and includes tracks from “Sinful Skinful” and the group’s single sides as well as tunes that had not been previously dedicated to tape but were part of Fickle Pickle’s live repertoire. The disc offers an opportunity to experience one of the band’s gigs, something previously only available to those lucky enough to have seen them on their Dutch tour. The set opens with a laid back, keyboard oriented take on “Maybe I’m Amazed” which may lack the fiery guitar work of the single release, but stands up well thanks to its gorgeous vocals. 

“Sinful Skinful” likewise relies on keyboards and vocal harmonies but is incredibly pleasant to the ear. A six minute version of Cliff Wade’s “People I Know” makes its debut in any form and does not disappoint, opening with gentle keyboards and vocal harmonies before the lead guitar takes over and delivers a memorable solo. A cover of Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” fits the band perfectly with its mix of keyboards and vocal harmonies. As with the King cover, another track found only among the tour rehearsals is a ten minute plus take on Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” best known for the highly charting single release by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The song differs greatly from typical performances by the band straight from its intro. The sound is dominated by its incendiary guitar and heavy beat and includes an impressive mid-tune solo, with Malone’s keyboards, especially his electric piano interlude, adding flavor to what is undoubtedly the heaviest song in the band’s live set. Two tracks taken from the group’s LP “Sandy” and “Down Sandy Lane” return the band to its more mellow, melodic side, showcasing the vocal abilities of the quartet. 

One of the songs from their unreleased studio demos, “Buena Vista” is a gorgeous mix of tastefully restrained guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies. The group’s humor is present once again on “California Calling” taking the band full circle to the opening track of “Sinful Skinful” and adds a delightfully light hearted break in the action. Following “Let Me Tell You” a track which fluidly moves from its gentle keyboard intro to its more uptempo guitar section highlighted by yet another spright, yet somewhat restrained solo. The set ends with the aptly titled show closer “Time To Go” an uptempo keyboard driven tune yet again showcasing the band’s vocal harmonies and employing percussion in the form of drums and handclaps as an outro. A delightful mixture of up and mid-tempo numbers the rehearsal recordings serve as a teaser of what a joy it would have been to see these four incredibly talented musicians live. Rare indeed is a combo consisting of members, all proficient on their instruments as well as capable of delivering distinctively gorgeous vocals. But such was the quartet which bore the moniker Fickle Pickle.

“A Complete Pickle” comes in a tri-fold digipak with each of the three discs tucking into a panel of the digipak. Also included is a twenty four page full color booklet with a detailed essay by David Wells. The booklet contains photos of the band members, artwork of the album and singles releases, as well as press clippings and other memorabilia. The music on this box set sounds crisp and clean thanks to the mastering job by Pete Reynolds. An incredible documentation of a band that was comprised of great songwriters, musicians and producers “A Complete Pickle” has a place in the collection of any fan of early 1970s pop psych music and will be of special interest to those familiar with the band’s who gave birth to Fickle Pickle, namely The Smoke, Orange Bicycle and Red Dirt and comes most highly recommended.

by Kevin Rathert

Tracks

Disc 1

1. California Calling (Danny Beckerman, Geoff Gill) - 2:15

2. Sinful Skinful (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:12

3. Sandy (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:21

4. Doctor Octopus (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:22

5. Saturday (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:05

6. Only For The Summer (Cliff Wade) - 3:21

7. Let Me Tell You (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:16

8. Down Smokey Lane (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 4:28

9. Blown Away (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:48

10.Sunshine Pie (Cliff Wade, Wil Malone) - 2:30

11.Barcelona (Steve Howden) - 2:51

12.Our Time Is Thru (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Steve Howden, Wil Malone) - 4:03

13.Millionaire (Wil Malone) - 3:23

14.Sam and Sadie (Danny Beckerman, Geoff Gill) - 2:18

15.Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney) - 2:39

16.Sitting On A Goldmine (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:20

17.American Pie (Don McLean) - 4:03

18.Just An Old Fashioned Love Song (Paul Williams) - 3:06

19.Ask The People (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill) - 3:12

20.The Letter (Paul Jenkinson, Philip Michael Hampson) - 2:17

21.Here And Now (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill) - 3:19

Disc 2

1. Goodnight (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:35

2. Keep On Doing What You Do To Me (Danny Beckerman, Geoff Gill) - 2:40

3. Do You Remember My Name (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:19

4. Tell Me (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:19

5. Playing With Magic (Geoff Gill, Zeke Lund, Peter Wilson, Mal Luker) - 3:06

6. Bringing It All Back Home (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:20

7. Time To Go (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 2:59

8. The Man With One Leg (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill, Steve Howden, Wil Malone) - 2:21

9. Through The Days (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill) - 2:58

10.Like A Good Man Should (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:29

11.Old Feet, New Socks (Geoff Gill, Peter Wilson) - 3:43

12.Poor Little Frogs (Geoff Gill, Peter Wilson, Cliff Wade, Wil Malone) - 2:38

13.Sweet Wilfred A Rodent Of Note (Geoff Gill, Peter Wilson) - 3:00

14.Ride Ride Ride (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone, George Reed) - 2:38

15.Guy Fawkes (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone, George Reed) - 2:03

16.Jesus Cristo (Monty Babson) - 2:30

17.Holiday Farm (Geoff Gill, Cliff Wade, Wil Malone) - 3:14

18.Time To Go (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 4:11

19.Buena Vista (Bob Grimm) - 3:15

20.Don't Let It Bring You Down (Monty Babson) - 2:52

21.Everyday (Wil Malone) - 3:19

22.Let Me Be The One (Monty Babson) - 3:35

23.I Need You (Gerald Beckley) - 2:46

24.Ring Me (Cliff Wade, Geoff Gill) - 2:36

25.I Love Every Little Thing About You (Stevie Wonder) - 3:13

26.Do Wah Diddy Diddy (Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry) - 2:57

Disc 3 Studio Rehearsals
1. Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney) - 3:42
2. Sinful Skinful (Geoff Gill, Peter Wilson) - 3:11
3. People I Know (Cliff Wade) - 6:01
4. Only For The Summer (Cliff Wade) - 3:12
5. Bringing It All Back Home (Geoff Gill, Cliff Wade, Wil Malone) - 4:09
6. You've Got A Friend (Carole King) - 4:05
7. Silently But I Do (Cliff Wade, Peter Wilson) - 4:01
8. Woodstock (Joni Mitchell) - 11:46
9. Sandy (Cliff Wade) - 3:31
10.Down Smokey Lane (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 3:36
11.--Interlude-- - 2:49
12.Buena Vista (Bob Grimm) - 3:22
13.California Calling (Danny Beckerman, Geoff Gill) - 3:00
14.Let Me Tell You (Geoff Gill, Cliff Wade) - 2:50
15.Time To Go (Geoff Gill, Wil Malone) - 4:49

Fickle Pickle
*Geoff Gill - Drums, Vocals
*Cliff Wade - Lead Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Organ, Drums, Vocals
*Wil Malone - Piano, Organ, Vocals
*Steve Howden - Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass
With
*Danny Beckerman - Piano
*John "Zeke" Lund - Bass

1971  Fickle Pickle - Sinful Skinful
Related Acts

1967  The Smoke - It´s Smoke Time (bonus tracks edition) 
1970  Wil Malone - Wil Malone / Until the End
1970  Red Dirt - Red Dirt (2010 expanded issue) 
1970  Orange Bicycle - Orange Bicycle (Japan extra tracks remaster) 
1970  Bobak, Jons, Malone - Motherlight 

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Brownsville Station - Yeah! (1973 us, stunning greasy garage rock sleazy glam rock)

Formed in 1969 by Cub Koda, who later reaped the title as an honorable music historian, Brownsville Station issued a trio of albums prior to harvesting honey with this disc. Although such efforts received kind reviews, they failed to generate substantial sales. Despite the lack of vinyl interest, the Ann Arbor, Michigan band busted their butts touring the local circuit, where they drew a fanatical following.

Released in August 1973, Yeah! (Big Tree Records) featured Brownsville Station’s breakthrough hit, “Smokin’ In The Boys Room,” which zoomed to No. 3 on the national charts. Reflecting a wild orgy between Alice Cooper, the J. Geils Band, Slade and Paul Revere and the Raiders, the obnoxious ode to sneaking ciggies in the school’s loo, clanked, crunched and cackled to a raunchy repertoire of thumping rhythms and shouting choruses. A dozen years down the road, Motley Crue covered “Smokin’ In The Boys Room,” which cracked the Top 20.

Nearly every track on Yeah! could qualify as a jukebox favorite. It’s easy to hear how much fun Brownsville Station had singing and playing these punchy songs smacking of beer stains and the smell of nicotine. The band appears as if they have nary a care in the world. They eat, sleep and breathe rock and roll, and are thrilled to pieces to be sharing their passion with those willing to lend an ear.

Additional winners offered on Yeah! include the brawny bash and flash of “All Night Long” and the senselessly catchy “Let Your Yeah Be Your Yeah,” while a ripping revision of Hoyt Axton’s “Lightnin’ Bar Blues” and a spirited take of the Balloon Farm’s psychedelic scented “Question Of Temperature” should also be given special attention.

Carpeted with vintage guitar riffs gone mad, trashy drumming, shrill harmonica fills and wise-guy vocals, Yeah! serves as a scruffy synthesis of greasy garage rock, party hearty hard rock, bluesy boogie rock and sleazy glam rock. Relentlessly energetic, the album aptly blends slivers of corniness with killer sounds. Yeah! indeed…

by Beverly Paterson

With ten great songs, Yeah! is an album that lives up to its name -- quite possibly the only fully realized LP the band ever made. Eight covers, all given the treatment, and two originals -- one of which sold two million copies. Yeah! is the quintessential "nice little record" -- it won't take up a lot of your time, and it's got a very friendly vibe to it. The cover songs span a wide variety of musical styles, which isn't that surprising, considering that guitarist/vocalist Cub Koda has a deep knowledge of music history. From Hoyt Axton's "Lightning Bar Blues" to then-unknown Jimmy Cliff's "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" to Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane," the band pumps out all of its songs in a chugging, lighthearted manner that ends up being nothing but fun. 

Lead vocals were previously the exclusive domain of bassist Michael Lutz, but Koda emerges as a singer as well; Lutz may have been the more prototypical rock singer, but it was Koda's sleazy, nasal snarl that worked to perfection on the classic hit single "Smokin' In the Boys Room." While the success of "Smokin" opened a lot of doors for the band, it also pigeonholed them in such a way as to render them almost un-arrestable only a couple of years later. Between their wild onstage antics and the fact that the follow-up album, School Punks, was a blatant attempt at cashing in, the band lost a lot of the credibility they had earned by playing straight-ahead rock & roll. Although Brownsville Station would never again capture the magic here, Yeah! easily stands the test of time -- it's truly delightful. 

by Geoff Ginsberg

Tracks
1. Question Of Temperature (Mike Appel, Ed Schnug, Don Henny) - 3:31
2. Lightnin' Bar Blues (Hoyt Axton) - 2:52
3. Take It Or Leave It (H. Cardell) - 3:00
4. All Night Long (Mike Lutz, Cub Koda) - 2:55
5. Let Your Yeah Be Yeah (Jimmy Cliff) - 3:37
6. Sweet Jane (Lou Reed) - 3:02
7. Love, Love, Love (Terry Knight) - 2:55
8. Go Out And Get Her (Doug Morris) - 2:56
9. Barefootin' (Robert Parker) - 2:55
10.Smokin' In The Boy's Room (Mike Lutz, Cub Koda) - 2:57

Brownsville Station
*Cub Koda - Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica
*Mike Lutz - Bass, Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
*Henry H Bomb Weck - Drums, Vocals

1970  Brownsville Station - No BS
1972  Brownsville Station - A Night on the Town (2005 edition)
1974  Brownsville Station - School Punks 

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Brownsville Station - A Night on the Town (1972 us, tough hard boogie roots 'n' roll, 2005 edition)

Why do so many people react with a sniff of the upturned runny nose when Detroit bands are mentioned, and why do Detroit bands come on so macho-honk self-conscious? Brownsville Station are from Ann Arbor, not Detroit, but they have always been lumped with the shortlived Detroit Bands hype, this despite the fact that most of the Detroit bands snubbed ’em mercilessly.

Why were they snubbed? Because Brownsville didn’t put on any badass streetpunk revolutionary airs, that’s why. They were just kids from the duplexes of America, not the belly of the beast, and cared shit less about politix and just wanted to rock ‘n’ roll. The Frut, good reviews of whose first album inspired a record number of why – did – you – fucking – critics – con – me – into – buying – this – piece – of – shit? letters to rock magazines around the country but were liked ’cause they played their part in the Detroit scene, once said that “We’re the guys who used to beat up Brownsville Station in the parking lot.” Maybe so, but Brownsville Station are the guys who right now will blow Frut right off the stage.

Still, I gotta admit that their new album ain’t as good as their first one, which is mainly a production problem, but so what? Their first, released on Warners nearly two years ago, was a monster, and there’s enough monstro moves in here to make this well worth shelling out a few sheckels for, in this day when most of the stuff on the radio is shit and you don’t know who to trust anymore and even the Rolling Stones have fucked up.

“Rack with the Music” isn’t particularly original, but it’ll get you off your ass. It sounds like Creedence and Sly together, but both of them are great and declining now along with lotsa other heavies, and besides, if you ever once heard Brownsville Station in your life and Leonard Feather hit you with this in a Blindfold Test you’d tag it right snappy.

“Mister Robert,” drives full throttle from here cross every dragstrip coast to coast, and is every bit as good as the fastest, furiousest things on the first Moby Grape album, and has a secret message. One thing I can tell you, it ain’t about Bob Dylan. And the lazied-back Rock Prince it’s addressed to (“Get up off your ass and move!”) could well be taken as Everystar who ever lost his fire in the fog of fame, but that ain’t quite the truth either. So listen and puzzle over it awhile, and if you’re really buffaloed you can write me a letter and I’ll tell you.

“Wanted (Dead Or Alive)” starts out with a riff so banal it took some nerve for Cub Koda to pick it up when he wanted to write a song one day, but that makes it even better, the gall and glee of that is what all this noise’s been about for most of our lifetimes now, and besides it gets into something a little more “inventive.” “Country Flavor” is currently the highlight of their live show, because it’s catchy as a bitch and has an indestructible hook and they always get the whole audience to clap and sing along and not a cynical zhlub in the house refuses, they’re that infectious. “Leavin’ Here” is Motown raved-up neat as Rod Stewart ever did and less axes to grind too, and “The Man Who Wanted More” is, believe it or don’t, a high energy takeoff on “When the Saints Go you know what.” And “Jonah’s Here To Stay” even has a fine soprano sax solo out of the Coltrane fakebook by lead singer Mike Lutz, and that takes care of side two making it 100 percent good, so what are you waiting for? The pick of the litter.

by Lester Bangs, July 6, 1972

Tracks
1. Rock With the Music (Michael Lutz) - 3:22
2. I Got Mine (Michael Lutz) - 2:46
3. Lovin' Lady Lee (Tony Driggins) - 3:33
4. Mad for Me (Pookie Shark) - 2:39
5. Mister Robert (Pookie Shark) - 4:06
6. Wanted (Dead or Alive) (Cub Koda) - 3:28
7. Country Flavor (Tony Driggins) - 4:27
8. Jonah's Here to Stay (Michael Lutz) - 6:48
9. Leavin' Here (Brian Holland, Edward Holland, Jr., Lamont Dozier) - 3:04
10.The Man Who Wanted More (Saints Rock 'n' Roll) (Traditional) - 2:13

Brownsville Station
*Cub Koda - Lead Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica
*Michael Lutz - Lead Vocals,Guitar,Kaeyboards
*Tony Driggins - Bass,Vocal
*David Henri Weck - Drums

1970  Brownsville Station - No BS
1974  Brownsville Station - School Punks 

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Renaissance - Illusion (1970 wonderful prog rock, 2010 bonus tracks remaster)

Although perhaps less adventurous, Illusion was on a par with its predecessor, being more disciplined and tunefully stronger, sign posting later Renaissance albums and the growing maturity of Relf and McCarty as songwriters. Unsurprisingly given its title, the opening song Love Goes On is a straight forward ballad with a chorus that’s both compelling and hypnotic. Golden Thread harks back to the first album with an extended piano intro although it’s more melodic in its structure. It develops into another memorable choral chant, with lead vocals by McCarty, interspersed with intimate piano moments that put me in mind of very early Genesis.

Love Is All echoes the sentiments of the opening song with a very similar feel whilst Mr. Pine is the track recorded with the Dunford/Crowe/Korner/Slade line-up. Written by Dunford, it’s arranged in three separate sections. The short opening song is folky and engaging, the mid-section more strident with echoes of King Crimson and Hawken (uncharacteristically) playing Hammond which he swops for harpsichord when the song returns to the mellow opening.

The tranquil Face Of Yesterday shows how Jane has developed as a vocalist, sounding more confident for the most delicate song recorded by the line-up thus far with beautiful instrumental work from Hawken, Cennamo and Relf. It’s a perfect foil for the bands lengthiest piece to date, Past Orbits Of Dust which follows. The edgy atmosphere is characterized by the rhythmic electric piano of guest keyboardist Don Shin and although very well played, for my money the more refined playing of Hawken is sadly missed. It also drags on longer than necessary with much self indulgent soloing contributing to the tracks length.

The three bonus tracks included by Esoteric are not in reality Renaissance material but are worthy additions anyway. These include two songs composed by McCarty and recorded in September 1970 for the soundtrack of the film ‘Schizom’. The dreamlike Prayer For Light is reminiscent of KC’s Epitaph although taken at an even slower pace and Walking Away continues in a similar vein with some lovely classical guitar playing. The last track All The Fallen Angels is a demo assembled by Keith Relf in April 1976 for a new band Illusion which was to feature the original Renaissance line-up. His voice seems to have deserted him on this occasion although the Mellotron backdrop and Cennamo’s poignant bass compensate. Sadly Relf was the victim of a fatal heart attack the following month after he was electrocuted at home playing guitar.

Possibly due to the fractured recording of the Illusion album it was only initially released in mainland Europe, Renaissance fans in the UK had to wait until 1976. In the meantime Michael Dunford assumed leadership of the band and the departure of Jane Relf soon after opened the door for Annie Haslam to begin another chapter in the bands history. But that’s another story, for now these two excellent releases, restored to pristine condition by Esoteric, are here to enjoy. 

by Geoff Feakes, 2011

Tracks
1. Love Goes On (Keith Relf) - 2:50
2. Golden Thread (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 8:15
3. Love Is All (Jim McCarty) - 3:39
4. Mr. Pine (Michael Dunford) - 6:59
5. Face Of Yesterday (Jim McCarty) - 6:05
6. Past Orbits Of Dust (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 14:43
7. Prayer For Light (From The Film "Schizom") (Jim McCarty) - 5:27
8. Walking Away (From The Film "Schizom") (Jim McCarty) - 4:19
9. All The Fallen Angels (Jim McCarty, Keith Relf) - 5:27
Tracks 1 - 6 recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes, London and Island Studios, Basing Street, London.
Track 7,8 recorded at Advision Studios, London for the soundtrack to the film "Schizom" in September 1970.
Track 9 recorded during the Illusion demo sessions in April 1970.

Renaissance
*Jane Relf - Vocals, Percussion
*Keith Relf - Guitars, Vocals
*John Hawken - Keyboards, Piano
*Louis Cennamo - Bass
*Jim MCcarty - Drums, Vocals
With    
*Terry Crowe - Lead Vocals (Track 4)
*Michael Dunford - Guitars (Track 4)
*Neil Korner - Bass (Track 4)
*Terry Slade - Drums (Track 4)
*Don Shinn - Keyboards (Track 6)

1969  Renaissance - Renaissance (2008 remaster) 

1974  Renaissance - Turn Of The Cardss
Related Acts
1977  Illusion - Out Of The Mist (2011 remaster)
1978  Illusion – Illusion (2011 remaster) 
1963-68  The Yardbirds - Glimpses (five disc box set, 2011 release)
1964  The Yardbirds - Five Live Yardbirds (2007 Repertoire digi pack with extra tracks)
1965-68  The Yardbirds - Live At The BBC (2016 double disc remaster)  
1968  The Yardbirds - Live Yardbirds! (2008 edition) 

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Alan Bown - Outward Bown (1968 uk, remarkable swinging psych rock r 'n' b, 2011 extra tracks remaster)

Outward Bown is the first album by the R&B/psych-pop ensemble led by English trumpeter Alan Bown, recorded in 1967 and released in 1968 on Music Factory.

One of the most popular club bands of the Swinging London era, the Alan Bown Set abruptly changed direction in the Summer of 1967, shedding their soul/R&B togs to reinvent themselves as flower power pop merchants the Alan Bown! Under this new guise, they cut one of the lost jewels of the British psychedelic pop scene, the magnificent Outward Bown. 

In this release features the original album plus obscure B-sides and alternative single versions. Pieced together from recording sessions that spanned the summer of 1967 to spring 1968, Outward Bown deftly embraces all points of the psychedelic pop compass, taking in proto-hard rock, blue-eyed mod soul and, perhaps most notably of all, the voguish toytown pop sound.

Tracks
1. Toyland (Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 2:32
2. Magic Handkerchief (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister, Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 3:16
3. Mutiny (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:59
4. All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) - 3:09
5. Sally Green (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 3:18
6. Penny For Your Thoughts (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 3:38
7. Story Book (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 3:09
8. Technicolor Dream (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:51
9. Love Is A Beautiful Thing (Lee Pearl, Lewis Bellin, Harvey Pearl) - 3:31
10.Violin Shop (Tony Catchpole) - 2:59
11.You're Not In My Class (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 3:33
12.My Girl The Month Of May (Dion DiMucci) - 2:45
13.Little Lesley (Single B Side,1968) (Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 2:10
14.We Can Help You (Single A Side,1967) (Alex Spyropoulos, Patrick Campbell-Lyons) - 2:25
15.Toyland (Single A Side,1967, Mono Mix) (Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 2:53
16.Technicolor Dream (Single B Side 1967, Mono Mix) (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:52
17.Penny For Your Thoughts (BBC Session, September 1967) (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:41
18.Technicolor Dream (BBC Session, September 1967) (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:59
19.My Girl The Month Of May (BBC Session, September 1967) (Dion DiMucci) - 3:06
20.Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies (BBC Session, November 1967) (Gary Alexander) - 2:56
21.Toyland (BBC Session, November 1967) (Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 2:32
22.Love Is A Beautiful Thing (BBC Session, Novovember 1967) (Lee Pearl, Lewis Bellin, Harvey Pearl) - 2:26
23.Magic Handkerchief (BBC Session, July 1968) (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister, Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 3:17
24.All Along The Watchtower (BBC Session, July 1968) (Bob Dylan) - 3:13
25.Gypsy Girl (BBC Session, June 1969) (Alan Bown, Jeff Bannister) - 2:02
26.Movie Star Baby (BBC Session, June 1969) (Tony Catchpole, Jess Roden) - 2:47
Bonus Tracks 13-26

Musicians
*Alan Bown (Alan James Bown) - Trumpet
*Jess Roden - Vocals
*John Anthony Helliwell - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Recorder
*Jeff Bannister - Organ, Piano
*Tony Catchpole - Lead Guitar
*Stan Haldane - Bass Guitar
*Vic Sweeney - Drums

1965-67  The Alan Bown Set - Emergency 999 

1969  The Alan Bown! (2010 Esoteric remaster)
1970  Listen (2010 Esoteric remaster)
1971  Stretching Out (2010 Esoteric remaster)
Related Acts
1970-71 Bronco - Country Home / Ace Of Sunlight (2010 remaster)
1972 Keef Hartley - Lancashire Hustler (2009 esoteric remaster)
1974-80  Jess Roden - The Best Of (2009 remaster)

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Jefferson Airplane - Takes Off (1966 us, classic debut, 2003 expanded edition)

Marty Balin and Paul Kantner met during 1965 and their resultant musical relationship would lead to the creation of the Jefferson Airplane. This influential and successful American rock ‘n’ roll band would eventually be elected to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. While there would be several personnel changes early in their existence, by the time of their first album release, guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, bassist Jack Casady, drummer Skip Spence, and co-lead singer Signe Anderson had all joined the band. Spence and Anderson would soon give way to Spencer Dryden and Grace Slick.

Jefferson Airplane Takes Off, released during 1966, is an album that often slides under the radar. It failed to crack the Billboard Magazine Album Chart top 100 and is frequently overshadowed by the brilliance of the releases that would follow. This is unfortunate as it is an album that can stand on its own merits.

The group’s early sound has been classified as folk-rock, but it also contains the beginnings of American psychedelic music. They would take the sound of such early psychedelic practitioners as The Holy Modal Rounders and the 13th Floor Elevators and refine and expand it until the experience was just as important as the music. This was especially true live, as the Airplane quickly became an innovative and popular concert draw.

Signe Anderson may have only recorded this one album with the group, but in some ways she was a good fit for Marty Balin. They tended to support one another rather than challenge each other, as would happen when Grace Slick joined the band following Anderson’s departure. “Bringing Me Down” is a good example of this supportive style. Anderson’s best moments come as the lead vocalist on “Chauffeur Blues” where her powerful voice just soars.

Takes Off is in many ways a Marty Balin album. The Paul Kantner-Grace Slick axis did not exist as yet, and the other group members had not begun to assert themselves. As such, Balin wrote or co-wrote eight of the eleven songs. His “Blues From An Airplane” is the first track on the album and was a great way to kick off a recording career. His performances on “It’s No Secret” and the cover song “Let’s Get Together” show his versatility and the purity of his voice. He and the band even manage to pull off an interesting version of the often-recorded “Tobacco Road.” It would be a Balin-Kantner collaboration, “Come Up The Years,” that would point the way toward the group’s future.

Jefferson Airplane Takes Off remains a formidable debut album from a group that would form an important part of the American rock heritage from 1965-1974. It is an excellent and interesting listen 50-plus years after its initial release.

by David Bowling, 11/15/2010

Tracks

1. Blues From An Airplane (Marty Balin, Skip Spence) - 2:10

2. Let Me In (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:56

3. Bringing Me Down (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:22

4. It's No Secret (Marty Balin) - 2:36

5. Tobacco Road (John D. Loudermilk) - 3:27

6. Come Up The Years (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:30

7. Run Around (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:36

8. Let's Get Together (Chester Powers) - 3:33

9. Don't Slip Away (Marty Balin, Skip Spence) - 2:32

10.Chauffeur Blues (Memphis Minnie, Ernest Lawler) - 2:25

11.And I Like It (Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen) - 3:15

12.Runnin' Round This World (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:25
13.High Flying Bird (Billy Edd Wheeler) - 2:17
14.It's Alright (Marty Balin, Skip Spence) - 2:17
15.Go To Her (Paul Kantner, Irving Estes) - 4:09
16.Let Me In (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 3:31
17.Run Around (Marty Balin, Paul Kantner) - 2:35
18.Chauffeur Blues (Memphis Minnie, Ernest Lawler) - 2:49
19.And I Like It (Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen) - ) - 8:16
20.Blues From An Airplane (Marty Balin, Skip Spence)- 2:10
Tracks 1-11 Original Album 1966 "Takes Off"
Tracks 12-14 from "Early Flight"
Track 15 from"Jefferson Airplane Loves You"
Tracks 16-17 Uncensored Versions
Tracks 18-19 Alternate Versions
Track 20 Instrumental Hidden Track

Jefferson Airplane 
*Marty Balin - Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
*Signe Toly Anderson - Vocals, Percussion
*Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar
*Paul Kantner - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Jack Casady - Bass Guitar
*Skip Spence - Drums
*Spencer Dryden - Drums

Related Acts
1972  Hot Tuna - Burgers (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica) 
1976  Hot Tuna - Hoppkorv (2012 audiophile Vinyl replica)
1973  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg - Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun 
1968  Alexander Lee Spence - AndOarAgain (2018 three disc remaster)

1966-69  Moby Grape - Live (Sundazed digipack issue)
1967  Moby Grape - Moby Grape (2007 remaster)
1967-68  Moby Grape - The Place And The Time (2009 Sundazed release)
1969  Moby Grape - Wow (Sundazed Issue)
1969  Moby Grape - Moby Grape 69' (2007 remaster and expanded)

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