rep>>> The Marshall Tucker Band - Long Hard Ride (1976 awesome country southern rock, 2004 extra track remaster)

The Marshall Tucker Band had a wider palette of musical influences than any other Southern rockers. The eternally high-spirited Wet Willie (of "Keep On Smilin'" fame) mixed r&b, gospel and pop into their rock and roll stew. Even the granddaddies of the genre, The Allman Brothers Band, forged their style from the three distinct, albeit open-ended, sources: English hard rock ala The Jeff Beck Group, blues from Muddy Waters et, al, and the pure openness of free-jazz ordained by John Coltrane.

MTB, however, had a sure grip on rock, blues, gospel, bluegrass and mainstream jazz(including swing and big band). As demonstrated on their very first album the group was able to write credible material in each of those genres (or mix it up convincingly)as well as play as if each was their forte. The versatility becomes even more evident on their comparatively understated follow-up A New Life and there the band's studio artistry takes full flower with the exhilarating likes of "Another Cruel Love." The remastering of the Marshall Tucker catalog, the release of a hot time left in the vaults as well as a new studio effort form the current lineup provides additional insight into the workings of the group.

Persevering through multiple tragedies like their Dixie rock brethren ABB and Skynyrd titular leader Toy Caldwell died of heart problems in early 1993. On Long Hard Ride, The Marshall Tucker Band's country influences come to the fore, resulting in a strong record that failed to gain many hits. Still, the final product is well worth listening to -- it's one of their better releases. Be sure to listen for Charlie Daniels' guest appearance. 

Tracks

1. Long Hard Ride - 3:53

2. Property Line - 3:02

3. Am I The Kind Of Man - 4:26

4. Walkin' The Streets Alone - 5:09

5. Windy City Blues (Doug Gray, George McCorkle, Jerry Eubanks) - 4:58

6. Holding On To You (George McCorkle) - 3:52

7. You Say You Love Me - 4:02

8. You Don't Live Forever (Tommy Caldwell) - 4:02

9. See You One More Time (Albert Savoy, Wardell Quezergue) - 4:54

All songs by Toy Caldwell except where noted

Bonus track 9

The Marshall Tucker Band 

*Doug Gray - Lead Vocals, Percussion

*Toy Caldwell - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Steel Guitar, Lead Vocals 

*Tommy Caldwell - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals

*George McCorkle - Electric, Acoustic Guitars, Banjo

*Jerry Eubanks - Flute, Alto, Baritone, Tenor Saxophone, Backing Vocals

*Paul Riddle - Drums

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rep>>> Iron Claw - Iron Claw (1970-74 uk, superb rough heavy downer rock, 2009 remaster)

 A product of its time and environment in every conceivable way, Iron Claw is a now-obscure heavy rock group that was launched by a Led Zeppelin concert, which took its name from the first couplet of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man." They adopted the same earth-shaking primal stomp as Black Sabbath, but simply lacked the individuality and sheer talent common to all of those rock icons.

Hailing from the Scottish town of Dumfries, Iron Claw was founded in the summer of 1969 by bassist/vocalist Alex Wilson (he of the Led Zeppelin gig epiphany), guitarist Jimmy Ronnie, and drummer Ian McDougall, who initiated their trajectory by performing as a covers band tackling the heavy blues standards of the era, including popular numbers by Free, Taste, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter, and many others. But it was a second revelation experienced by Wilson later that year, when a nascent Black Sabbath brought their sonic solar eclipse to the band's neck of the woods (The Dumfries Youth Club, to be precise), that would set Iron Claw on the intended stylistic left-hand path which came to be known as heavy metal. 

So after bidding a definitive adieu to their power trio ambitions, the threesome welcomed singer Mike Waller into the fold and, by the spring of 1970, had effectively become the world's first Black Sabbath tribute band by incorporating that group's entire first album into their set! However, during rehearsals, Iron Claw immediately began composing original material in the image of their heroes, bringing the year to a close with a couple of demo recording sessions whose fruits the band proudly presented to the members of Black Sabbath at their next Newcastle concert -- only to later receive veiled threats of legal action from the metal godfathers' management because of the glaring similarities. 

Message received, Wilson took advantage of the fact that vocalist Waller had just given notice to replace him with two new members -- Wullie Davidson (vocals, harmonica, flute) and Donald McLachlan (second guitar) -- and take Iron Claw's sound in a different direction, marked by escalating art rock pretensions (think Wishbone Ash, Barclay James Harvest, Gentle Giant). Around this time, an interested label also gave Iron Claw access to a recording studio for the purpose of recording new demos, but the end results captured in the winter of 1971/1972 were often rounded out by ancillary studio musicians, became virtually impossible to reproduce in a live setting, and were ultimately unattractive to their would-be corporate suitors, in any case. 

And so Iron Claw, left to its own devices once again, continued to struggle along in fits and starts, next losing drummer McDougall in mid-1972 (he was replaced by one Neil Cockayne) and then gradually expanding their jams to dangerous thresholds of indulgence over the ensuing years until finally reaching a breaking point in 1974. Absolute obscurity followed, and although the group came together for a one-off reunion show in 1993, the only reason Iron Claw's existence is even remembered is because a selection of their best 16 demos was assembled for release on CD in 2009 by Rockadrome Records. 

by Eduardo Rivadavia

Tracks

1. Clawstrophobia - 5:21

2. Mist Eye - 4:16

3. Sabotage - 5:02

4. Crossrocker - 7:20

5. Skullcrusher - 6:04

6. Let It Grow - 2:52

7. Rock Band Blues - 4:21

8. Pavement Artist - 5:33

9. Strait Jacket - 5:07

10.Gonna Be Free - 3:49

11.Loving You - 2:41

12.Lightning - 3:47

13.All I Really Need - 3:23

14.Knock 'Em Dead - 3:01

15.Winter - 6:17

16.Devils - 5:34

All songs by Iron Claw

Iron Claw

*Alex Wilson - Bass

*Jimmy Ronnie - Guitar

*Ian McDougall - Drums (Tracks 1-14)

*Mike Waller - Vocals (Tracks 1-5)

*Donald McLachlan - Guitar (Track 6)

*Wullie Davidson - Vocals, Harmonica, Flute (Tracks 6-16)

*Billy Lyall - Keyboards, Saxophone (Tracks 7-14)

*Neil Cockayne - Drums (Tracks 15,16)

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