MATTHEWS
SOUTHERN COMFORT [featuring Ian Matthews] - “Matthews Southern Comfort/Second
Spring” (1996 and 2008 Beat Goes On CD – Andrew Thompson Remaster)
"…Leave
This Troubled World Behind…"
Few bands got to
release three albums in one year (Fairport Convention and Creedence Clearwater
Revival did it in 1969) – but Britain’s Folk-Rock outfit MATTHEWS SOUTHERN
COMFOIRT featuring Ian Matthews managed in in 1970. And that’s where this
2LPs-on-1CD Beat Goes On reissue comes in (the following CD contains the third
album). Here are the comforting details...
Originally UK
released June 1996 on Beat Goes On BGOCD 515 (reissued December 2008 with the
same Catalogue No and Barcode 5017261203137) - it breaks down as follows (76:06
minutes):
1. Colorado
Springs Eternal
2. A Commercial
Proposition
3. The Castle
Far
4. Please Be My
Friend
5. What We Say
6. Dream Song
7. Fly Pigeon
Fly
8. The Watch
9. Sweet Bread
10. Thoughts For
A Friend
11. I’ve Lost
You
12. Once Upon A
Lifetime
Tracks 1 to 12
are their debut vinyl album "Matthews' Southern Comfort" - released
January 1970 in the UK on Uni Records UNLS 108 and Decca DL 75191 in the USA
(both in gatefold sleeves and with an insert)
13. The Ballad
Of Obray Ramsey
14. Moses In The
Sunshine
15. Jinkson
Johnson
16. Tale Of The
Trial
17. Blood Red
Roses
18. Even As
19. D’arcy
Farrow
20. Something In
The Way She Moves
21. Southern
Comfort
Tracks 13 to 21
are their 2nd LP "Second Spring" - released June 1970 in the UK on
Uni Records UNLS 112 and Decca DL 75242 in the USA (both with an insert)
The eagle-eyed
collectors among you will notice that there are two non-album 7" single
B-sides from the period that are missing. First is "The Struggle" - a
B-side to "Colorado Springs Eternal" - the only single lifted off the
debut album on Uni Records UNS 513 issued in January 1970. Second is "Parting" - a B-side to
"Ballad Of Obray Ramsey" - the only 7" taken off the 2nd LP on
Uni Records UNS 521 issued May 1970. Not to fear - they are both BONUS TRACKS
on the "Later That Same Year" Beat Goes On CD remaster (BGOCD 807)
along with both sides of their other non-album single - "Woodstock"
b/w "Scion" (see separate review).
The 16-page
booklet cleverly reproduces the gatefold inner of the debut LP on its inner
spread while the lyric sheets that accompanied both original LPs have been
reproduced also - but using the drawing face shots on the back sleeve of the
2nd LP in between text (its nicely done). The short but hugely informative
liner notes are by noted Musicologist JOHN TOBLER.
The remaster was
done back in 1996 at Sound Recording Technology in Cambridge (doesn't say who)
and it's really sweet - especially on the far better recorded second LP.
The debut was
meant to be an Ian Matthews solo album. In fact the band's name was a mistake -
named after the last track on the second LP "Southern Comfort"
(written by Sylvia Fricker). But Matthews Southern Comfort somehow stuck. In
fact when Ian Matthews left - the group continued as "Southern
Comfort" on Harvest Records. And yet despite its lavish gatefold sleeve
and the inclusion of heavyweight Fairport Convention players like Gerry Conway,
Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson and Simon Nichol - the debut LP in my eyes
firmly defies flight. Weak songs are the culprits. Looking through the song
credits you see the name Steve Barlby - which turns out to be a pseudonym for
songwriters Ken Howard and Alan Blaikeley - who were his management team at the
time. Part of the recording contract deal was that he had to use some of their
songs - and bluntly they're not what the MSC sound was about. The other
pseudonym on "Fly Pigeon Fly" is Hamwood - which turns out to be the
duo of Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood. The organ on "Thoughts For A
Friend" is clumsy - "The Castle Far" sounds like some dreadful
madrigal - but "A Commercial Proposition" written by Richard Thompson
is more like it.
"Second
Spring" is everything the debut should have been - it's properly brilliant
and has stood the test of time too. The presence of ace guitarist and melody
strong Carl Barnwell makes his presence known with "Moses In The
Sunshine" and "Even As" - which like "Woodstock"
practically defines the mellow sound that people love them for. The Traditional
"Blood Red Roses" is done Acapella and is gorgeous - as is the
impossibly pretty Matthews original "Tale Of The Trial". I've always
felt that their stunning cover of James Taylor's Apple debut song
"Something In The Way She Moves" should have been the lead off single
instead of the banjo plucking "Ballad Of Obray Ramsey" - it's a gem
(lyrics from it title this review). It ends on the epic eight minute
"Southern Comfort" which feels like Fairport in full flight meets
MSC. Very tasty...
So there you
have it - a debut that promises much but delivers little - and a follow up that
nails it. Their third and last album "Later That Same Year" followed
in November of 1970 and was just as strong as "Second Spring" (the CD
remaster of "Later" also contains those four quality bonus tracks).
"Matthews'
Southern Comfort / Second Spring" is a really lovely CD reissue by Beat
Goes On of the UK - and brings back such fond memories...
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