"Time Machine: A Vertigo Retrospective" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (April 2005 Universal 3CD Mini Box Set – Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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PROG ROCK, PSYCH, AVANT GARDE
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Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On

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Featuring Many Albums from 1970 on Vertigo Records 

"…Let It Happen…"

Ah! the VERTIGO Record Label – subject of affection and ridicule in unequal amounts...

So what makes me buy a 41-track 3CD mini box set full of the eclectic and the indulgent? Because on rehearing this much-maligned label's output - there's so much to enjoy on here that isn't crap - especially if you like your Rock with a Funky Fusion kick in the nuts. 

Here are the Black Sabbaths having a Warhorse by the Beggars Opera in the Tudor Lodge (if you know what I mean)…

UK released April 2005 – "Time Machine: A Vertigo Retrospective" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Universal/Vertigo 9827982 (Barcode 602498279823) is a 3CD Mini Clamshell Box Set of Remasters that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 – Vertigo 9827984 - (78:09 minutes):

1. The Kettle – COLOSSEUM (from the album “Valentyne Suite” released November 1969 on Vertigo VO 1. Charted at 15 in the UK. The band featured Drummer JON HISEMAN (ex Graham Bond ORGANization), Saxophonist DICK HECKSTALL SMITH with Keyboard Player DAVE GREENSLADE and Bassist TONY REEVES who later formed GREENSLADE)

2. Who Do You Love? – JUICY LUCY (February 1970 UK 7” single on Vertigo V 1. A Bo Diddley cover – it reached No. 14 on the UK charts)

3. My Heaven – CLEAR BLUE SKY (on the album “Clear Blue Sky” released April 1971 on Vertigo 6360 013)

4. Travelling Lady – MANFRED MANN’S CHAPTER THREE (on the album “Manfred Mann Chapter Three” released November 1969 on Vertigo VO 3)

5. Behind The Wall Of Sleep – BLACK SABBATH (on their debut album “Black Sabbath” released February 1970 on Vertigo VO 6. It reached No. 8 in the UK charts)

6. To Play Your Little Game – CRESSIDA (on the album “Cressida” released February 1970 on vertigo VO 7)

7. Introduction – GRACIOUS! (From the album “Gracious!” released June 1970 on Vertigo 6360 002)

8. Three Sisters – AFFINITY (from the album “Affinity” released June 1970 on Vertigo 6360 004. The band featured LINDA HOYLE who also had a Solo album on Vertigo in 1971 called “Pieces Of Me”)

9. Walking On – BOB DOWNES (from the album “Electric City” released July 1970 on Vertigo 6360 005)

10. I Don’t Know – MAY BLITZ (from the album “May Blitz” released July 1970 on Vertigo 6360 007)

11. Torrid Zone - NUCLEUS (from the album “Elastic Rock” released June 1970 on Vertigo

12. Handbags And Gladrags – ROD STEWART (on his debut album “An Old Raincoat Won’t Let You Down” released February 1970 in the UK on Vertigo VO 4)

13. Nothing At All – GENTLE GIANT (on the album “Gentle Giant” released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 020. They went on to have a long career on both WWA Records and Chrysalis in the UK and remain highly collectable to this day)

14. The Influence – BEN (on the album “Ben” released August 1971 on Vertigo 6360 052)

Disc 2 - Vertigo 9827985 – (76:58 minutes):

1. Evil Woman's Manly Child – Dr. Z (on the album "Three Parts To My Soul" released August 1971 on Vertigo 6360 048)

2. Borne On The Solar Wind – JADE WARRIOR (on the album "Last Autumn's Dream" released November 1972 on Vertigo 6360 079)

3. The Man – PATTO (on the album "Patto" released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 016)

4. Thinking Of My Life – JUICY LUCY (on their 2nd album "Lie Back And Enjoy It" released October 1970 on Vertigo 6360 014)

5. Half Baked – JIMMY CAMPBELL (on the album "Half Baked" released August 1970 on Vertigo 6360 010)

6. For Madmen Only – MAY BLITZ (on their 2nd album "Second Of May" released June 1971 on Vertigo 6360 037)

7. The Lady's Changing Home – TUDOR LODGE  (on the album "Tudor Lodge" released July 1971 on Vertigo 6360 043)

8. Time Machine – BEGGARS OPERA (on the album "Waters Of Change" released September 1971 on Vertigo 6360 054)

9. Bring Out Your Dead – COLOSSEUM (on the album "Daughter Of Time" released November 1970 on Vertigo 6360 017)

10. Mouthpiece – WARHORSE (on the album "Red Sea" released May 1972 on Vertigo 6360 066)

11. Lady In Black – URIAH HEEP (on the album "Salisbury" released February 1971 on Vertigo 6360 028)

12. Through The Years – FREEDOM (on the album "Through The Years" released August 1971 on Vertigo 6360 050)

13. Midnight Moses – THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND (on the album "Framed" released December 1972 on Vertigo 6360 081)

14. Lord Of The Ages – MAGNA CARTA (on the album "Lord Of The Ages" released September 1973 on vertigo 6360 093)

Disc 3 – Vertigo 9827983 – (79:17 minutes):

1. Living At The End Of Time – ATLANTIS (on the album "Atlantis" released March 1973 on Vertigo 6360 609)

2. Life Child – RAMASES (on the LP "Space Hymns" released July 1971 on Vertigo 6360 046)

3. McArthur Park – BEGGARS OPERA (on the album "Pathfinder" released July 1972 on Vertigo 6360 073. It's a cover of the Jimmy Webb song made famous by actor Richard Harris and later Disco Diva Donna Summer)

4. Song For The Bearded Lady – NUCLEUS (on the album "We'll Talk About It Later" released February 1971 on Vertigo 6360 027)

5. Patagruel's Nativity – GENTLE GIANT (on the album "Acquiring The Taste" released July 1971 on Vertigo 6360 041)

6. (A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Mind – GRAVY TRAIN (on the album "(A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man" released September 1971 on Vertigo 6360 051)

7. Powers Of Darkness – RONNO (on the album "Powers Of Darkness" released March 1971 on Vertigo 6360 029. The band featuring ace-guitarist MICK RONSON who went on to Solo stardom and as a sidekick to both David Bowie and Lou Reed)

8. Paper Plane – STATUS QUO (on the album "Piledriver" released 8 December 1972 on Vertigo 6360 082)

9. Little Known – IAN MATTHEWS (on the album "If You Saw Thru My Eyes" released May 1971 on Vertigo 6360 034)

10. Let It Happen – VANGELIS O. PAPATHANASSIOU (from the album "Earth" released 1973 on Vertigo 6499 693)

11. Mwenga Sketch – JADE WARRIOR (exclusive to the double-album Vertigo label sampler "Suck It And See" released May 1973 on Vertigo 6641 116)

12. The Four Horsemen – APHRODITE'S CHILD (on the album "666" released May 1972 on Vertigo 6673 001. The band famously featured keyboard wizard Vangelis and Greek singer DEMIS ROUSSOS)

13. Spiral Architect – BLACK SABBATH (on the album "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" released December 1973 on Vertigo 6360 115)

The mini clamshell box contains a fantastic 48-page booklet with hugely detailed liner notes by reissue hero MARK POWELL – there’s the usual band photos, the album sleeves in miniature (and in colour) – but it’s the trade adverts you’ve never seen that impress most. Better is the PASCHAL BYRNE remastering (done at Audio Archiving in London) which is up to his usual standard of excellence. This guy has been on hundreds of reissues – especially in the Progressive Rock field – so he knows how to handle these tapes. The audio is clear, punchy and if there’s hiss on some tracks – he lets them breath. A great done…

The funkier side of Vertigo is kind of shocking – Affinity's "Three Sisters" from their debut features LINDA HOYLE on lead vocals and comes on like Cold Blood with Lydia Pence (Atlantic Records) – great brass, keys and guitar hooks aligned around a Julie Driscoll type vocalist. It's immediately followed by the even more-catchy "Walking On" from BOB DOWNES sounding not unlike Blood, Sweat & Tears finding their inner Prog. That funky groove continues with "I Don't Know" by MAY BLITZ with a fantastically clever guitar repetition throughout that digs in from the start and only deviates to let the drums and bass battle it out before the guitars rip. At times it sounds like the innovativeness of Zeppelin II. We then firmly enter the area of Rock Fusion with the stunning NUCLEUS instrumental "Torrid Zone" – a near 9-minute fest of IAN CARR's trumpet sounding like Miles Davis discovering his inner bop. It's easy to see why Jazzers and even Soul Boys want this so much – it's undeniably brilliant and the remaster is fabulous highlighting the amazing speaker-to-speaker musicianship. 

After all the Hard Rock, Metal, Jazz Fusion and general mayhem – Rod Stewart's gorgeous cover of Mike D'Abo's "Handbags & Gladrags" comes as a melodic surprise – and as ever – a heart-warming one. We return to more familiar Genesis-like Prog territory with GENTLE GIANT's equally lovely "Nothing At All". Produced by Tony Visconti – its nine minutes has beautifully accomplished harmony vocals floating over pretty guitars and keys – and again – it's shockingly good. Like their fellow mates on Vertigo – the obscure BEN fit into the jazzy Nucleus, Affinity and Colosseum bracket. The ten-minute flute and guitar battle that is "The Influence" sounds like its late Sixties Doors doing an instrumental – funky Rock with Jazz leanings – very cool indeed and it ends Disc 1 on a definite high.

Disc 2 opens with a rarity by DR. Z - their album having reputedly sold less than 100 copies. Formed by a Professor of Swansea University - Keith Keyes aped his surname and played a mean set of keyboards. Their lone track has a slightly vaudeville backing and funky piano riff – sounding not unlike the kind of thing you'd hear in a Jesus Christ Superstar stage show. Colosseum's "Bring Out Your Dead" is a fabulous funky instrumental but Uriah Heep's clunky "Lady In Black" is less impressive. Freedom was formed by ex Procol Harum bods Bobby Harrison and Ray Roger and their "Through The Years" is a cracking Rock tune with great lead guitar from Roger throughout.  But then things go stellar for me – the utterly brilliant "Borne On The Solar Wind" by JADE WARRIOR – the kind of drifting, floating Prog instrumental I love. I'm forever putting it on 70s FEST CD-Rs and it always elicits a "...whose this!?" response. It sounds not unlike Brian Eno's instrumental "Another Green World" – the theme music used for the British TV program "Arena" (with the logo floating in the bottle). Disc 2 ends with the acoustic whimsy of "Lord Of The Ages" where most of its story of knights, dark forests and black granite is spoken. Genius…

Disc 3 opens with a lesser-heard belter – "Living At The End Of Time" by ATLANTIS - sounding like Graham Bond meets Greenslade. It also reminds me a lot of the title track of Gary Moore's first solo album on CBS called "Grinding Stone" – a sort of Jeff Beck speed guitar thing with a fast funky rock backbeat. Things get hippy-dippy with "Pantagruel's Nativity" by GENTLE GIANT sounding not unlike RUSH on too many mushrooms. We're then hit with a piece of genuine Progressive Rock excellence – Gravy Train's "(A Ballad Of) A Peaceful Man" that opens with classily orchestrated strings and goes a bit Tull for the rest of it seven minutes. Things get Folk-plaintive with "Little Known" from the wonderful ex Fairport Convention songsmith Iain Matthews. But then we get my favourite on the entire box – a true hidden gem – "Let It Happen" by none other than Blade Runner supremo VANGELIS (trading under his full name). The vocals on this funk fusion gem are actually sung by Robert Fitoussi and I can safely say I've seen the "Earth" album maybe twice in my life. Apparently it was big in Europe but Vertigo did little to promote it or him here in Blighty.

So there you have it. Having worked in record shops all my life – I know the resistance this particular record label evokes – almost to the point of being pathological. Well – well done to all involved with this superb box set for making a case. Don’t be put off – dig in and explore the swirl…

"Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS and IAN CARR (29 March 2019 UK Esoteric Recordings 6CD Clamshell Box - Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Contains their debut album "Plastic Rock" from 1970 on Vertigo Records 

"...Labyrinth..."

Scottish Trumpeter IAN CARR (raised in Newcastle) has deserved this kind of lavish clamshell-dom for some time now. But fans will quickly clock that nine album front covers onto six card sleeves does not artwork go. I say this because on opening this still brilliant Esoteric Recordings mini box set (which the spirit of textured gatefold LP sleeves within me has been looking forward to for some time) - I have to confess to being slightly crest-fallen. Five of the single CD card sleeves reflect the original and cool Roger Dean and Keith Davis artwork for sure (disc three has the October 1972 Ian Car solo album "Belladonna") – but my fave die-cut for their brilliant debut "Elastic Rock" had to be replaced with a period image instead. Boo hoo...

But not to fear my elasticated rocking alley cats – this Jazz Rock Prog-tastic monster hasn’t missed anything else that I can see - all of the original artwork inside and out is repro’d faithfully in the substantially chunky booklet, alongside a whole lot more from magazine and personal archives, most of it seeing the 2019 light of day for the first time in nearly five decades.

But for me, best news is the new Audio - fabulous Paschal Byrne Remasters taken from original Vertigo Records mastertapes, which for my money is one of 'the' reasons for fan purchase. Sweet as a zone that’s torrid (as they say in pre Brexit Brussels). There's a veritable magma flow of solar plexus blowhard horns and synths to wade through, so once more my swirl label devotees unto the die-cut breach...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "Torrid Zone: The Vertigo Recordings 1970-1975" by NUCLEUS & IAN CARR on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 62663 (Barcode 5013929476301) is a 6CD Clamshell Box Set offering 9 albums in full (no other bonuses) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (64:42 minutes):

1. 1916 [Side 1]

2. Elastic Rock

3. Striation

4. Taranki

5. Twisted Track

6. Crude Blues (Part One)

7. Crude Blues (Part Two)

8. 1916 - The Battle Of Boogaloo

9. Torrid Zone [Side 2]

10. Stonescape

11. Earth Mother

12. Speaking For Myself, Personally, In My Own Opinion, I Think...

13. Persephones Jive

Tracks 1 to 13 are their debut album "Elastic Rock" [as NUCLEUS] - released June 1970 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 008 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING. 

14. Song For The Bearded Lady [Side 1]

15. Sun Child

16. Lullaby For A Lonely Child

17. We'll Talk About It Later

Tracks 14 to 17 are Side 1 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

Disc 2 (67:27 minutes):

1. Oasis [Side 2]

2. Ballad Of Joe Pimp

3. Easter 1916

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" [as NUCLEUS] - released February 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 027 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

4. Elements I & II [Side 1]

5. Changing Times

6. Bedrock Deadlock

7. Spirit Level

8. Torso [Side 2]

9. Snakehips Dream

Tracks 4 to 9 are their third studio album "Solar Plexus" [as IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] - released June 1971 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 039 (no US issue) - Produced by PETE KING.

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone and Flute

KARL JENKINS - Baritone Saxophone, Oboe, Piano and Electric Pianos

CHRIS SPEDDING - Guitar

JEFF CLYNE - Bass Guitars

JOHN MARSHALL - Drums and Percussion 

Above line-up for the first two LPs, but for "Solar Plexus", these additional:

Kenny Wheeler and Harry Beckett on Trumpets (Tracks 4, 5, 8 and 9)

Tony Roberts – Tenor Saxophone, Bass and Clarinet

Ron Matthewson – Bass

Keith Winter – VCS3 Synthesiser

Disc 3 (65:56 minutes):

1. Belladonna [Side 1]

2. Summer Rain

3. Remadione [Side 2]

4. May Day

5. Suspension

6. Hector's House

Tracks 1 to 6 are the album "Belladonna" [by IAN CARR] – released October 1972 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 076 (no US issue) – Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Alto and Bamboo Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER - Drums

7. Origins [Side 1]

8. Bull Dance

9. Ariadne

10. Arena

Tracks 7 to 10 are Side 1 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

Disc 4 (73:59 minutes):

1. Arena/Exultation [Side 2]

2. Naxos

Tracks 1 to 2 are Side 2 of the album "Labyrinth" [by IAN CARR with NUCLEUS] – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 091 (no US issue) – Produced by IAN CARR and ROGER WAKE

IAN CARR - Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BRIAN SMITH - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute

DAVE MacRAE – Fender Electric Piano

ALAN HOLDSWORTH – Guitar

ROY BABBINGTON – Bass Guitar

CHRIS THACKER – Drums

Plus Guests:

Kenny Wheeler – Trumpets and Flugelhorn

Norma Winstone – Vocals

Paddy Kingsland – VCS3 Synthesiser

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion

Tony Levin – Drums

3. Roots [Side 1]

4. Images

5. Caliban

6. Whapatiti [Side 2]

7. Capricorn

8. Odokamona

9. Southern Roots And Celebration

Tracks 3 to 19 are the album "Roots" [by IAN CARR’S NUCLEUS] – released November 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 100 (no US issue) – Produced by FRITZ FRYER

IAN CARR – Trumpet

BRIAN SMITH – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute and Bamboo Flute

DAVID MacRAE – Electric and Acoustic Piano

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

CLIVE THACKER – Drums (Percussion on "Images")

AUREO de SOUZA – Percussion (Drums on "Images")

JOY YATES - Vocals

10. In Procession [Side 1]

11. The Addison Trip

12. Pastoral Graffiti

13. New Life

14. A Taste Of Sarsaparilla

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

Disc 5 (67:24 minutes):

1. Theme 1 - Sarsaparilla

2. Theme 2 - Feast Alfresco

3. Theme 3 - Rites Of Man

Tracks 1 to 3 are Side 2 of the album "Under The Sun" [by NUCLEUS] – released October 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 110 (no US issue) - Produced by FRITZ FRYER.

IAN CARR – Trumpet and Flugelhorn

BOB BERTIES – Alto and Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet and Flute

GORDON BECK – Electric Piano and Percussion (Solo on "Sarsaparilla")

GEOFF CASTLE – Electric Piano and VCS3 Synthesiser (Piano on "A Taste Of Sarsaparilla")

JOCELYN PITCHEN – Guitars (Solo on "New Life")

KEN SHAW – Guitars (Ring Modulated Piano on "In Procession")

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

BRYAN SPRING – Drums, Tympani and Percussion

Guests:

Keiran White (of Steamhammer) sings Vocals on "The Addison Trip"

4. Rat's Bag [Side 1]

5. Alive And Kicking

6. Rachel's Tune

7. Snakehips Etcetera [Side 2]

8. Pussyfoot

9. Heyday

Tracks 4 to 9 are the album "Snakehips Etcetera" [by NUCLEUS] – released April 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 119 and Sire SASD-7508 in the USA (first album by Nucleus issued in America) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Disc 6 (41:22 minutes):

1. Phaideaux Corner [Side 1]

2. Alleycat

3. Splat [Side 2]

4. You Can't Be Sure

5. Nosegay

Tracks 1 to 5 are the album "Alleycat" [by NUCLEUS] – released November 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 124 (no US issue) - Produced by JON HISEMAN of Colosseum.

Line-Up for both "Snakehips Etcetera" and "Alleycat"

IAN CARR – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Acoustic Piano, Moog, Percussion

BOB BERTIES – Alto, Baritone and Soprano Saxophones, Flute, Voice

KEN SHAW – Guitars and Percussion

GEOFF CASTLE – Keyboards, Moog, Percussion

ROGER SUTTON – Bass

ROGER SELLERS – Drums and Percussion

Guest:

Trevor Tomkins – Percussion on "Phaideaux Corner" and "Alleycat" on the "Alleycat" album

Compiled and co-ordinated by MARK POWELL with full involvement from those still around the band, the 48-page booklet is an impressive affair and very proudly flaunts the boxes of original Vertigo master tapes across its many picture-festooned pages (along with all of that dinky Roger Dean artwork). Noted writer SID SMITH (who did the liner notes for the impressive Panegyric 'Definitive Edition' CD and BLU RAY reissues of YES) digs in deep for a history across nine studio albums beginning with Carr’s career as part of the Don Rendell Quartet (1965 to 1969) on to Best Group awards at The Montreaux Jazz Festival and celebrated dates in the USA. There are promo pages from Phonogram (who distributed Vertigo), a concert poster for the Queen Elizabeth Hall where a program would set you back a frankly extortionate 10p (ten new pence to you mate) and so on. To the music...

I suspect the last time anyone had these albums on CD in their mits was the 2005 Repertoire reissues – here the Audio is not so in-your-face – warmer and fuller. Spedding trades his guitar licks with the horns of Ian Carr and Karl Jenkins on "Taranaki" – a Karl Jenkins mellow instrumental on Side 1 of "Elastic Rock" and two things are apparent – the band has been listening to Miles Davis and his 1969 Columbia/CBS Records output for a entire year and that the Remaster is fantastic. Sure the separation of instruments is a tad harsh but man are they reproduced well in this transfer. Again the Chris Spedding intro to "Earth Mother" over on Side 2 accompanied by some heavy Oboe soloing is clear and present – Jeff Clyne on Bass. Another moment of remaster clarity comes with the drums, guitar and brass unison opening of "Crude Blues (Part Two)" – a short but very cool opening to Side 2 of the album. Many fans rate "Elastic Rock" as a brilliant account-opener and they’d be right – apart from the one and half-minute drum nonsense of "Speaking For Myself..." – there is hardly a wasted moment.

Issued in February 1971, the proper full-on Jazz-Prog-Rock of "Song For The Bearded Lady" from their second album "We'll Talk About It Later" was chosen as the representative track for the "Time Machine" 3CD Box Set covering Vertigo Records in 2005 ("Torrid Zone" from the 1970 debut album is in there too). And frankly it’s easy to hear why – a neck-jerking seven and a half-minute instrumental workout with clever musical breaks and a hat-tip to King Crimson over on Island Records. Spedding gets to wah-wah his gee-tar on the Clyne/Marshall jabber "Sun Child" behind Carr and Jenkins letting it rip. Miles Davis pretty surfaces in the guise of "Lullaby For A Lonely Child", but the echoed vocals of "Easter 1916" Zappa-fy the album finisher too much for me (and not in a good way).

By the time we reach album three, Ian Carr has taken over composition of all tracks. Guests Kenny Wheeler on Flugelhorn and Tony Roberts on Tenor Sax act as the soloists on "Changing Times" – Nucleus getting Funky. Karl Jenkins does the Oboe solo on the sad Tudor soundscape of "Bedrock Deadlock" with Jeff Clyne drawing his bow across large Double Bass strings before the six and half-minute track takes a sudden and unexpected Funky direction change with a treated guitar from Spedding (very clever and sounding spiffing on this transfer). Confirming its rep as a quality Nucleus outing, the album ends on an epic 15-minute slink – "Snakehips’ Dream" – a tribute to a lady dancer Carr once knew called "Snakehips" Johnson. It’s the first time for me that the keyboards/guitar battles get pride of place – and it so works (best track they ever did methinks).

The inevitable Ian Carr solo album arrived in October 1972 in the shape of "Belladonna" – again its six lengthy instrumentals steeped in the smooze of IC’s acknowledged hero – Miles Davis. The transfer on the lovely and nay even sexy "Summer Rain" is so sweet – with newcomer Dave MacRae bringing his keyboard chops to the party. Jon Hiseman’s production certainly amps up the Alan Holdsworth Guitar and Brian Smith Brass blasts on "Hector's Party" – a song that sounds exactly like its hep title.

A muscular loincloth-clad gladiator brute-type manhandles a Minotaur on the front cover of "Labyrinth" – Nucleus commissioned by the Park Lane Group (with Arts Council funding) to create music based on the antiquities myth (Athens vs. Crete etc). They augmented the band with so many musicians that they literally get a credits ‘Plus’ on the front sleeve – amongst the names being Norma Winstone on Vocals with ace sessionman Tony Levin on Drums (years later he would become the defacto kit-man for Peter Gabriel’s touring band). It opens with the suitably ominous danger inherent in the stabby "Origins" only to go all Bullet bass lines chase sequence on the sexy "Bull Dance". Shimmering Greenslade-type electric piano notes open seven minutes of the excellent "Ariadne" with Norma Waterstone’s high-flying vocals singing of seekers and their detractors - while over on Side 2 the two lengthy workouts "Exultation" and "Naxos" bring the ancient tale into serious Prog-Fusion mode.

Highlights from albums five to nine include the first-time-on-CD appearance of the much-sampled "Roots" LP from November 1973 – resplendent here on CD 4 with its fab Keith Davis designed sleeve. Super cool slow-Drums and Brass-jabbing Grooves give the title track the feel of a Seventies Cop TV show where some Superslick Detective falls in love with a babe from the driver’s seat of his cigarettes ‘n’ coffee filthy car (fantastic remaster too). The cool continues with "Images" where Joy Yates Jazz-moans her words as the British lads smooze the backbeat. "Caliban" sees Nucleus once again embrace their inner Billy Cobham by way of Donald Byrd – funky and sounding like a dead ringer for the sequel "Baby Driver 2: Behind The Wheel Again". Keiran White of Steamhammer moans scat vocals on the hipster Jazz-Funk of "The Addison Trip" while Roger Sutton lets rip on a Bass solo.

The "Under The Sun" album is probably the most Jazz of the lot while I’ve always been partial to the Jon Hiseman produced "Snakehips Etcetera" LP with its garish glossy laminate sleeve (fave tracks "Alive And Kicking" and "Pussyfoot"). And on it goes...

For sure listening to nine albums worth of Jazz Rock, Prog Fusion and even Jeff Beck like funkiness may prove too much for the uninitiated – but I’ve loved this vaults trawl. And how good is it to see the missing digital hole of "Roots" finally be filled and in such Audio style too.

As Sid Smith quite rightly points out in his typically excellent liner notes, bands like Chick Corea’s Return To Forever and John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra probably sold more album on Columbia/CBS in a month than poor Ian Carr did across six years in Blighty - even when Prog Rock and Fusion were literally flavour of the year in 1973 and 1974 – regularly nabbing the No. 1 spot on the LP charts for ELP, Yes, Jethro Tull and Top 5 for Genesis.

But spare a moment for the nine-LP Spice Girls of Jazz-Rock – NUCLEUS. They may have only charted their debut album for one miserly week in 1970 (at No. 46) - but their consistent (yet commercially ignored) brilliance is reflected in this jam-packed box. Man, I could even forgive Ian Carr’s seriously garish Tartan trousers on Page 41 of the booklet as he giggles at the advances of a scantily clad lady in hots pants threatening to do things to his improvisational ass with a Bottle of Stout that may have worried those nice people over at the BBC. Them were the days baby. Recommended and well-done to all involved...

"Move Into The Light: The Complete Island Recordings 1969-1971" by QUINTESSENCE (April 2017 Esoteric Recordings 2CD Anthology - Paschal Byrne Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT 1970... - Exceptional CD Remasters  

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Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

                                        

Featuring the album "Quintessence" from 1970

"...Letters To Infinity..."

Time wounds all heals. Time will tell. It's time to stop talking about time.

In the late 60ts and early 70ts – in tandem with free festivals, coloured bread and promiscuous sex - Notting Hill Gate’s Quintessence were at the forefront of the Indian Eastern Mysticism craze that was sweeping the UK and everywhere else for that matter. Suddenly we were all idealistic hippies - obsessing over joss sticks, fat scented candles, tie-dye shirts, bellbottom pants, beads, bangles, peace-symbols and travels to Goa with a stick of gum in your jeans, a begging bowl in your hand, a flower in your hair and a seriously dopey smile on your face (shoes and bras optional).

I suppose it is way too easy to slag off those doe-eyed days of mushroom madness (I was a fan myself and have the embarrassing tassel-shirt photos to prove it) - but in the blunt and brutal light of 2017 - musically not everything that emerged from marijuana clouds in Notting Hill Gate has weathered the decades that well. Having said that and despite as I say the absolutely dated nature of some of these recordings – if you crave lavish artwork, counter-culture ideas, meandering Sitars and Tablas and Tamboura notes all mixed up into a flute-driven ganga-soaked Shiva-Rock – then there is much to love and cherish on offer here. Hell there’s even a bit of Hawkwind drone madness in the guitar passages of album number two...

On top of that this surely has to be the most sumptuous and best-sounding 2CD anthology of the Quintessence legacy to date - brought to us with Hindu Love Oneness by those blissed-out but talented folks over at Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings (stop smoking those chubby roll-your-owns boys). Time to sort out your Raja Rams from your Hare Hares. Here are the Swami details...

UK released 28 April 2017 (5 May 2017 in the USA) - "Move Into The Light: The Complete Island Recordings 1969-1971" by QUINTESSENCE on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22584 (Barcode 5013929468443) is a 2CD anthology of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (65:49 minutes):

1. Giants [Side 1]

2. Manco Capac

3. Body

4. Gange Mai

5. Chant  [Side 2]

6. Pearl And Bird

7. Notting Hill Gate

8. Midnight Mode

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut album "In Blissful Company" - released November 1969 in the UK on Island ILPS 9110 Q (No US release). Produced by JOHN BARHAM - it didn't chart. The UK album was released in a gatefold 12-page-booklet sleeve (said to have been one of the most expensive made at the time) - all of which is reproduced in the CD booklet.

9. Move Into The Light

10. Notting Hill Gate

Tracks 10 and 9 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released October 1969 on Island WIP 6075

11. Jesus, Buddah, Moses, Guaranga

12. Sea Of Immortality

13. High On Mt. Kailash (Excerpt from Opera)

14. Burning Bush (Live)

15. Shiva's Chant

Tracks 11 to 15 are Side 1 of their second studio album "Quintessence" - released June 1970 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9128 (no US Release). Produced by JOHN BARHAM - it peaked at No. 22 on the UK LP charts.

Disc 2 (69:23 minutes):

1. Prisms

2. Twilight Zones

3. Maha Mantra

4. Only Love

5. St. Pancras (Live)

6. Infinitum

Tracks 1 to 6 are Side 2 of their second studio album "Quintessence" - released June 1970 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9128 (no US Release). Produced by JOHN BARHAM - it peaked at No. 22 on the UK LP charts.

7. Jesus, Buddah, Moses, Guaranga (Live)

Track 7 exclusive to the UK Island Records label sampler double-album "Bumpers" - released October 1970 on Island IDP 1.

8. Dive Deep [Side 1]

9. Dance For The One

10. Brahman

11. The Seer [Side 2]

12. Epitaph For Tomorrow

13. Sri Ram Chant

Tracks 8 to 13 are their 3rd studio album "Dive Deep" - released March 1971 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9143. Produced by QUINTESSENCE except for "Brahman" by JOHN BARHAM - it peaked at No. 34.

The 24-page booklet is a feast for the eyes. Fans will know that as much as their sound - the sheer visual opulence of the Quintessence albums on Island were enough to get you interested. Esoteric have smartly repro'd the 12-page booklet of black and white photos that centred the inner gatefold sleeve of "In Blissful Company" - said at the time to be the most expensive sleeve ever made - certainly at the independent Island Records. The colour gatefold inner of "Quintessence" is here (candles, mirrors and long white gowns ahoy) as are superb new liner notes from noted writer MALCOLM DOME that include interviews with the key players - Shiva Shankar (Australian vocalist and flutist Phil Jones) and Maha Dev (Dave Codling on Guitar) with reminiscences from Jeremy 'Jake' Milton - formerly the drummer with Junior's Eyes.

But the big news is new 2017 Remasters from original tapes by PASCHAL BYRNE - a name that's been on a huge number of quality reissues - East Of Eden, Fairport Convention, Gordon Giltrap, John Kongos, Man, John Martyn, John Mayall, Mike Oldfield, Spooky Tooth, Taste, T. Rex and many more. There is huge presence on those live guitar-tracks like "Burning Bush" on the second LP and power on those droning sitar songs like "Midnight Mode" on the debut. The soft and quieter passages on the near eleven-minute "Dance For The One" from the third album are beautifully clear too. A nice job done overall...

Things don't have the most promising of starts with "Giants" - Shiva's voice as deadpan as it can get. But things improve with "Manco Capac" - a Bass and Flute opening clear as a bell as the singer goes on about spaces and spirits. The pace steps up into really interesting on "Body" - a trippy floating song that trashes about with guitars and flutes - shadows of "Nursery Cryme" Genesis in those strums. But I must admit my heart lies in Side 2's "Notting Hill Gate" - a catchy little sucker and a dead-ringer for a single (it turned up on the "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal" 3CD Box Set from 2005 covering Island Records more eclectic years) - and the fabulous nine minutes of "Midnight Mode" where halfway through the song – it just goes into four minutes of Sitar-droning - the most brill trippy sound that you’ve ever heard - filling your living room like a Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab recording of a Buddhist monastery at lunchtime.

The songwriting seem to take a leap forward with the excellent "Quintessence" album of June 1970 - their first platter to chart in Blighty. "Sea Of Immortality" sounds huge but even better is the crickets/chant song that is "High On Mt. Kailash (Excerpt from Opera) - a swirling drone of Sitars and echoed voices singing in Indian - all of it sounding sexily mystical. The short but pretty "Shiva's Chant" is another winner - itself quickly followed by the echoed flutes of "Prisms" - a stunner for all those sampler fiends out there. "Twilight Zones" speaks of echoes and reflections in the cosmos while "Maha Mantra" is exactly what it sounds like – a live recorded of ‘Hare Hare Krishna’ chanting by devotees banging their Tablas and shaking their bells as they shuffle past the suits going into Oxford Street’s HMV to buy Britney Spears. Another highlight is the almost Gong guitars of "St. Pancras" recorded at the same March 1970 gig that gave up the live version of "Jesus, Buddah, Moses, Guaranga" on the "Bumpers" double-album label sampler. "Infinitum" ends the LP on layered voices giving it some serious '2001: A Space Odyssey' outtakes.

After the head-first dip into Eastern sounds on "Quintessence" - the acoustic "Dive Deep" takes you by surprise - a love so sweet - it will make us all high. Way better is what I think is their masterpiece - the complicated, layered and beautiful in parts "Dance For The One" - a song that captures all the best parts of the band. And the Remaster rocks. "Brahman" offers more audio delight - guitars strumming as the singer informs us of fathomless fountains and worlds within our reach. "Epitaph For Tomorrow" opens well but soon descends into eight-minutes of hippy-enlightenment that feels more Association pop than Quintessence insights. The eight minutes of "Sri Ram Chant" is fantastic - great sound - rich soundscapes - that unique swirl they got as the Vena and Tabla combined with voices singing Indian chants - calls for Universal love.

For sure Quintessence will not be for everyone and there are those who will snigger and poo-poo both them and the times they reflected. But as I said before - there is so much to love here and Esoteric Recordings are to be praised for having the Third Eye balls to put it out there - and in such style too.

Move into the light. I think I’ll move into my man cave with my good buddy - Shiva-Rock...

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"Dragonfly by STRAWBS [feat Dave Cousins, Tony Hooper, Rick Wakeman and Paul Brett] (2008 A&M Records/UMC 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue - Paschal Byrne and Ben Wiseman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry..

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"...Delicate, Tranquil and Tender..."

The first two STRAWBS albums - the self-titled "Strawbs" debut in June 1969 and its more accomplished follow up - February 1970's "Dragonfly" highlighted a band very much on the up - growing in stature with each rapid release - receiving critical acclaim and a fattening fan base - but still finding chart action elusive.

As a rarities buyer in Reckless (London) for nearly 20 years - I can count on one hand the number of times I saw Tan A&M label UK originals of either vinyl LP. Both are forgotten gems filled with music that's daring and reaching. So it's with some pleasure that I come to this superb 2008 CD Remaster - expanding the original 9-track LP with 4 Bonus Tracks. Here are the Visionary Ladies in the Lake...

UK released August 2008 - "Dragonfly" by STRAWBS on A&M Records/UMC 5302680 (Barcode 600753026809) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (49:29 minutes):

1. The Weary Song

2. Dragonfly

3. I Turned My Face To The Wind

4. Josephine, For Better Or Worse

5. Another Day

6. Til The Sun Comes Shining Through [Side 2]

7. Young Again

8. The Vision Of The Lady In The Lake

9. Close Your Eyes

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 2nd studio album "Dragonfly" - released February 1970 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 970 (no USA release). Produced by TONY VISCONTI - it failed to chart in the UK. All tracks written by Dave Cousins except "Young Again" by Tony Hooper.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. We'll Meet Again Sometime [Recorded at Trident Studios, London in June 1969]

11. Forever [Non-Album Track, A-side to a UK 7" single on A&M AMS 791 - released July 1970 with the LP cut "Another Day" as the B-side]

12. Another Day

13. We'll Meet Again Someday [Tracks 12 and 13 recorded for the BBC's John Peel 'Top Gear' Radio Show on 7 September 1969]

STRAWBS was:

DAVE COUSINS - Vocals, Guitars, Piano, Dulcimer, 'Chinese Piano' and Percussion

TONY HOOPER - Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Tambourine and Percussion

RON CHESTERMAN - Double Bass

CLAIRE DENIZ - Cello

Guests:

TONY VISCONTI - Recorder on "Dragonfly" and "Young Again"

RICK WAKEMAN – Piano, PAUL BRETT - Lead Guitar and BJARNE ROSTVOLD - Drums - all on "The Vision Of The Lady In The Lake"

The 16-page booklet is a lovely thing to behold and pleasingly in-depth and a nice touch is the Tan Label for the CD aping the original English LP rarity. MARK POWELL of the quality reissue label Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red UK) provides the superb new liner notes chronicling the band's history from 1968/1969 darlings of Progressive Folk with Sandy Denny before she jumped ship for Fairport Convention to the re-jiggered Strawbs on the cusp of 'a new musical rebirth' with 1971's "From The Witchwood". The rare lyric insert that came with original 1970 British LPs has its words reproduced on Pages 8 to 14 - there's a photo of the stand-alone British 45 for "Forever" (a session outtake released one week after the new line-up had recorded the 11 July 1970 Queen Elizabeth Hall gig that would become the live LP "Just Another Collection Of Antiques And Curios") as well as repro of a rare A&M Records trade advert trying to drum up interest in their 'new one'. The beautiful 'Dragonfly' painting/logo done by Roger Saunders that so elevated the artwork of the original LP crops up throughout the text - as do black and whites of Dave Cousins - all neatly wrapped up with the usual re-issue credits.

PASCHAL BYRNE and BEN WISEMAN (of Audio Archiving) did the Remaster and these hugely experienced Audio Engineers have pulled off a winner. Those slightly Psych-sounding keyboards of Rick Wakeman (before he joined the ranks of Yes and helped out David Bowie sessions in 1971) have amazing clarity on the epic 10-minute "The Vision Of The Lady In The Lake". And that loose English Folk Band 'live in the studio' feel to the Danish sessions (recorded in Copenhagen) is captured so well on tracks like "I Turn My Face To The Wall" and the gorgeous opener "The Weary Song" – Chesterman's Double Bass and Claire Deniz's Cello leaping out the speakers in all the right ways.

Musically I'm reminded of The Incredible String Band experimenting with and bending the barriers of Rock with string instruments and wondering why this superb album didn’t make The Strawbs huge. The musical lushness of "The Weary Song" and the Dulcimer beauty of "Dragonfly" that soon expands into an Acid-Folk dream are both utterly brilliant – the remaster beautifully accenting those heavily drawn string notes and percussive bell tinkles – our Dave lying awake at night waiting for those North winds to blow. The piano/string combo of "I Turned My Face To The Wind" has traces of The Moody Blues and Procol Harum in its melody and slightly sad 'mist rolled down the countryside' lyrics. And even though it's a mere 2:36 minutes long - "I Turned My Face To The Wind" manages to feel more epic than its playing time. Back to the sublime with one of Cousins' loveliest airs – the nuptials/betrothing ballad "Josephine, For Better Or Worse". The Remaster on this track is astounding – as clear as I've ever heard this song. Side A ends with "Another Day" where its jolly upbeat nature makes it the most poppy of tracks on a Folk-Rock LP - like they were aiming for a single.

Side 2 gives us the first trace of hiss with "'Til The Sun Comes Shining Through" - a split-vocal peach that floats like Nick Drake or John Martyn over on Island Records. It's hugely romantic 'my love a primrose fair' lyrics are complimented by sweet acoustic guitars and that soaring cello - Visconti making certain to accentuate the lot. "...Laughing as they run..." go the words to "Young Again" - a gorgeous Tony Hooper song that sounds like its sentiments - where simple pleasures make you and I "...young again...". The lyrics to the mammoth "The Vision Of The Lady In The Lake" take up two pages – but if I'm completely honest I've always found the noises in the background as the verses pass more intrusive than complimentary – and that drums/guitar break about six minutes in kills it for me. Others of course will view it as Prog Folk/Acid Folk at its expressive wild best (one man's poison etc). By way of melodic compensation for the indulgence that just went before – we get the 49-second "Close Your Eyes" ditty that ends Side 2 – leaving the listener panting for more (of the same).

All four of the Bonus Tracks have much to recommend – the Lindisfarne bop of the outtake "We'll Meet Again Sometime" would have been a very cool signal with its 'look upon your loveliness' vibe. An acoustic guitar opening quickly followed by Bowie Cello notes introduces the stand-alone British 45 "Forever" - a good song that is perhaps too overly busy for its own good – and stylistically too similar to The Moody Blues. But I must admit it's an amazing piece of well-produced melodrama and a huge fan rarity finally on CD. The two BBC Sessions are pleasingly well recorded – those duet vocals very clear as are the strings and acoustic guitars. But for me it's the version of "We’ll Meet Again Sometime" that feels special – stripped of that over-production – it makes you concentrate on The Hollies vocals and the 'my love reflected in your eyes' the-boy's-in-love lyrics. Very nice...

London's Psych-Folk-Rockers would have to wait until John Ford and Richard Hudson joined the line-up in June 1970 and recorded what would be November 1970's live album "Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios" to chart in Blighty - a modest No. 27 - but a start nonetheless. July 1971 would give us "From The Witchwood" and February 1972 the breakthrough album "Grave New World" which finally saw them go Top 20 peaking at an impressive No. 11 (see separate review).

Overlooked – unfairly forgotten – a bit of a friggin' masterpiece frankly – The Strawbs' second album "Dragonfly" is all of these things. And how good is it to hear this amazing CD Remaster do that flirting moment of musical brilliance a proper solid. Big respect to all involved...