Plain and Fancy

rep>>> Babe Ruth - First Base / Amar Caballero (1972-73 uk, stunning hard prog rock with brass parts)

Babe Ruth was formed in 1970 and went on to make three impressive albums and several singles, for the Harvest record label. Their musical style was an engaging blend of hard rock, soul, and progressive and jazz rock, marked out by Alan Shacklock’s flammable guitar work, and arranging skills, and Janita ‘Jenny’ Haan’s powerful soaring vocals. They were a remarkable band in many ways, that deserved considerably more recognition, for what was a unique and expansive musical style.

First Base was their stunning 1972 debut album. Opening track Wells Fargo, is a stomping rock song, with some splendid soul aspects, supplied by Brent Carter’s saxes. The rhythm section of Dick Powell on drums and bassist Dave Hewitt adds some thumping propulsion to the song, while Gaspar Lawal adds some subtle rhythmic accents on the congas. Add into the mix, Alan Shacklock’s staccato guitar riff and Janita Haan’s superb soulful vocal, and you have the complete rock classic. The liquid guitar solo is the icing on the cake of this striking album opener.

The following track, The Runaways, begins with Dave Punshon’s gentle piano chords and Harry Mier’s undulating oboe. Janita Haan’s jazz like vocal phrases float over a haunting and elegiac cello quartet. The instrumental section melds the cello’s, with cymbal driven percussion, and Dave Punshon’s quite beautiful piano refrain, which he later punctuates with some sparkling solo playing. This is seven minutes plus of gorgeous music, with the oboe and string arrangements put together by the very talented Alan Shacklock.

Then we move onto Babe Ruth’s dazzling interpretation of the Frank Zappa classic King Kong, originally to be heard in multiple versions on The Mothers of Invention, Uncle Meat album. While respectfully retaining many of the elements in Zappa’s original, it adds in a jazz rock sheen, with the guitar and electric piano to the fore, and a driving blues backbeat. The piano and guitar solos are fast and inventive. It is a very good interpretation indeed. Black Dog is another inventive cover, this time of a Jesse Winchester song, where Janita Haan’s vocal becomes like another solo instrument in the band, spiralling upwards and driving the song forward. Dave Punshon delivers another stunning piano solo, that is full of syncopated lush melodies.

The Mexican, tells the story of The Alamo, from the Mexican soldier’s perspective, and includes an excerpt from Ennio Morricone’s For A Few Dollar’s More. It has a cool dance beat and was re-recorded in 1984 by John “Jellybean’ Benitez, with Janita Haan providing new vocals, and becoming a dancefloor hit in the process. The final track on the album, Joker, has the band returning to the hard rocking style of Wells Fargo, accompanied by Alan Shacklock’s most stinging guitar workout.

Across the tracks on this debut album, Babe Ruth demonstrated a wide range of musical reference points, strong songwriting and interpretive musical skills, aligned with great musicianship, and Janita Haan’s incredible vocal range. It is a rock classic that deserves to be heard and appreciated much more than it was on its release in 1972, and hence the space given to reflecting on its merits in this review.

The sophomore follow-up album, Amar Caballero, is of similar musical range and richness. By this time the line-up had changed a little, with Ed Spevock coming in on drums, and Chris Holmes playing keyboards on part of the album. At the core of the album is the three-part title track. The first section, El Caballero de la Reina Isabella, was written by Janita Haan and Alan Shacklock, and has a very evocative lyric by Janita Haan, which is sung with a wonderfully poetical and storytelling voice. Alan Shacklock’s Hombre de la Guitarra section, includes some very fast-paced classical guitar playing, underpinned by Ed Spevock and Gaspar Lawal’s, inspirational drums and conga shuffle. The final section, El Testament De ‘Amelia, is based on Miguel Llobet’s arrangement of this traditional song. Alan Shacklock’s playing has a gentle rising and falling, creating a meditative and open soundstage.

Other key album highlights include Broken Cloud, cowritten by Alan Shacklock and Janita Haan. It is a quite beautiful ballad, orchestrated with horns and strings by Alan Shacklock. Janita Haan’s voice here is it at its very best, sometimes whispered, and understated, and at other times ascending with incredible power. A raucous cover of the Capitols classic rhythm and blues track, Cool Jerk, is led by Ed Spevock’s meticulous funk-driven drumming. Janita Haan’s delivery of the lead and backing vocals, aligned with the rolling piano accompaniment of Dave Punshon, creates a fantastic soulful performance.

by Gareth Allen, 4th July 2022

Tracks

1. Wells Fargo (Alan Shacklock) - 6:16

2. The Runaways (Alan Shacklock, David Whiting) - 7:28

3. King Kong (Frank Zappa) - 6:46

4. Black Dog (Jesse Winchester) - 8:04

5. The Mexican / For A Few Dollars More - 5:48

.a. The Mexican (Alan Shacklock)

.b. For A Few Dollars More (Ennio Morricone)

6. Joker (Alan Shacklock) - 7:43

7. Lady (Alan Shacklock, Janita Haan) - 3:37

8. Broken Cloud (Alan Shacklock) - 3:57

9. Gimme Some Leg (Alan Shacklock, Janita Haan) - 6:01

10.Baby Pride (Alan Shacklock, Janita Haan) - 3:50

11.Cool Jerk (Donald Storball) - 2:27

12.We Are Holding On (Alan Shacklock) - 3:26

13.Doctor Love (Alan Shacklock) - 3:00

14.Amar Caballero (Sin Ton Ni Son) - 9:19

.a. El Caballero De La Reina Isabella (Alan Shacklock, Janita Haan)

.b. Hombre De La Guitarra (Alan Shacklock)

.c. El Testament De N'Amelia (Traditional)

Tracks 1-6 from LP "First Base" 1972

Tracks 7-14 from LP "Amar Caballero" 1973

Babe Ruth

1972 First Base

*Janita "Jennie" Haan - Vocals, Castanets (Track 5)

*Alan Shacklock - Acoustic, Electric Guitars, Hammond Organ, Percussion, Vocals

*Dave Hewitt - Bass Guitar

*Dave Punshon - Electric Piano, Keyboards

*Dick Powell - Drums, Percussion

With

*Gasper Lawal - Conga, Bongo, Cabasa

*Brent Carter - Saxophone

*Harry Mier - Oboe

*Peter Halling - Cello

*Clive Anstee - Cello

*Manny Fox - Cello

*Boris Rickleman - Cello

*Jeff Allen - Drums (Track 2)

1973 Amar Caballero

*Janita Haan - Lead Vocals

*Alan Shacklock - Guitars, Celesta, Electric Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Percussion, Tambourine, Vocals, Orchestration, Strings Conductor

*Chris Holmes - Keyboards, Organ

*Dave Hewitt - Bass, Fuzz Bass

*Ed Spevock - Drums, Percusion, Timpani

With:

*Dave Punshon - Electric Piano (Track 1), Grand Piano (Track 5)

*Dave White - Flute (Track 1)

*Steve Gregory - Flute (Track 1)

*Brian Warren - Flute (Track 2)

*Jack Ellory - Flute (Track 2)

*Duncan Lamont - Flute (Track 6)

*Keith Christie - Trombone (Track 1)

*Ray Premru - Trombone (Track 1)

*Ray Harris - Trumpet (Track 1), Flugelhorn (Track 2)

*Bud Beadle - Baritone Sax (Track 5)

*Steve Gregory - Tenor Sax (Tracks 5,7)

*Ron Carthy - Trumpet (Tracks 5,7)

*John Georgiadis - Violin, String Section Leader (Tracks 1,2)

*Raymond Vincent - Violin (Track 6)

*Gaspar Lawal - Percussion (Tracks 1,3), Congas (Track 7), Vocals (Track 3)

*Nick Mobbs - Tambourine (Track 6)

*Angelito Perez - Congas, Cowbell, Vocals (Track 8)

*Chris Bushen - Backing Vocals (Track 4)

rep>>> Looking Glass - The Complete Recordings (1972-73 us, marvelous soft classic rock)

To the outside observer, Looking Glass were one of the luckiest bands to come up during the early '70s -- and doubly so, coming out of New Jersey in 1972 with a number one hit, three years before anyone was thinking about Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and getting radio play on the song that has carried over into the oldies and '70s nostalgia boom over the decades since. Ironically, the bandmembers were never entirely happy with either the hit or the nature of the success that it brought them, mostly because it didn't represent what Looking Glass actually sounded like.

The group was founded by Brooklyn-born guitarist/singer/songwriter Elliot Lurie, bassist Pieter Sweval, and pianist Larry Gonsky, all of whom were students at New Jersey's Rutgers University. In their original late-'60s incarnation, Looking Glass were successful playing frat parties and local clubs before splitting up in the early '70s after graduation. Eventually, Lurie and Gonsky linked up again with Sweval and drummer Jeffrey Grob (who had been playing together in a band called Tracks), and Looking Glass were reborn. A hard rock outfit with a lot of virtuosity, they decided to try turning professional and shooting for a real career; even as they got lots of work at clubs up and down the East Coast, they began writing songs and heavily rehearsing the new material. Their music impressed Columbia Records president Clive Davis, who signed them to the Epic Records label, and a debut recording session for the company was scheduled.

After two failed attempts at recording (including one with guitarist Steve Cropper in Memphis), they struck gold with a producer named Bob Liftin and a Lurie original called "Brandy." They went through a lot of different versions before coming up with one that worked, with unobtrusive strings and horns dubbed on and the group harmonizing more than usual. Initially released as the B-side of "Don't It Make You Feel Good" in early 1972, "Brandy" was overlooked (along with the A-side) until Harv Moore, a disc jockey in the District of Columbia, flipped the single over and took it up as a personal cause. The record broke out in the city of Washington and spread rapidly, peaking six months after its release at the number one position. A self-titled debut album was released in the spring and was more representative of the group's sound. Although it didn't sell nearly the way the single had, it performed well enough, riding the charts for 16 weeks. Unfortunately, Looking Glass were never able to emulate "Brandy's success, and their next few singles failed to chart. It was a year later before another single, "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne," reached the Top 40 for the group.

These chart successes didn't really do as much as one might have expected for the group, however. Neither hit single sounded very much like the band did on-stage -- much more representative were fast-paced rock & roll songs like "Jenny-Lynne" and "Don't It Make You Feel Good." They were a long way from the horn and string overdubbed singles by which radio listeners knew them, and inevitably many concertgoers were disappointed in their shows, which emphasized the rock & roll songs over the catchy AM pop they'd released so successfully. Lurie, wearied over the contradictions in the group's success, left Looking Glass in 1974 and embarked on a short-lived solo career that yielded a solo album and a series of unsuccessful singles. He also played live locally in the New York-New Jersey area, including a gig with Al Kooper at New York's Bottom Line. When Clive Davis founded Arista Records in the mid-'70s after being forced out of Columbia, Lurie was signed to the new company but failed to find a hit.

The other members of Looking Glass stayed together for another year, playing out their string as "Lookinglass" without a recording contract and a decreasing audience, until they called it quits in the middle of the decade. By the end of the 1970s, Lurie was no longer a performer and had moved into the motion picture business, working in music. He has supervised numerous scores, including The Last of the Mohicans, and wrote or produced the music for Night at the Roxbury, Alien 3, Mary Katherine Gallagher: Superstar, Perfect, Die Hard 2, Dying Young, and a remake of Miracle on 34th Street, among other films. Lurie and Sweval revived Looking Glass as a touring band in 2003 and hit the road with a show that included their hits, album cuts, and cover versions of rock and pop favorites from various decades.

by Bruce Eder

Tracks

1. Jenny-Lynne (Pieter Sweval) - 3:05

2. Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) (Elliot Lurie) - 3:09

3. Catherine Street (Pieter Sweval) - 5:50

4. Don't it Make You Feel Good (Elliot Lurie) - 2:50

5. Golden Rainbow (Elliot Lurie) - 3:07

6. Dealin' With the Devil (Pieter Sweval) - 3:20

7. From Stanton Station (Elliot Lurie) - 3:48

8. One by One (Pieter Sweval) - 6:03

9. Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne (Elliot Lurie) - 3:24

10.City Lady (Elliot Lurie) - 3:26

11.For Skipper (Pieter Sweval) - 3:19

12.Sweet Somethin' (Elliot Lurie) - 2:51

13.Who's Gonna Sing My Rock and Roll Song (Larry Gonsky, Nancy Nalence) - 3:51

14.Are You Dreamin' (Elliot Lurie) - 2:59

15.Rainbow Man (Pieter Sweval) - 3:31

16.Wait (Elliot Lurie) - 2:56

17.Sweet Jeremiah (Pieter Sweval) - 3:21

18.Wooly Eyes (Larry Gonsky, Nancy Nalence) - 4:35

19.Golden Rainbow (Elliot Lurie) - 2:59

20.Jenny-Lynne (Pieter Sweval) - 2:59

21.Highway to Hollywood (Larry Gonsky) - 2:58

22.Rock This Town (H. Hanson, Michael Lee Smith) - 3:56

Tracks 1-8 from "Looking Glass" 1972

Tracks 9-18 fro "Subway Serenade" 1973

Bonus Tracks 19-22

Looking Glass

*Elliot Lurie - Guitars, Lead Vocals

*Pieter "Piet" Sweval - Bass, Lead Vocals, Harp

*Larry Gonsky - Keyboards, Vocals

*Jeff Grob - Drums

With

Tracks 1-8

*Chuck Connolly - Backup Vocals

*Tasha Thomas, Barbara Massey, Carolyn Davis - Backup Vocals

*Eddie Hinton - Guitar

*James Giampa - Congas

*Larry Fallon - Horns/Strings Arrangements

Tracks 9-18

*Maxine Dixon - Backup Vocals

*Nancy Nalence - Backup Vocals

*Nancy Farrell - Backup Vocals

*Steve Von Schreiber - Backup Vocals

*Ralph Macdonald - Congas Percussion

*Seldon Powell - Saxophone

*Arif Mardin - Horns, Strings Arrangements

Related Act

1976 Starz - Starz (2005 bonus tracks)

1977 Starz - Violation (2005 bonus tracks)

1976 Bullfrog - Bullfrog (2013 remaster)

rep>>> Bullfrog - High In Spirits (1977 germany, strong hard rock with hammond organ and prog touches, 2009 remaster and expanded)

Bullfrog played classic seventies hard rock, which in terms of sound is reminiscent of big names like Deep Purple , Rainbow or Uriah Heep , but nevertheless has its own note and independence. Starting with the raspy, rough voice of Gerd Hoch , through the superb, fresh and rousing guitar work of Sebastian Leitner , the cool grooving and equally explosive substructure of Vincent Trost (bass) and Bruno Perosa (drums) to the first-class keyboard work of Harald Kaltenecker, here were exceptionally good musicians at the start, who made "High In Spirits" the high-class album that it finally became.

The rocking title track opens the dance with small funky sprinklings and the keyboard (mostly on this track) reminiscent of Jon Lord . The following "Feelin' Allright" is a great grooving mid-tempo rocker, with a running time of more than six minutes, especially the guitar and the keys provide exclamation marks. "Be Yourself" was released as a single and is a killer ballad with a very successful vocal melody and a Gerd Hoch , who was able to fully show off his whiskey-soaked vocal cords here. A strong song that not only goes straight to the ear, but also gets stuck there.

But with "Rollin' Again" and "Free Spirit" the gas pedal is pushed harder again! Especially the boogie rocker "Free Spirit" gets you in a good mood, while in "Rollin' Again" the creaking bass carries everything away and the keyboard once again sets the tone. It's half time now and my bad memories of the band have long since faded, or rather been swept off the table completely! At just under nine minutes, "A Housepainter's Song" is the longest track on the disc. After a guitar/keyboard intro lasting about two minutes, the band once again slides into a melodic verse of highsThen vote the necessary dirt, i.e. the corners and edges are missed. Fat guitar melodies make the title downright epic, but they always find their way back to the verses in good time. My personal highlight on "High In Spirits"!

After the straight forward rocking "Live" follows the last piece with "LA Police #55". And this is where it gets down to business with such a relaxed, swinging, rocking energy that you are inevitably carried away. A worthy conclusion to a great disc!

The mix of the record, released in 1977, was done by Krautrock producer legend Conny Planck . On the new edition of "High In Spirits" to be discussed here, all eight tracks were added a second time as a bonus. And this in the original mix completed by the band in the recording studio. The biggest difference is that the bonus tracks sound a bit rougher.

Ultimately, it remains to be said that "High In Spirits" is a very strong rock album by this band, which rightly claims its special place in German rock history and was therefore also highly deservedly re-released. So, I'll see if I can get Bullfrog 's Rockpalast performance again. It seems to me that I was fundamentally wrong in my opinion at the time!

by Markus Kerren, November 8th, 2009

Tracks

1. High In Spirits - 3:19

2. Feelin' Allright - 6:05

3. Be Yourself - 3:21

4. Rollin' Again - 3:32

5. Free Spirit - 2:54

6. A Housepainter's Song - 8:53

7. Live - 3:46

8. L.A. Police No. 55. - 5:09

9. High In Spirits - 3:19

10.Feelin' Allright - 6:04

11.Be Yourself - 3:19

12.Rollin' Again - 3:41

13.Free Spirit - 2:54

14.A Housepainter' Song - 8:30

15.Live - 3:46

16.L.A. Police No. 55 - 5:08

All compositions by Sebastian Leitner, Gerd Hoch

Tracks 1-8 from "High In Spirits" 1977

Bonus Tracks 9-16 The Unreleased Hiltpoltstein Mix

Bullfrog

*Gerd Hoch - Vocals

*Sebastian Leitner - Guitars

*Harald Kaltenecker - Keyboards

*Vincent Trost - Bass

*Bruno Perosa - Drums, Percussion

With

*Günter Kaup- Backing Vocals

*Uwe Hillmer - Backing Vocals

*William Candler - Backing Vocals