Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy (1978 us, remarkable folkish groovy rock, 2007 remaster and expanded)

Despite his many affiliations within Los Angeles’ session scene, Warren Zevon was a struggling songwriter who was going nowhere in a hurry when his pal Jackson Browne convinced Asylum Records to take a chance on signing him.

With Browne at the helm, Zevon gave birth to a pair of albums — his self-titled endeavor and its follow-up Excitable Boy. Taken together, they gave him the means, for better or for worse, to live a rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, at least temporarily. Admittedly, 30 years after the fact, both collections sound a tad dated, forever tethered to the ’70s by the sort of glossy sheen that typically was affixed to singer/songwriter efforts from the era. Still, there’s no denying the potency of Zevon’s formula, which refreshingly injected a twist of biting satire into the more romantic inclinations of his peers.

Although it was, in actuality, Zevon’s third endeavor, Excitable Boy had the look and the feel of a sophomore effort. By Browne’s own admission, the collection was constructed from its predecessor’s spare parts, and although they were exquisite specimens — both Werewolves of London and the title track had been set aside and saved — the fact remains that there was less unity amongst the set’s contents. Nevertheless, it’s hard to quibble with the songs themselves. 

Here’s an indication of Excitable Boy’s strength: Six of its nine tracks were redeployed to form the basis of Zevon’s greatest hits retrospective A Quiet Normal Life. Of the remaining cuts, only the deliciously funky, but ultimately lightweight Nighttime in the Switching Yard could be considered filler. The other two selections — Tenderness on the Block’s gently optimistic message from a father to his daughter and Veracruz’s mournful depiction of the casualties of American imperialism — are equally worthy contenders.

That’s quite a testament to Zevon’s capabilities, especially considering that the rest of Excitable Boy was filled with his widely recognized tales of a predatory ladies’ man (Werewolves of London), a vengeance-seeking vigilante (Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner), a self-destructive antihero (Lawyers, Guns and Money), and a battered, bruised, and ultimately doomed relationship (Accidentally Like a Martyr).

 Although his later efforts undeniably contained a more cohesive narrative — a product of the maturity that middle age brings as well as the focus that arrived once he overcame his dependence upon alcohol — it arguably is difficult to find a more iconic collection of songs within his canon. Recently reissued with a quartet of bonus tracks — including a haunting rendition of Tule’s Blues (a personal account of the dissolution of his marriage) and the string-draped Frozen Notes (an equally sad reflection upon lost love and loneliness) — Excitable Boy still stands, in spite of its flaws, as strongly, proudly, and defiantly as it ever has

by John Metzger

Tracks
1. Johnny Strikes Up the Band (Warren Zevon) - 2:51
2. Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner (David Lindell, Warren Zevon) - 3:52
3. Excitable Boy (LeRoy Marinell, Warren Zevon) - 2:41
4. Werewolves of London (Waddy Wachtel, LeRoy Marinell, Warren Zevon) - 3:31
5. Accidentally Like a Martyr (Warren Zevon) - 3:44
6. Nighttime in the Switching Yard (Jorge Calderón, David Lindell, Waddy Wachtel, Warren Zevon) - 4:21
7. Veracruz (Jorge Calderón, ZevonWarren Zevon) - 3:31
8. Tenderness on the Block (Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon) - 4:01
9. Lawyers, Guns and Money (Warren Zevon) - 3:30
10.I Need A Truck (Outtake) (Warren Zevon) - 0:56
11.Werewolves Of London (Alternate Version) (Waddy Wachtel, LeRoy Marinell, Warren Zevon) - 3:40
12.Tule's Blues (Solo Piano Version) (Warren Zevon) - 3:13
13.Frozen Notes (Strings Version) (Warren Zevon) - 2:03

Personnel
*Warren Zevon - Lead, Harmony Vocals, Piano, Organ, Synthesizer
*Jorge Calderón - Harmony Vocals, Spanish Vocals
*Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar - Guitar, Percussion
*Russ Kunkel - Drums
*Karla Bonoff - Harmony Vocals
*Jackson Browne - Guitar, Harmony Vocals
*Luis Damian - Jarana
*Kenny Edwards - Bass
*John Mcvie - Bass
*Mick Fleetwood - Drums
*The Gentlemen Boys (The Gentlemen Boys Consisted Of: Jackson Browne, Jorge Calderón, Kenny Edwards, J. D. Souther And Waddy Wachtel) - Backing, Harmony Vocals
*Arthur Gerst - Mexican Harp
*Bob Glaub - Bass
*Jim Horn - Saxophone
*Greg Ladanyi - Bells
*Rick Marotta - Drums
*Jeff Porcaro - Drums
*Linda Ronstadt - Harmony Vocals
*Leland Sklar - Bass
*J.D. Souther - Harmony Vocals
*Manuel Vasquez - Requinto
*Waddy Wachtel - Guitar, Synthesizer, Harmony And Backing Vocals
*Jennifer Warnes - Harmony Vocals

1969  Warren Zevon - Wanted Dead Or Alive
1969-76  Warren Zevon - Preludes Rare And Unreleased Recordings (2007 release)

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Ducks Deluxe - Ducks Deluxe / Taxi To The Terminal Zone (1974-75 uk, awesome folk country pub rock, double disc set)

If the old scientific adage is true -- that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction -- then British pub rockers Ducks Deluxe were purely and simply a reaction. With the mid-'70s English pop scene dominated by glitter/glam rockers like Gary Glitter and Sweet or blustery, chops-heavy art rockers like Yes, Jethro Tull, and Genesis, then Ducks Deluxe represented none of the above. One of the first pub rock bands, the Ducks played basic American-style blues and boogie with remarkable panache and thorough disregard for the whims of the zeitgeist. They never were hugely popular, but the unpretentious, do-it-yourself, working-class attitude they and their contemporaries exuded (most notably seminal pub rockers Dr. Feelgood) influenced the English punk scene that was right around the corner.

With friends like Dave Edmunds producing their records, the Ducks (guitarist/vocalist Sean Tyla, guitarist Martin Belmont, bassist Nick Garvey, and keyboardist Andy McMasters) came up with engaging, though not life-changing, records that celebrated the simple joys of rock & roll. Sure, much of it sounds like recycled Chuck Berry, but there's an infectious enthusiasm that the fan in you, who simply wants to hoist a pint of ale and hear some Little Richard, will love. Ironically, their biggest promotional boost in America, the Ducks Deluxe LP was released three years after they'd split up. This little bit of shift marketing came as a result of ex-Ducks going on to more prominent bands like the Motors, the Rumour, and the Tyla Gang. 

by John Dougan

This two-CD reissue of Ducks Deluxe's first two albums differs from the previous Edsel two-on-one release, as no tracks were omitted due to space constraints. In retrospect, these recordings seem more relevant after the passage of time, as they provide a clearer linkage between British blues-based album rock and late-'70s punk and post-punk new wave. In fact, the influences of British pub rock span back to '50s rock & roll and R&B. Their take on Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown" bears an uncanny resemblance to perhaps his biggest hit, "Summertime Blues." But it's Ducks Deluxe's original pieces that evoke echoes of artists like the Rolling Stones, Them, and Mott the Hoople. "Fireball" sounds like a direct outtake from All the Young Dudes or Mott, while the R&B-rich "Falling for That Woman" suggests Van Morrison at his soulful best. "Rio Grande," from Taxi to the Terminal Zone, wouldn't sound out of place on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. 

Conversely, the pub rock forwarded by this band also foretells of sounds yet to come by both their direct offspring the Motors and indirect kin Graham Parker, whose early recordings were on par with the historic debut albums of Elvis Costello and the Clash. "Please, Please, Please" is a direct precursor to the Motors' "Dreaming Your Life Away." Additionally, next-generation bands like the Saw Doctors owe a debt of gratitude to Ducks Deluxe, as they borrowed judiciously from their elders' bold musical stew. But regardless of the multitude of musical influences the listener may cite (and there are too many to mention), this blend of rockabilly, R&B, blues-rock, and country pre-punk known as pub rock continues to stand the test of time. 

by Dave Sleger

Tracks
Disc 1 Ducks Deluxe 1974
1. Coast To Coast (Nick Garvey) - 3:16
2. Nervous Breakdown (Mario Roccuzzo) - 2:58
3. Daddy Put The Bomp (Ducks Deluxe, Sean Tyla) - 4:44
4. I Got You (Martin Belmont) - 3:44
5. Please, Please, Please (Nick Garvey) - 3:51
6. Fireball (Ducks Deluxe, Sean Tyla) - 3:47
7. Don't Mind Rockin' Tonite (Martin Belmont, Nick Garvey) - 2:42
8. Heart On My Sleeve (Martin Belmont) - 2:55
9. Falling For That Woman (Sean Tyla) - 5:42
10.West Texas Trucking Board (Ducks Deluxe, Sean Tyla) - 3:43
11.Too Hot To Handle (Sean Tyla) - 3:52
12.It's All Over Now (Bobby Womack) - 3:10

Disc 2 Taxi To The Terminal Zone 1975
1. Cherry Pie (Martin Belmont, Sean Tyla) - 3:48
2. It Don't Matter Tonite (Sean Tyla) - 4:01
3. I'm Crying (Nick Garvey) - 4:55
4. Love's Melody (Andy McMaster) - 3:34
5. Teenage Head (Cyril Jordan, Roy Loney) - 3:20
6. Rio Grande (Sean Tyla) - 4:09
7. My My Music (Nick Garvey) - 3:13
8. Rainy Night In Kilburn (Martin Belmont) - 4:30
9. Woman Of The Man (Sean Tyla) - 3:32
10.Paris 9 (Sean Tyla) - 3:08

The Ducks Deluxe
*Sean Tyla - Vocals, Keyboards, Guitars
*Martin Belmont - Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Nick Garvey - Bass, Vocals, Harmonica
*Tim Roper - Drums
*Andy McMaster - Keyboards, Vocals (Disc 2)
With
*Dave Edmunds - Rhythm Guitar, Pedal Steel Guitar

Related Acts
1971-73  Help Yourself - Reaffirmation An Anthology
1973  Help Yourself - 5 (2004 release)
1976-79  Tyla Gang - Pool Hall Punks / The Complete Recordings (2016 three disc box set remaster)
1976  Graham Parker And The Rumour - Howlin Wind

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Warren Zevon - Preludes Rare And Unreleased Recordings (1969-76 us, beautiful outtakes and demos from a great singer songwriter, 2007 release)

You don't have to be terribly familiar with the works of Warren Zevon to surmise that he was the kind of guy to whom the idea of a series of posthumous closet-cleaning releases would have seemed pointless and idiotic, an eye-roll-worthy annoyance, a stupid trick at the bar. Even a casual fan could theorize that the man who wrote acerbic, near-freeze-dried death-related songs like "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" and "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" would have met the idea of such a suggestion with a smack to the face, or, if you were lucky, a mumbled joke to his tablemates at your expense.

Happily for Zevon, who succumbed in 2003 to a form of lung cancer, this is no such project. Preludes isn't the product of label guys sniffing around Zevon's vaults to fulfill some second-quarter sales projections, or, apologies to Johnny Cash and Ray Charles, to spot-capitalize on the novelty of his fresh corpse (waiting four years after Zevon's death to release such a record lends the project extra weight and lessens the uncomfortable post-mortem cash-in vibe considerably, although it is being released around the same time as a biography by Zevon's wife, Crystal).

Rather, Preludes was assembled by Zevon's son Jordan, who discovered the tracks herein in one of Zevon's old storage spaces -- more romantically (the story goes anyway), he found them in a suitcase full of old reel-to-reel tapes, a treasure haul that yielded six CDs and 126 songs, all of which hailed from before 1976. Tellingly, there were no accompanying notes.

Just 16 of those demos made it to Preludes, and of those, only six are unreleased compositions, and all are pretty damned good, rosy nostalgia or not. (Although the nostalgia counts for more than you might think: "Ain't life strange, ain't it funny," sings the ghost of Zevon in the record's first notes, and even if the song ends up being a piano weeper starring whiskey and cigarettes and sidewalks and abject loneliness, of course, it's impossible to not be chilled by the introduction.)

Zevon fans should be highly pleased with the volume of curious here: There's a loose, drinky-sounding, is-this-thing-on? take on "Werewolves of London", that sports a reggae twist and a line from "Hamlet" for some reason; a dirty-blues riff "Join Me in L.A." that's just Zevon, guitar, harp and attitude; a soft, rough "Hasten Down The Wind" whose unpolished sound lends its story extra heartbrokenness; a "Tule's Blues" that finds Zevon going all juke-joint on the keys; a 3 a.m. house-party take on "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and a piano-only "Studebaker" whose piano jumps off even the lo-fi recording.

Preludes is heavy on material from that last category; it uses the considerable emotional weight of its backstory to successfully throw light on the lesser-known of Zevon's persona; not the arch pirate behind "Lawyers Guns and Money" but the piano balladeer who evidently spent more time than we might have suspected absorbing Tom Waits and Billy Joel (a second bonus disc comprises a 2000 interview and a smattering of live performances, including a heartbreaking-in-retrospect version of "Don't Let Us Get Sick" and a funny tale about an encounter with Joel that compelled him to -- wait for it -- temporarily abandon the piano.)

Preludes does precisely what it sets out to do -- paint a fuller portrait of a talent who remains underrated despite it all. Once again we can assume that Zevon's not the kind of guy who would want people thumbing through his notebooks. But he also can't be the kind of guy who kept only one of these crates lying around.

by Jeff Vrabel, 24 May, 2007

Tracks
Disc One
1. Empty Hearted Town - 3:04
2. Steady Rain - 4:18
3. Join Me In L.A. - 2:27
4. Hasten Down The Wind - 2:30
5. Werewolves Of London (LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, Warren Zevon) - 3:36
6. Tule's Blues - 3:02
7. The French Inhaler - 3:31
8. Going All The Way - 2:15
9. Poor Poor Pitiful Me - 3:09
10.Studebaker - 2:34
11.Accidentally Like A Martyr - 3:05
12.Carmelita - 3:56
13.I Used To Ride So High - 2:43
14.Stop Rainin' Lord - 2:11
15.The Rosarita Beach Café - 4:08
16.Desperados Under The Eaves - 3:44
All songs by Warren Zevon except where noted

Disc Two
1. I Was In The House When The House Burned Down - 3:02
2. Warren Speaks On Songwriting And The Early Days Of His Career - 7:14
3. Musings On Mortality, Song Noir And The King Of Rock N' Roll - 5:07
4. A Chat About Producers And The Stark Sounds On The Album Life'll Kill Ya - 5:09
5. Back In The High Life Again (Will Jennings, Steve Winwood) - 3:11
6. Warren's Take On Winwood's Classic And Warren's Inspirations - 3:58
7. Talk Of Tv, Movies, Acting And Performing - 5:14
8. Don't Let Us Get Sick (Solo Acoustic) - 3:10
Track 8 Recorded live December 3, 1999 at Austin City Limits Studios for 107.1 KGSR Radio Austin 9th Anniversary Concert

*Warren Zevon - Vocals, Guitar, Piano

1969  Warren Zevon - Wanted Dead Or Alive

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Home - Live BBC Sessions (1972-73 uk, significant prog rock)

Home was a relatively obscure British group most closely associated with the progressive rock movement of the early 1970s, but their lasting legacy has had less to do with their music than as serving as a proving ground for several musicians who would go on to find much greater success with future bands.

Founded in London in 1970 by singer/guitarist Mick Stubbs, guitarist Laurie Wisefield, bassist Cliff Williams, and drummer Mick Cook, who eventually attracted some label interest and wound up signed to CBS Records, releasing three albums over the next three years. 1971's Pause for a Hoarse Horse came first with keyboard player Clive John fleshing out the group's relatively understated progressive rock aspirations, which were tempered with elements of the period's easygoing California rock sound and driven primarily by Wisefield's distinctive guitar work. 

Tracks
1. How Would It Feel (Mick Stubbs) - 6:27
2. Red E. Lewis And Red Caps (Mick Stubbs) - 7:40
3. Dreamer (Mick Stubbs, Mick Cook, Laurie Wisefield, Cliff Williams) - 5:13
4. My Lady Of The Birds (Mick Stubbs, Mick Cook, Laurie Wisefield, Cliff Williams) - 8:30
5. In My Time (Mick Stubbs, Mick Cook, Laurie Wisefield, Cliff Williams) - 8:33
6. Schooldays - 3:03
7. The Old Man Dying - 3:26
8. Time Passes By - 1:37
9. The Old Man Calling - 3:06
10.The Disaster - 2:41
11.The Sun's Revenge - 6:01
12.A Secret To Keep - 1:15
13.The Brass Band Played - 0:26
14.Rejoicing - 2:40
15.The Disaster Returns - 8:07
16.Death Of The Alchemist - 4:36
17.The Alchemist - 3:41
Tracks 6-17 written by Mick Stubbs, Mick Cook, Laurie Wisefield, Cliff Williams, David Skillin

The Home
*Mick Stubbs - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
*Laurie Wisefield - Acoustic Guitar, Steel Guitar, Vocals
*Cliff Williams - Bass, Vocals
*Mick Cook - Drums, Percussion
*Jim Anderson - Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Synthesizer, Vocals, (Tracks 6-17)

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Hot Tuna - Hoppkorv (1976 us, forceful hard blues rock, 2012 remaster)

Begun as an acoustic spinoff of the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna eventually became the full-time focus of founding members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen, emerging as a popular touring act of the 1970s. The two were lifelong friends, growing up together in Washington, D.C., and playing in the group the Triumphs. After high school, guitarist Kaukonen and his government-service parents relocated to the Philippines, but he returned to the U.S. in time for the advent of psychedelia, landing in San Francisco and co-founding the Airplane in 1965. Bassist Casady joined not long after, and together they helped lead the group to massive success during the late '60s. 

Hot Tuna -- originally dubbed Hot Shit, much to the chagrin of their label, RCA -- first began taking shape in 1969, while both Casady and Kaukonen were still active members of the Jefferson Airplane; in fact, their first performances were sandwiched between regular Airplane gigs. As a trio rounded out by harmonica player Will Scarlet (and occasionally including Airplane members Marty Balin and Spencer Dryden).

Unlike recent Hot Tuna albums, Hoppkorv found the group acting less as a mouthpiece for guitarist Jorma Kaukonen's compositions and more as a heavy rock cover band, handling such familiar material as Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy" and Chuck Berry's "Talkin' 'Bout You," although "Watch the North Wind Rise" was one of Kaukonen's better tunes. Even on the originals, the tempo had picked up, the arrangements were shorter; nothing here ran as long as five minutes, and the sound had been filled out by the occasional addition of keyboards, second guitar, and background vocals.

by Jason Ankeny and William Ruhlmann

Tracks
1. Santa Claus Retreat (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:10
2. Watch the North Wind Rise (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:38
3. It's So Easy (Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) - 2:33
4. Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man (Bobby Rush, Calvin Carter) - 3:05
5. Drivin' Around (Nick Buck) - 2:53
6. I Wish You Would (Billy Boy Arnold) - 3:16
7. I Can't Be Satisfied (McKinley Morganfield) - 3:50
8. Talkin' 'Bout You (Chuck Berry) - 3:23
9. Extrication Love Song (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:13
10.Song from the Stainless Cymbal (Jorma Kaukonen) - 4:00

Hot Tuna
*Jorma Kaukonen - Vocals, Guitar
*Jack Casady - Bass
*Bob Steeler - Drums, Percussion
Additional Musicians
*Nick Buck - Keyboards
*John Sherman - Guitar
*Karen Tobin - Background Vocals

Related Acts
1969  Country Joe And The Fish - Live! Fillmore West 
1973  Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, David Freiberg - Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun

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18 Karat Gold - All-Bumm (1973 germany, fine melt of krautrock glam and spacerock, 2017 remaster)

An early supergroup borne out of the prolific Munich scene fronted by American-German Klaus Ebert featuring studio musician Keith Forsey on drums (Hallelujah/Amon Düül II), bass genius Lothar Meid (Amon Düül II), Jörg Evers (guitar) from Embryo. 

The idea behind 18 Karat Gold seems to have been to present Krautrock in a commercial dilute form to the pop public.

Much of the time 18 Karat Gold made their living by working as pop singer Peter Maffay's backing band. Their sole album contained a few minor surprises.

Tracks
1. Going Home - 4:47
2. Come On Monday - 2:05
3. Flying - 5:18
4. Goldrush - 2:57
5. Star-Eyed - 4:31
6. Dr.Stein (5%) - 3:47
7. Elektric Infected - 5:10
8. I Am Just A Man - 3:02
9. See Me In Your Dreams - 4:00
10.If My Guru Would Know (Lothar Meid, Klaus Ebert, Jörg Evers) - 3:36
11.Cool - 2:49
All songs by Keith Forsey, Lothar Meid, Klaus Ebert, Jörg Evers except Track #10

18 Karat Gold
*Jörg Evers - Guitar
*Keith Forsey - Drums
*Klaus Ebert - Guitar
*Lothar Meid - Bass Guitar

1974  Sameti - Hungry For Love (2010 digipak remaster)

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Warren Zevon - Wanted Dead Or Alive (1969 us, interesting debut a mix of acid psych rock blues and folk)

Recorded in 1969, Wanted Dead or Alive is a very different Warren Zevon than the one who emerged in the late ‘70s as one of Los Angeles’ premier singer-songwriters. The voice is still deep and foreboding.

“She Quit Me” is an acoustic demo that’s part blues, part harmonica-folksinger. “Hitchhikin’ Woman” is tough hard rock. “Calcutta” is tougher barroom rock ‘n’ roll. The title track and the country-tinged “A Bullet for Ramona” come closest to the film-noir horrors of Zevon’s most notable works.

The electric guitars are supersized in comparison with Zevon’s later work. “Tule’s Blues” is excellent and would be reworked at a later date but not officially released until the expanded and deluxe editions of his catalog began appearing. Zevon himself expressed little interest in this set, but it has its fans.

In 1981, Warren Zevon told a reporter from Rolling Stone about the strange genesis of his first album: "In 1969, [producer] Kim Fowley called me up one day and asked very simply, 'Are you prepared to wear black leather and chains, f---- a lot of teenage girls and get rich?' I said yes." Zevon had been bouncing around the margins of the L.A. rock scene for several years as a songwriter and would-be pop star when Fowley (at that point best known as the man who wrote, sang, and produced "Alley Oop" by the Hollywood Argyles) offered him a record deal.

Tracks
1. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Kim Fowley, Martin Cerf) - 2:36
2. Hitch Hikin' Woman - 2:16
3. She Quit Me - 4:48
4. Calcutta - 2:19
5. Iko-Iko (Jessie Thomas, Joe Jones, Marilyn Jones, Sharon Jones, Joan Marie Johnson, Barbara Ann Hawkins, Rosa Lee Hawkins) - 1:54
6. Traveling In The Lightning - 3:05
7. Tule's Blues - 3:32
8. A Bullet For Ramona (Warren Zevon,  Paul Evans) - 3:50
9. Gorilla - 3:23
10.Fiery Emblems (Bonus Track) - 3:15
All songs by Warren Zevon except where noted

Personnel
*Warren Zevon - Bass, Guitar, Piano, Percussion, Harmonica, Vocals
*Skip Battin - Bass
*Drachen Theaker - Drums
*Jon Corneal – Drums, Percussion (Tracks 2, 7, 10)
*Toxey French - Drums (Track 8)
*Brent Seawell - Bass (Track 8)
*Sweet Trifles - Background Vocals
*Shutter Ed Caraeff - Maracas (Track 2)

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Gravy Train - Staircase To The Day (1974 uk, splendid prog rock, 2007 bonus tracks remaster)

Released in 1974, Staircase To the Day would be the last album by Lancashire band Gravy Train, a band whose popularity (at least) on the live circuit would not be reflected in their album sales. Originally signed to the Vertigo label for their first two albums, the band then moved to the Dawn label which saw them release Second Birth in 1973. It was panned critically. Thus the Roger Dean illustrated Staircase To The Day would be the groups' final fling at achieving success in the music business.

The album itself is a nice collection of pieces, which synthesises the rock scene of the early seventies and features a myriad of influences or styles which we can readily associate with various other well-known bands from the prog rock/hard rock circles. From the opening Starbright Starlight, one can see that the band achieved a more cohesive and full sound when compared to their previous albums. This was due probably to two main factors: the addition of another guitarist (George Lynon), as well as the handling of production duties by Vic Smith (Vic Coppersmith-Heaven) who had just finished working on Black Sabbath's Vol. 4 and Judas Priest's Rocka Rolla and would in the future go on to work with The Jam. In fact early comparisons of the group saw critics referring to them as being in the same vein as early Jethro Tull, mainly to strong presence of J.D. Hughes' flute. On this album, the flute is "relegated" to a secondary role, only really appearing on the Moody Blues-esque, Mellotron-drenched Staircase To The Day and the acoustic The Last Day.

Tracks like Staircase To the Day and Never Wanted You have a taste of Uriah Heap as well as Sensational Alex Harvey Band, while the closing Busted In Schenectady has a lovely bass/Mellotron interaction which is very reminiscent of Pink Floyd together with Mary Zinovieff's electric violin. On the other hand, we then have tracks such as Bring My Life On Back To Me and Evening Of My Life whose backbone is completely acoustic. Never Wanted You shows off Norman Barrett's strengths as a vocalist, as he rocks away on this number with some great interplay with J.D. Hughes' organ playing. 

Staircase To the Day is a good spin, and indeed listening to this album/band makes one wonder why or how they didn't go on to achieve success, as some other of their contemporaries did. Luck and a question of timing probably played a role in all of this. Having said that, if you want to listen to good early seventies rock music, then this album will go down fine. 

by Nigel Camilleri

Tracks
1. Starbright Starlight - 4:27
2. Bring My Life On Back To Me - 5:44
3. Never Wanted You - 4:00
4. Staircase To The Day - 7:29
5. Going For A Quick One (Vic Smith, Candy Carr) - 5:14
6. The Last Day - 5:35
7. Evening Of My Life (Norman Barrett, J.D. Hughes) - 2:59
8. Busted In Schenectady - 8:11
9. Starbright Starlight - 4:13
10.Good Time Thing - 4:15
11.Climb Aboard The Gravy Train - 3:08
12.Sanctuary - 4:02
All songs by Norman Barrett except where indicated
Bonus Tracks 9-12

The Gravy Train
*Norman Barrett - Guitar, Vocals
*George Lynon - Guitar
*Barry Davenport - Drums
*Lester Williams - Bass, Vocals
*J.D. Hughes - Keyboards, Vocals, Flute, Saxes
With
*Mary Zinovieff - Keyboards, Violin
*Peter Solley - Keyboards, Vocals
*Jim Frank - Drums
*PP Arnold, Faye Doris, Bobby Harrison - Backing Vocals
*Vic Smith - Cowbell

1970  Gravy Train - Gravy Train (2005 remaster)
1971  Gravy Train - The Ballad Of A Peaceful Man (japan remaster)
1973  Gravy Train - Second Birth (2006 Japan mini LP remaster)

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Gravy Train - Second Birth (1973 uk, excellent prog rock, 2006 Japan mini LP remaster)

St.Helens band Gravy Train were one of hundreds on the undercard of the nascent progressive rock scene at the turn of the ’60s into the ’70s, and they made their first two LPs for Philips’ underground subsidiary Vertigo. Both releases vanished with hardly a ripple, and so the band switched labels to Pye Records’ hip subsidiary Dawn, hoping for more promotion, somewhat naively as it turned out.

Their 1973 album for Dawn, the appropriately and optimistically titled Second Birth. Unlike a lot of their prog rock contemporaries, Gravy Train were not afraid to highlight social and environmental concerns in their lyrics, directly hinted at in some of the song titles. Occasionally a little too earnestly it has to be said. You can almost hear principal songwriter Norman Barratt’s conscience as well as his cracked voice straining to near breaking point on opener Morning Coming.

This band could rock too, with more than a hint of funk, as the following Peter testifies, with some fine sax blowing from Hughes, Barratt’s voice bearing some similarity to that of Roger Chapman on this one. Like almost every other band of the era that ever picked up an acoustic guitar, the influence of Crosby, Stills and Nash is felt, this time on September Morning News. Another all-pervasive influence and unavoidable in the early ’70s was The Beatles, and Fields And Factories blatantly lifts part of its vocal melody wholesale from Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, but the rest of the nearly nine-minute tune has enough of its own character to make that excusable, with more sax extemporising and some fine acidic guitar from Norman.

The title track is a good example of the progressive rock of the time, and bears comparison with any of its more well-known contemporaries. It is another paen to man’s abuse of nature, and with its three-part guitar and flute harmonies, and its fast and technically demanding sections it stands as evidence of a band revelling in their fast increasing proficiency.

by Roger Trenwith

Tracks
1. Morning Coming - 6:42
2. Peter - 4:09
3. September Morning News - 5:41
4. Motorway - 5:52
5. Fields And Factories - 8:36
6. Strength Of A Dream - 4:02
7. Tolpuddle Episode - 5:10
8. Second Birth - 6:57
All compositions by Gravy Train

The Gravy Train
*Norman Barrett - Guitar, Lead Vocals
*George Lynon - Guitar
*J.D. Hughes - Keyboards, Vocals, Flute, Saxes
*Les Williams - Bass, Vocals
*Barry Davenport - Drums, Percussion (Tracks 1,5,7)
*Russ Caldwell - Drums (Tracks 2,3,4,6,8)

1970  Gravy Train - Gravy Train (2005 remaster) 
1971  Gravy Train - The Ballad Of A Peaceful Man (japan remaster) 

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Paul Brett's Sage - Schizophrenia (1972 uk, spectacular hard psych folk rock, 2007 Japan remaster)

Schizophrenia, the third and final album, saw the group reduced to a trio with the departure of bassist Dufall. Although not replaced, the bass playing is uncredited, Brett's old friend from the Fire days, Dave Lambert, by this time a member of The Strawbs, added piano and organ to a few tracks. From the opening grooves of Custom Angel Man a new heaviness to the material could be heard with electric guitar hammering between the speakers. There was still an underlying acoustic vibe with piano and acoustic guitar forming the backdrop. Twin electrics also grace the marvellous Song Of Life - Song Of Death, possibly the only other 'rock' song besides Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas to include sleigh bells! The vocals are also quite a bit rougher, giving the songs a harder edge, although the harmonies were still present on more commercial numbers like Charlene and the acoustic numbers like Tale Of A Rainy Night which really emphasises just how proficient Brett was on the guitar. 

Slow Down Ma! is all over the place tempo wise, with a frantic rhythm set up by the congas of Voice accompanied by a real drum kit, played by another Strawbs member, Rod Coomes. The gentler passages have some nice lap steel guitar to add texture. Two instrumental numbers, Limp Willie and Bee are great guitar showcases, the latter featuring a solo acoustic and the former a couple of electrics, along with the sleeve note "Drink eight double rums and you can no doubt make up your own words"! As one might expect from the title, Take Me Back And I Will Love You is a sweet ballad, well mostly, it all gets rather heated at the end and seems to lose its original intent. 

Autumn once again harks back to the style of the original album with flute and oboe (played by Rob Young), acoustic guitar, bongos, harmony vocals and some very tasty electric guitar. A wonderful song. Dahlia, a non-album single, has been added to complete the entire reissue of the songs of Paul Brett's Sage. A good tune that differs from the rest of the group's output in that it features some great violin work. This is undoubtedly by Mike Piggott, who replaced Cowell in the last line-up of the band, despite the sleeve notes stating that the violinist never recorded with the group (Piggott's web site states that he recorded with Brett in 1972, but no other details are given!) 

by Mark Huges

Tracks
1. Custom Angel Man (Paul Brett) - 2:35
2. Charlene (John Hutcheson) - 3:06
3. Song Of Life - Song O f Death (John Hutcheson) - 2:44
4. Slow Down Ma! (John Hutcheson) - 2:59
5. Saviour Of The World (John Hutcheson) - 3:39
6. Limp Willie (Bob Voice, Dick Dufall, Paul Brett, Stuart Cowell) - 1:41
7. Tale Of A Rainy Night (Paul Brett) - 3:03
8. Take Me Back And I Will Love You (John Hutcheson) - 4:13
9. Autumn (Paul Brett) - 4:43
10.Make It Over (Goddard, Phillips) - 3:10
11.Bee (Paul Brett) - 1:01
12.Dahlia (Bonus Track) (Paul Brett) - 4:14

Paul Brett's Sage
*Paul Brett - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals
*Bob Voice - Percussion, Vocals
*Dick Duffall - Bass, Vocals
*Stuart Cowell - Electric Guitar
*Rob Young - Flute, Piano, Oboe
*Dave Lambert - Piano, Organ
*Rod Coomes - Drums

1970  Paul Brett's Sage - Paul Brett's Sage (2007 japan edition)
1971  Paul Brett's Sage - Jubilation Foundry (2007 Japan remaster)
Related Acts
1969  Velvet Opera - Ride A Hustler's Dream 
1968-70  Fire - The Magic Shoemaker (2009 bonus tracks remaster) 

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