Newest Reviews

Title:Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat
Label:EMI 7243 5 35456 2 8 (import)

Comments:This was Stewart's breakout album in 1976 remastered with three bonus tracks. The title track and "On The Border" are standouts showcasing his erudite lyrics with a light piano/acoustic background overlaid with the occasional screaming sax or electric guitar break. The sound is clear and crisp and the booklet includes comments about making the album. One of the bonus tracks also is a 9+ minute Stewart monologue about each of the tracks on the record. The other bonus' are a well played live version of "On the Border" from 1979 and the outtake "Belsize Blues" which is ok, but not exceptional.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-5-01
 

Title:The Hollies - Rarities Vol.1 1964-1970
Label:Feline

Comments:On of the rock and roll Dentist's alltime fave groups was the Hollies who were a consistent 45 machine during the Brit invasion till at least the mid-70s. This 30 song disc collects a goodly helping of hard to find tracks by Allan Clarke and Co. The Graham Nash version of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" or perhaps "Schoolgirl" by 10CC man Graham Gouldman may get you cracking (Graham Crackers, get it? Oh forget it.). A word or warning, however. If you like me are a Hollies fanatic and buy everything that comes out, you already have all these tracks mainly on the Abbey Road series and the old Rarities import CD. Still, this is a good place to get all those oddball tracks in one place. There are no liner notes.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-5-01
 

Title:Buttercups & Rainbows - The Songs Of Macaulay & Macleod
Label:Castle CMDDD 347 (import)

Comments:This 50 song two disc set collects a large quantity of Brit bubblegummy pop from the late '60s most of which unfamiliar to U.S. fans, but not without charms. They were all written or produced by one or both of the team Macaulay & Macleod and include "Build Me Up Buttercup" and "Baby, Now That I've Found You" by the Foundations. "Smile A Little Smile" by the Flying Machine and "Baby Take Me In Your Arms" by Jefferson are the other most remembered songs here. U,K. #1 "Let The Heartaches Begin" by Long John Baldry finds the blues rocker in Tom Jones ballad mode while Sandra Barry's "I Won't Try To Change Your Mind" is pure girl group. Aside from a ton of Foundations singles you get The Rockin' Berries, Pickettywitch, Geno Washington, Marmalade, the Paper Dolls, etc. (including an early David Essex single). Most of the songs are in mono. There is a nice picture laden foldout page that talks about most of the singles. Thi! s is a fun piece if you like the odd Brit '60s single.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-5-01
 

Title:Cat Stevens - Cat Stevens
Label:A&M 314 585 285-2

Comments:Boxsets seem to always have that difficulty of pleasing the general fan who just wants the hits versus the rabid collector who wants rarities. Indeed, it almost seems that a boxset could be made up of tracks that shouldn't have been omitted from boxsets. Some nearly get it right, while others fall short. This new disc set is close but no cigar. Oh yeah, don't get me wrong; you need to buy this if you're a fan of Cat Stevens as the sound is great and there are a lot of rare tracks to make it essential. But, what drives you crazy is when you talk to other fans who have bought the same thing and they all lament the same missing songs (in this case mainly "I Think I See The Light," "Bad Brakes," "Bitter Blue," "Father & Son (studio version)" and "Tuesday's Dead (studio version)"). By eliminating some of the weaker later day tracks (especially the 18+minutes of "Foreigner Suite"), there is no reason why these songs couldn't hav! e been included. What is included, however, is one disc of his early more poppy songs that hold up surprisingly well ("Matthew & Son" and "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun" for example). Four of those songs are previously unreleased including one surprising duet with a young Elton John ("Honey Man"). The second disc contains most of the music he's known for (the LPs Mona Bone Jakon, Tea for The Tillerman & Teaser & the Firecat.). There are several nice unreleased tracks here including "Time/Fill My Eyes" and "Love Lives In The Sky." The last two discs have there moments (the b-side "Doves" and a surprisingly rough "Blue Monday" are fun), but who among you can listen to "Banapple Gas" without cringing alittle (or to the before mentioned "Foreigner Suite" more than once)? The live versions of "Lady D'Arbanville" and "Hard Headed Woman" prove that Stevens was fabulous in concert which does make you wish that he hadn't forsaken that s! ide of things for his faith, but it's his life after all. The pa ckage looks smart and the booklet is decent (though not up to the standard set by the Rick Nelson box) with comments about each song and pictures of the albums included. That this exists at all is a pleasant surprise given Stevens' conversion to Islam.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-6-01
 

Title:The Searchers - The Swedish Radio Sessions
Label:Castle CMRCD 394 (import)

Comments:Wow! This 25 track live disc has to be one of the real surprises of this year's reissue crop. Just as the Beatles in Stockholm set was one of the clearest live recordings of their career (due to a respectful, non-screaming crowd and good sound recording), this set showcases another Mersey era group in pristine mono. This is made up of three live sets broadcast over Swedish radio. The interesting thing about this set is that it shows different editions of the band as the first session took place in early 1964 (10 songs), the next in Dec. 1964 after Tony Jackson was replaced by Frank Allen (9 songs) while the last 6 songs are from 1967 with John Blunt replacing Chris Curtis. Some of the songs duplicate, but that allows you, for instance, to compare the different lineups playing "Needles and Pins." In general the Searchers' early live set seems to have mined the same territory of American R&B rockers that the Beatles started ! with ("Some Other Guy," "Hi-Heel Sneakers" and "Red Sails In The Sunset" for example). The first version of the band could really sing as all four take turns singing lead. Mike Pender became more prominent by the '67 session with the rest mostly singing backing. The early stuff was more delicately played, but still sounds powerful. The '67 songs, however, show a band really attacking the material ("When You Walk In The Room" and "Have You Ever Loved Somebody" show Blunt's powerhouse drumming style to good effect). There is a lot of between song patter which is painful most of the time as first Curtis, then Allen try to get the reticent Swedes to mak sho (they don't thankfully so you can hear the songs). If there is any more Swedish radio sessions by Brit Invasion bands, someone needs to get them out!

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-12-01

Title:The Inmates - Dirty Water, the best of The Inmates
Label:Warner Music 8573 88312-2 (import)

Comments:Coming out during the New Wave era, the Inmates were more in the tradition of pub rockers Dr. Feelgood as they mined tough rockin' R&B tunes like "The Walk" and "Feelin' Good." Mixed in were a few U.S. garage rockers like "Talk Talk" and the hit title track by the Standells. This great 25 track disc mixes tracks from their first two albums (in the U.S. on Polydor), single sides like "Me & the Boys" and their third French-only release Heatwave In Alaska. The seven songs from the last album are especially welcome as few have heard goodies like "She's Gone Rockin'" and "Something About You." Other standouts are "Three Time Loser" and "(I Thought I Heard A) Heartbeat" which thrashes your speakers till they beg for mercy - good god y'all! Buy this if you love to rock.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-12-01

Title:Korgis - Klassics, the best of The Korgis
Label:Music Club MCCD 474 (import)

Comments:Taking their name from the Korg synth, these new wave synthers are mainly known in the U.S. for "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" which is a wonderful slab of pop balladry. Many of their other songs sound like new wave George Harrison (hope you are in peace and jamming with John, my friend) - "If I Had You" and "All The Love In The World." There are 20 tracks here. This is a good collection highlighting songs like "That Was My Big Mistake" and "I Just Can't Help It." James Warren should be leading a Badfinger tribute band.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-12-01
 

Title:Orkestra - Roll Over Beethoven

Label:One Way ONE35184

Comments:Between the end of the first ELO (in 1987) and the rebirth of ELO II (in the mid-90s), bassist Kelly Groucutt and violinist Mick Kaminski (plus guest cellist Hugh McDowell) grabbed a few session players and formed the band Orkestra. The resulting album from 1993 was this 13 song set that shows that even without Jeff Lynne, there was some prog-rock talent in ELO. If Lynne's ELO sounds like a prog-pop version of the Beatles, these guys sorta remind one of the post-disco BeeGees fronting Asia. There are some really fine moments here ("Beyond A Dream" is a real opus), though covering "Roll Over Beethoven" may have been a bit of a misstep as it sounds like second-rate ELO. The next track, however, is an absolute rock and roll stomper ("Rock and Roll Fever") that was a much better choice of a direction these guys should have gone. If you never saw ELO II, you may not believe that there was much reason to see the band without Lynne. ! After hearing this record and seeing ELO II in an incredible show back in '97 (plus comparing this record to the meek new ELO with the indignity of some Stevie Nicks clone on vocals), you like yours truly may change your mind.
Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-22-01

 

Title:Rockers Rollin'-Quo IN Time 1972-2000 - Status Quo

Label:Vertigo 589 216-2 (U.K. import)

Comments:Here finally is a 4 CD boxset covering the classic years in the U.K. of rockers Status Quo. Here in the U.S. it is hard to believe that these guys would deserve a boxset of 65 songs based on the fact that they only had one real hit on these shores ("Pictures Of Matchstick Men" which isn't even on this box). Yet, looking at the British charts one finds that they have charted over 50 singles and sold over 185 million records. Yours' truly has always had more of a Brit mentality musically (glitter/glam rock over disco, Oasis rather than Creed), so this box is a welcome addition. Keep in mind, however, that you will still need a good best of CD if you want all the hits as this includes lots of album tracks, live BBC tracks and unreleased songs and demos making it more of a collector's set. Three chord guitar based boogie rock is what you get including the hits "Whatever You Want" and the maddeningly catchy "Burning Bridges." Among! the rare tracks are a version of Springsteen's "Cadillac Ranch" and a surprising cover of Leonard Cohen's "Democracy." The book includes lots of pictures and memories from Rossi and Parfitt (the mainstays over the years) with help from old bassist Lancaster. If all you want is the hits, there are good sets out there including Rockin' All Over The Years, but if you are a fan this will be welcome.
Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 12-22-01

01/20/09