There isn't one song on this disc that is even moderately bad. The obvious classics like "I Fall To Pieces", "Crazy" and "Sweet Dreams" merge with "Walkin' After Midnight" (re-recorded here unfortunately), "Faded Love" and “She’s Got You”. Two really great tracks that are not quite as well known, but should be, are “Back In Baby’s Arms” and “Leavin’ On Your Mind”. I know some people who, due to a certain musical discrimination, won’t listen to anything even remotely bordering country music. They lose out here because, as I see it, one of the biggest myths about Patsy Cline is that she is some kind of hard core "country singer". Forget that she’s wearing a cowboy shirt on the cover, it’s just a wafer thin veneer. Some reports would suggest that Patsy longed to do a more country and less pop sound but producer Owen Bradley wouldn’t hear of it. On many selections on "12 Greatest Hits" she is no more country than her label mate Brenda Lee. Recorded in the early 1960’s, these songs were aimed directly at that invisible gap between pop and country with the hopes of picking up sales from both camps. If you want to hear a harder country sound, you need to check out her earlier recordings. No one with even a passing interest in American popular music should be without this CD.

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I won't go into a detailed description of the history of the making of this LP but Columbia Records rushed it out so that they could get another S & G LP on the shelves to support their first huge hit "The Sounds Of Silence". And it shows. Two tracks, "We've Got A Groovy Thing Goin' " and "Somewhere They Can't Find Me" were recorded much earlier in May 1965, and have poppy arrangements unlike the rest of the tunes which are much more folk oriented. The title track was recorded back in 1964 and was buried on their first LP which quickly hit the delete bins until its resurrection. The rest of this record, including overdubs of drums and electric guitar to “The Sounds Of Silence”, was hastily recorded in December 1965. Because of a lack of new material, a lot of these tunes were re-recorded from Paul Simon’s first solo LP recorded in Britain in (I think) mid 1965. This record has some fine moments and could have been a lot better had more time been taken to produce it. It deals with many human emotions and activities including insecurity on "I Am A Rock" and "Leaves That Are Green" and suicide on "A Most Peculiar Man" and "Richard Cory". "I Am A Rock" is a different recording (the vocal at least) than the later mono 45 version. They must have re-recorded it for the single which I think was superior to the version here. Simon & Garfunkel scaled much higher ground with their subsequent releases but despite its flaws this album shows them in the learning process and without the polish of their later material.

(This re-mastered copy is far better than my original CD in that it has informative liner notes and four bonus tracks, only one of which actually was from the December 1965 sessions.)

7 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I'm not so much into acoustic blues. But as a completist of Bob Margolin I bought this one lately at one of his shows over here in Germany. The first eight Margolin originals are wonderful blues songs. But track 9 is extraordinary: Mr. Margolin tells us in his own style the story of being in Muddy's band, some thoughts about ex-presidents of the USA ..... and the new one. This 8 minutes plus track made me respecting Bob Margolin even higher. Thank you for having the balls.

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It's not that this is a terrible CD, far from it. But after you take in the delightful, yet slightly jazzy backdrop, there's a couple of major problems. Elvis Costello is not blessed with the greatest singing voice. It’s not his fault, just the way nature planned it. But in many of the musical situations on “Painted From Memory”, a solid vocalist is essential to the overall enjoyment. Here, Elvis’ voice begins to get stretched beyond its normal limits. I’ll give him this though, he does his very best and at times, like in “God Give Me Strength” actually turns it into an asset. The melodies, all written by Burt Bacharach, are not nearly as jaunty or as easy to like as “Do You Know The Way To San Jose” or “I Say A Little Prayer” or for that matter most of his better known work. It's a little like many Joni Mitchell albums in that you need to hear it more than once or twice to get familiarized with it. That's the dodgy part. The good news is that there actually seems to be some common ground between Bacharach, a 1960's easy listening icon, and Costello who is an equal icon of the post punk/new wave era. Old meets new with interesting, although definitely mixed, results.

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This is a brilliant compilation. You get some great and important songs from the sixties and seventies. 'I'm not your Steppin' Stone' is a crackin' track. Even more 'Psychotic Reaction' which is my favourite track on this CD of course along with the 18 minutes plus version of 'Hallelujah' from Can.

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A Closer Listen presents the Best Field Recording & Soundscape Albums of 2010-19
Billed as a series of “radiophonic miniatures,” Terra Subfónica is the aural version of a breakfast cereal variety pack. Blinkhorn serves computers and clocks, serenades and seas, the amplified human body and the sound of his own children playing with toys. The album is held together by a sense of wonder. While listening, one begins to think about the sounds of one’s own house, car and community, and the question, “What makes a sound appealing?” Those unsure of what they enjoy may find some direction here; and if not direction, joy. (Richard Allen)

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The Newer Stuff is comprised of eight new songs plus six previously released recordings from the latter 1970’s. I will deal with only the new songs for this review. Of the eight tracks, five were recorded for his shelved “movie/musical” called “Video Ranch” in circa 1981. It is not at all unlike “Infinite Rider..” in that it incorporates background singers and synthesizers and has little or no country influence. The main difference to me is that this is Nesmith’s satirical and humorous LP. The delightful looseness of Infinite Rider remains. He sounds confident and he displays an amazing ability to produce commercial pop music. Six of the new songs are written by Nesmith and the other two are by his friend Bill Martin. In tracks like “Total Control”, “Formosa Diner” and “Chow Mein And Bowling” he takes a few good natured swats at suburban American life in the 1980’s. “Tanya” is a pretty love song. It would have made a good single although it sounds a little like Carly Simon’s “Comin’ Round Again”. “I'll Remember You”, a high point, is a nostalgic look and at Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and John Lennon. “Tahiti Condo” is a pretty zany song. It sounds like maybe Mike had been listening to Frank Zappa at the time. Then there’s “Eldorado To The Moon”, a Bill Martin fun tune about taking a Cadillac on an interstellar journey. Had this LP/CD been exposed to the public, it had the potential to have become a huge cult hit. Probably six of the eight tracks would have had no trouble getting radio airplay. Unfortunately only Nesmith fans such as I have had the pleasure to behold this minor masterpiece.

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From AllMusic:

Review by Stewart Mason

Alpacas Orgling is the sort of record that drives people who dislike the contemporary power pop underground scene absolutely out of their heads with rage. If those three letters look familiar, that's entirely by design: LEO is an unabashed re-creation of the sound of vintage late-'70s Electric Light Orchestra on an indie rock budget. The album's mastermind is Boston-based power popper Bleu McAuley, with key contributions from Mike Viola (formerly of the Candy Butchers), Papas Fritas' Tony Goddess, Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish and members of Hanson, Chicago (!!) and Self. The ELO lifts are subtle but unmistakable, with direct nods to tunes like Telephone Line and Mr. Blue Sky mixed in with bits that cleverly nod to Jeff Lynne's creamy pure pop goodness without actively ripping him off. It could possibly be the most clever album-length evocation of an established band's sound since the Rutles. "But that's all it is, right?" sneer the non-believers. "It's nothing but a baldfaced ripoff of the sainted Jeff Lynne, and with a silly album title besides!" Well, there's little defending the goofy album title other than the fact that it's fun to say, but here's the thing: Alpacas Orgling knocks McAuley's polite, pedestrian solo albums into a cocked hat. In fact, with the possible exception of Papas Fritas' unjustly overlooked second album, Helioself, a lost indie pop treasure of the late '90s, Alpacas Orgling is the single best album any of its major participants have ever taken part in. And yes, that includes the hugely overrated Jellyfish, a band much more interesting in concept than in practice. Given the self-limiting task of channeling their own pop sensibilities through those of an earlier generation of craftsmen causes all concerned to step up their game: the songs are gorgeously arranged, with instantly memorable melodies and lyrics generally far less pretentious than the sort of claptrap Jeff Lynne himself often came up with. Of course, the most logical next step is for McAuley, Viola and company to take the lessons learned from this project back to their primary careers, but as long as one is clear on the album's artistic intentions and is willing to approach this kind of wholesale imitation on its own playful level, this is an album any true lover of '70s AM radio pop fluff should treasure.

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Extract from PowerPopAholic:

4 October 2006

L.E.O. (Bleu) "Alpacas Orgling"

This is basically a Jeff Lynne lovefest by a huge group of accomplished Power Pop artists, like Andy Sturmer (Jellyfish) and Mike Viola (The Candy Butchers). This entire recording was a labor of love by Bleu McAuley (Bleu), who did most of the heavy lifting here. I swear you will hear every single Electric Light Orchestra production technique crammed into these songs. Distracted is the big single and my favorite tune.

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From I Don't Hear A Single:

Sunday, 9 April 2017

The Garden Of Earthly Delights

Cupid's Carnival - Everything Is Love

Although the album's cover might lead you to expect some Psych Pop, Everything Is Love is very much Beatlesque and when it's not, it's very much in that late 60s melodic pop that we know and love.

Cupid's Carnival used to be Cherrystone who released the excellent Our Life in 2008, although London based, the sound hails from further North. Girl with its George Harrison-like slide is so Beatles, I Was The Boy and Summertime are Badfinger to a tee. Sunny Days is an ELO pastiche, a sort of Mr Blue Sky II, very much in L.E.O. territory. There's even a cover of A Whiter Shade Of Pale with Matthew Fisher on Hammond Organ.

Edison Lighthouse, Christie and some of the better mid 70's Pop Rock bands spring readily to mind, the whole album is a blast. The Right Time is perhaps a bit too Oasis for my liking, but Everything Is Love is great Summer Pop.

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During his long career, Johnny Cash performed many concerts for inmates at prisons around the world. Two live albums from such events - At Folsom Prison and At San Quentin - pretty much saved his career in the late 1960s. A third album recorded at a prison in Europe is lesser known because it wasn't issued in North America initially. Then, in 1976, Cash put on another concert at a Tennessee Prison, but this one was recorded for syndicated TV release. A far more formal affair, this differed from the other concerts as Cash shared the stage with three guest artists: Linda Ronstadt, whose career was heading to its peak; Roy Clark, the affable and incredibly skilled guitarist who was at the time the co-host of the popular Hee Haw series; and Foster Brooks, a popular comedian whose recurring gimmick was pretending to be drunk (often followed by a straight song delivered in an incredible singing voice).

It's difficult to rate this as a Johnny Cash album. Released coincidentally either right before or right after his death, it's a disappointment. Not because it's a poor performance - indeed, he delivers some of his strongest live renditions of Sunday Morning Coming Down and Orange Blossom Special, as well as the chilling (and still very timely) Jacob Green, a condemnation of how a teenager was driven to suicide after his arrest for drug possession. The problem is, there is so little of him in both the original special and album. He appears to do a few songs at the start, and then the next half of the show are the guest stars, before Cash returns to perform a show-closing medley and his biggest hit, A Boy Named Sue. For those wanting a more substantial concert recording by him, this ain't it.

But when he leaves the stage, he hands it over to Linda Ronstadt, here at the height of her powers. Her version of You're No Good is amazing, as are her other songs, including what some have called her best live recording of Silver Threads and Golden Needles. There are two editions of this release: one by itself and one with a DVD of the actual special, and you can see how Ronstadt commands the audience. Roy Clark brings the jokes and the light-hearted songs and the amazing guitar and banjo playing. Foster Brooks feels like odd man out; even in 1976 his drunk act felt dated, and while his ballad singing is impeccable, it really doesn't seem to fit.

The main problem I have with this release is that it is literally the soundtrack - something that is obvious if you get the CD/DVD combo. Everything is presented the same as the TV special, even including the overdubbed introductions. Clearly, the songs were taken from a longer performance, probably with Ronstadt and Clark and Brooks doing separate sets before Cash closed the show. I would have liked the set to have included performances edited out of the original. Surely Cash did more than just a few songs, and it's probable that at least Ronstadt and Clark's set were longer (Brooks probably is presented in his entirety). Plus, the presence of rockabilly legend Carl Perkins as part of Cash's band means he probably got a chance to put on the Blue Suede Shoes for a couple of numbers, too.

But that aside, this release is still worth getting. Ronstadt in particular dominates and shows how far she'd come in the five or so years since she appeared on The Johnny Cash Show - this is very much worth seeking out for those who perhaps have been introduced (or reintroduced) to her music due to the recent documentary about her. And what little Johnny Cash is included here is quality, and while there is a preponderance of live recordings by Cash, I wouldn't have minded hearing more of what he gave the prisoners in Tennessee. Maybe, just as we've seen extended versions of the Folsom, San Quentin and Pa Osteraker albums released, there's an extended Concert Behind Prison Walls in our future.

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I have just been sent these. They are from a Company In Switzerland. They have only done 1 to 4 so far. They are Replicas of the original LP's. There Is No printed Booklet like the later editions, But the Front Sleeve Is a Replica of the Original Gatefold Sleeve. The Sound Is Superb and the track list Is exactly the same as the LP's. The Original Releases were Single Disc's only with a selection of the Tracks. So a lot of the Tracks Here are on CD for the First time. IE: Listen to Your Father. The Tracks are All Original Single Versions, again Some on CD for the First time. They are filling in the ones that Didn't get a UK Release back In the Day. These are Volumes 1 to 9. And at £7 they are real Bargain. H.

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For completists only - Terrible audio quality.

Tracks #8 to #10 are available on The Kids Are Alright CD.

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Silky-smooth harmonies enlivened with restrained beat-boxing on this, the 6th album. No shortage of composer credits here! Havana is the best-known track of the album but my favourite is the relatively open sound of Stay
[YouTube Video]

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Ok My suspicions have been clarified. These are Mainly (New to CD In Original form) Only they are Needle Drops. Listen to Only You Can and Sugar Me, Automatic Lover Carefully on a Good pair of Headphones. At leased Girls Is the Sparkly USA Mix Instead of the Muffled UK One. You can buy this with Confidence It Is Superb Sound Quality (For a Change). What drew Me In was NO Dates on the tracks. NO Dates mean Outtakes, Live Rubbish Really. H.

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I have loved everything Cat Stevens did although all my favourites come from the classics of the Tea For The Tillerman, Teaser & The Firecat etc. I was so disappointed when he let us all down by supporting the Fatwa on Salman Rushdie but I was also so pleased to hear that he was coming back from the deep hole of newly converted dogma.

I started playing this album and very soon fell in love with it. I can have it on constant repeat in the car on a 5 hour journey and never tire of it. I love the reworked classic of "I Think I See The Light" but perhaps my favourite is the first track which takes a high moralistic tone and also (let's face it) the point of view of an old man "I avoid the city after dark". We know that he's a little bit scared but also a little bit not happy with the idea of mixing with people having a good time, having a laugh and drinking too much.

"In the end" is the song that tells us that we'll all be judged at some stage so we had better treat people well while we're on this earth. "You can't bargain with the truth..." a message for Donald Trump & Boris Johnson. Like they're going to be listening to Cat Stevens! ;-)

It's also good that he moves away from his own songs and performs the massive Animals hit (don't forget Nina Simone too) "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". There really isn't a bad track on this album so if anyone else doesn't like it, I recommend persevering with it. It just keeps on getting better, the more you play it.

His voice is just the same Cat Stevens that I always loved, his musicians (Alun Davies, Maartin Allcock, Danny Thompson etc.) and arrangements are top-hole just as they always were and apart from a slightly dreamy prayer-like track, it's rivetting from start to finish. I bought my copy second-hand and it's the best fiver's worth I ever had!

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Renaissance was a difficult album for the Association to record. Coming in the wake of a serious hit album (And Then...Along Comes the Association) and two huge hit singles ("Along Comes Mary," "Cherish") and at a time when the group was experiencing more bookings than its members had ever dreamed possible, Renaissance was rushed out under pressure from the band's label. Alas, Renaissance bore little resemblance to its predecessor. For starters, the Association had lost the services of producer Curt Boettcher, who was the architect of the earlier album's extraordinary sound. Additionally, Renaissance was comprised entirely of original material, much of which had been written while the group was touring. These songs were competent and showed some flashes of inspiration but, apart from "Come to Me," nothing here offered anything even remotely as catchy as either of the band's two previous singles. With Association rhythm guitarist Jim Yester's brother Jerry Yester producing, Renaissance has a more stripped-down, conventional folk-rock feel. Apart from lead guitarist Gary Alexander and wind player Terry Kirkman, none of the other members played on this album, but Alexander is a delight, mixing melodic folk-rock picking and strumming, throwing in a few high-energy licks on one or two numbers, and even using a koto for the album's single, "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies." The latter, despite having a grotesque title when following up a single like "Cherish," is a prize piece of pop psychedelia, all gorgeous harmonies and spaced-out sensibilities backed by a bracing beat. Renaissance wasn't a bad album, but was a more routine, predictable recording than its predecessor and, without a hit single to help push sales, it never reached audiences in remotely the same numbers.

7 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

The six-man band The Association were at their creative and commercial peak (and averaging 250 shows a year) when they recorded 1968’s Birthday with producer Bones Howe and members of the Wrecking Crew. The opener, “Come on In” (written by San Francisco folkie Joe Mapes), power pops alongside a pair of Top 40 carefree groove-fests: “Time for Livin’” and “Everything That Touches You” (the band’s last Top 10 hit). From there, the beautifully arranged musical detours are many (and no doubt influenced by Sgt. Pepper). Guitarist Jim Yester, for example, contributes two gentle psych ditties that sound like David Crosby fronting The Mamas & The Papas: "Birthday Morning” and “Barefoot Gentlemen.” (The latter features a lovely, elaborate mix of French horns, flugelhorns, and tubas.) Singer/guitarist Russ Giguere’s self-serious dreamer “The Time It Is Today” sounds like an intellectual folkster taking on Gene Clark. The baroque and reaching “Bus Song” is told in three musical chapters, complete with an imagined audience, a barbershop quartet, and a plethora of experimental studio ideas worthy of Brian Wilson.

7 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

After having played Cat Stevens records from the mid 1960's through to the late 1970's., I thought I would give this a spin and bought it second hand. His output in the early 1970's was excellent - quite a different direction from his 1960's pop records which were very good at the time. The quality started to take a bit of a nose dive after his 1973 album "Foreigner". It was evident that he was disillusioned with the "Rock Star" process, and his output reflected this.

This album has no redeeming features as far as I'm concerned, even the reworking of "I think I see the light" from the excellent 1970 "Mona Bone Jakon" album is very poor by comparison. Perhaps he should have stayed in retirement

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I've been listening to these guys since 1993. Their albums have always been new and fresh and never boring. I never thought that they would get any better than Collective Soul [2009] but again they pulled yet another rabbit out of the hat. Ed Roland never fails, his songwriting ability never ceases to amaze. The musicians are all simply stunning. In Ed Roland's lyrics there appears to be a consistent thread of spirituality, this is most likely coming from his background. Their father was a Southern Baptist minister which influenced their spiritual background; however, Ed has cited that Collective Soul is not a Christian rock band. Being brought up in the ways of the church myself (until 1969/70 when I found King Crimson and Black Sabbath) I can't help thinking that if churches could get closer to what these guys are doing then I for one would probably start attending again, until then I'll just have to keep listening to this amazing band

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[YouTube Video]

Added video review by MeanMrMayo...

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The second album by Mr Gray-before Babylon made his name. This is quintessentially a singer-songwriter /bedsitter sound. If that is your area of interest-I would argue that this is essential. Acoustic guitar based songs about love, heartbreak and optimism. The opener is the only oddity-an attempt to rock out that is of some interest, the rest has a variable tempo but a great, consistent feel. IMHO-his peak.

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Concert in Munich, Germany, in March 20,1977, with addition of recordings from the ones in Philadelphia, USA, circa 1969-1971 (tracks 22, 23) and at Flamingo Las Vegas, USA, in June 13, 1965 (track 16).
Track 14 is wrongly titled and credited. In fact this is Dance With Mr. Domino written by Antoine Domino and Dave Bartholomew.

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Captain Marryat were from Glasgow, Scotland and recorded this demo album in 1974, released in a tiny pressing on the Thor label, hopefully to get an EMI or Chrysalis deal. They intended to record only a single but came up with a complete album of self-composed tracks. Since it was not that easy for a Scottish band to get attention down in London, this album was the only pressing ever done and sold at band gigs only. Five musicians, great organ, vocals, extra heavy fuzz-guitar, drums and bass; amazing underground songs, influenced by Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Beggars Opera, a true lost classic.
I remember a sale on Popsike.com, in 2008 at 2,900 pounds.



6 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

60 tracks gives plenty of room to get the "Legends" bit right and this compilation easily achieves it.

On a personal level I think that The Foundations, The Undisputed Truth, The Stylistics and The Whispers, whilst quality groups, placing them alongside Marvin Gaye and the other Motown legends is to me pushing the definition of "Legends" to the max, more of fillers hence my ratings on a few of the tracks.

What's it missing?, maybe something from Otis Redding, a decent track from Aretha Franklin (not the poor gospel number used here) and something from Al Green.

Nevertheless, overall a great compilation worth picking up.

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

This CD album was originally released on vinyl and cassette for EMI in October 1978,when I was 11 years old at the time,and I like the cover most of all as well as the tracks such as Green Light,released as a single reaching no.57 in the UK charts in March 1979 [also a cover version by Yvonne Elliman for her album-Yvonne,released in 1979 on the RSO label].Please Remember Me and Can`t Take The Hurt Anymore [also released as UK singles as a follow up to Green Light,but sadly no impact in the UK charts,according in the CD booklet].Count Me Out from this CD album,and also as a B-side of his no.1 hit single We Don`t Talk Anymore in 1979,is also my favourite song as well as Green Light is definitely my personal favourite for me,and I`m definitely treasure this,because it brings me back memories of my music career.

4 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

Only just discovered Nils Frahm recently via YouTube, after seeing his "All Melody" video which persuaded me to order this album.
A combination of voice, conventional instrumentation and electronics produce an ambient work that also knows when to use silence to good effect.
With hypnotic melodies and a sense of space, lending to an ethereal quality. Add to this the fact that it was recorded in an historic studio in Berlin (Durton Studio now Saal 3), which Nils himself spent two years refurbishing and so, used top recording equipment to give a fine sound quality, and you have a very relaxing album, great on phones, 8.5/10

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This is a rather confusing collection of Junior Walker's 1970s LP releases that might have been more precisely called "A Reissue Of The Six LPs By Junior Walker That Were Released In The '70s In The UK credited to "Junior Walker & The All Stars".

I shall elaborate ….. around 1975/6 Motown dropped the "All Stars" part of "Junior Walker & The All Stars" so what doesn't get included in here are Junior Walker's last three US released '70s Motown LPs "Sax Appeal", "Whopper, Bopper, Show Stopper" and "Smooth", which used only his name, but what does get included is his withdrawn US LP "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" that did get a UK release in 1974 and which contained some tracks that turned up eventually on the aforementioned omitted "Junior Walker" LPs.

To add to the confusion, the eagle-eyed may notice that the label scans of the final LP, "Hot Shot" show that the tracks were credited simply to Jr. Walker (at least in The USA) even though the cover showed the full name.

So what we have here isn't (from a USA point of view) exactly what the collection's title would suggest but (from a UK point of view) probably is!!

Anyway, having explained that (I hope) it's on to the music, which covers Junior Walker's output from 1970 to 1975, lots of hits in here such as "Do You See My Love For You Growing", "Walk In The Night", "Take Me Girl I'm Ready", "Way Back Home", his "Northern Soul" biggie "I Ain't Going Nowhere", lots of instrumental versions of hits from other artists (his 1974 UK only LP is remarkably similar to what a lot of "Smooth Jazz" artists were producing in the early 2000s), lots of gruff vocals, some infectious funk workouts, plus guest appearances from Stevie Wonder and Thelma Houston. A large proportion of what is in here I've never previously owned so I for one am happy.

There are a couple of curiosities (typos?) in here … "Killing Me Softly With His Song" has become "Killing Me Softy With This Song" and "Until You Come Back Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" has become "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I Gonna Do)", unlike on the original UK LP. Interestingly the artwork used for the "Peace & Understanding" LP combines The US labels with The UK cover.

There is also a very thorough and extremely interesting essay by Sharon Davis in the booklet that covers the early life of Autry DeWalt (aka Junior Walker), explains how he became known as Junior Walker, and chronicles his career throughout his years at Motown and up to his death in 1995.

Great Stuff!!

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This is a nifty collection from James Purify and his cousin Robert Lee Dickey (aka "Bobby Purify) that brings together all of their Bell Recordings in one place.

The duo shot to fame at the end of 1966 with their US smash "I'm Your Puppet" (number 6 on Billboard's Hot 100) and had an impressive run of US hits over the next three years. A remake of "I'm Your Puppet", that was so close to the original that it can be difficult to tell them apart, was eventually to get to Number 12 in The UK in 1976.

Although none of their '60s singles made it into the UK National Charts they did pick up quite a following in Britain and their three follow-ups to "I'm Your Puppet" got heavy airplay on offshore "Pirate Station" Radio London (check my list on 45Cat of records that made The Big L Top 10 without making the national charts for more details) and their version of The 5 Dutones "Shake A Tail Feather" is a perennial "Northern Soul" and "Party" spin.

The 20 page booklet that comes with the CD chronicles the story of the duo and how they fitted in with other popular Soul duos of the day such as Mel & Tim, Eddie & Ernie etc. etc. etc. and also addresses the thorny issue of suggestions that they sounded too similar to Sam & Dave for comfort (seven of the thirty-eight tracks on this collection are Stax songs and that isn't including two Sam Cooke compositions that were also recorded by Stax artists!!).

Although it would be easy to dismiss the duo as merely being a more "polished" version of Sam & Dave they were really much more than that; some tracks have a snappy (almost Motown) feel, others veer into "Country/Soul" and "Section C" (Disc 2, Track 13) comments on overcrowded ghettos.

Incidentally, in the booklet we learn that "Bobby Purify" on "Section C" wasn't Robert Lee Dickey at all … it was a stand-in who went by the name of "Buddy Grubbs"!!

7 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?

I have to agree with MR B PAGE. This album for me has everything. Great songs, great production values and above all great performances. Apart from tracks 12-15 which are extras and not on the original album except track 12, this is truly a gem of an album. If you can look past the obvious religious conotations you'll find some amazing vocal performances especially as MR B PAGE points out from John Perry and Tony Rivers and some truly wonderful vocal performances from Cliff himself. For me this was Cliff at his peak and has never bettered it. Well worth the money to experience. 10/10 from me

5 people found this review helpful.   ✔︎ Helpful Review?