Young And Wild - A Decade Of American Glam Metal 1982-1992

Following on the heels of the popularity of genres like punk, glam and NWOBHM, hair metal (or American Glam Metal as the title calls it) really started making its mark in the early eighties, and over the next ten years was one of the dominant forces in the music world.  Most of the bands put as much time and effort into their looks and presentation as they did their music, and the fact that MTV was getting its start at the same time created the perfect storm for many of these bands that were either in or gravitating to LA and Hollywood.  With fifty-eight tracks from fifty-eight bands, Young And Wild - A Decade Of American Glam Metal 1982 - 1992, does a good job giving a broad range of bands in that scene at that time and includes many that were pretty much household names like Twisted Sister (actually starting off as a glam band in 1972), Quiet Riot (first number one metal album in the US), Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, KISS, Ratt, Bon Jovi, Cheap Trick, Poison, Skid Row, Extreme, White Lion, Vixen, and Warrant.  Some of the others like Dokken, Tesla, Bulletboys, Kix and Winger were still quite well known, while many of the others were lesser-known outside of the hair metal community but were releasing music that was just as good.  Some of these include Helix, Black ‘N Blue, Kick Axe, Leatherwolf, Faster Pussycat, Dirty Looks, Bang Tango, Dangerous Toys, Junkyard and Electric Angels.  The collection also does a great job of showing the diversity in the genre with band’s adding elements that include the blues (Cinderella, Tora Tora), soul (Little Caesar) and Southern Rock (Tattoo Rodeo, Jackyl) among them.  A few of the other bands here really took things in a fresh direction that made them stand out to me and ended up as some of my go to bands at that time.  These include Enuff Z’Nuff with their psychedelic pop, Saigon Kick who were rock, but with an ever-present, hook-heavy pop side and plenty of diversity, and Warrior Soul who mixed in elements of psychedelia, goth, pop and punk.  Then there is Mother Love Bone, who while I question their inclusion here, have what I consider the box set’s best song, "Stardog Champion".   Fronted by Andrew Wood, who was destined to be a star, but unfortunately died of a heroin overdose several days before their full-length debut was scheduled to be released, they drew rock influences from band’s like Led Zeppelin and also had glam in there too but were not “hair metal.”  It should be noted that two members went on to form Pearl Jam who were lumped in with the grunge movement that is considered a contributing factor to hair metal’s decline.  As with any collection like this, people are going to come up with a laundry list of bands that they feel should be included and there are going to be plenty that they don’t feel belong here, but overall this is a really fun listen that will take you back to that wild, loud and over the top debaucherous era in music. 

(Lemon Recordings)

Elephant - III

For the past four years, with two albums and an EP under their belt, Rotterdam’s Elephant (Frank Schalkwijk, Michael Broekhuizen, Bas Vosselman and Kaj van Driel) have been the band I’ve returned to more than any other.  Like its predecessor, album number three (simply titled III) has everything that makes them sound like Elephant, but also finds them experimenting, which keeps things fresh and ever evolving.  While lyrically it’s a bit darker than most of their previous songs, the sunshine pop of opening cut (and first single) “For A Friend,” with its lazy groove and hooky chorus, brings to mind their earlier work.  When it was released as their second single, “20 K” took me completely by surprise.  You can still hear elements of their sound, but with its electro hip-hop beat, vocoder and noisier guitars, they have created an absolutely hypnotic track that’s unlike anything they’ve released before.  “You Wanted The Same” is melancholy dream pop with fantastic vocal interplay between Frank and labelmate Sofie Winterson.  She also appears on their unexpected cover of Blink 182’s “Always,” which finds them taking the core of the original with its upbeat bounce and making it all their own.  At just over six minutes, “Trust Me I Feel It Too” is a cool, laid-back cut that will have you gently swaying back and forth and has some really interesting guitar work that at times gives it a disoriented, almost dizzying, effect and also has a a long instrumental ending with some subtle “Joe Meek-like” space sounds.  Juxtaposed with darker lyrics, the stunning “Tried To Sleep” is a largely acoustic cut that puts a modern-day spin on the West Coast singer / songwriter sounds of the seventies and also has some really nice jazzy guitar work in the middle.  “Memories” again brings to mind their earlier work with a touch of alt country that really comes through in the guitar work.  The mesmerizing “Real Love” has some strong shoegaze elements, while “When You’re Down,” featuring Dewolff’s Pablo Van de Poel, who has also produced all their releases, is a simple, stripped-down tune with more great guitar work.  The experimentation is at the forefront once more with closing track “For A Friend Pt 2,” an ethereal instrumental soundscape enhanced by the sounds of a crackling fire.  Not to beat a dead horse, but as has been the case the case with their prior releases, III is easily one of my favorite albums of the year. 

(Excelsior Recordings / Elephant)

Pilot - The Singles Collection

Before they founded Pilot, David Paton and Billy Lyall were substitute members of the pre-success Bay City Rollers. In the early seventies they were joined by drummer Stuart Tosh and after recording some demos they got a contract and recorded their debut album (produced by Alan Parsons) with session guitarist Ian Bairnson, who then joined the band as a permanent member.  If you live in the States you might be confused as to how there could be a two-disc release devoted to the singles of that band that you only know for their 1974 hit “Magic”, which hit number five on the US charts and is known to a younger generation through a cover by Selena Gomez and its use in Ozempic commercials.  While nowhere near as well-known as “Magic,” they did have two more singles that charted in the US, "January" at number 87 and "Just A Smile" at 90, and had four UK singles that hit 34 or higher (“Call Me Round”, “Just A Smile” and “January,” which was number 1 in the UK, Ireland and Australia were the other three).  From 1974 to 1977 they also released four albums and a total of thirteen singles.  The Singles Collection contains 31 songs comprised of those singles and their b-sides, one track released on a promotional flexi-disc, a single released under the name Scotch Mist before they became Pilot, and bonus solo singles from vocalist Paton and keyboardist Lyall.  While “Magic” is a power pop gem that has had people singing along for over fifty years, the rest of this release shows they were more than just a one hit wonder.  Many of the songs are notable for their strong vocal harmonies and production (strings and horns pop up from time to time), and while most are catchy pop and rock full of hooks, often bringing to mind Badfinger, Todd Rundgren (and his band Nazz), Wings, 10CC and Alan Parsons (producer of three of their albums), they also dip their toes into glam (“Call Me Round” opens like a glam rock stomper), funk, jazz and more.  Some of the songs that find them expanding on their sound include “Just Let Me Be, which is loaded with hooks and also has hints of jazz and funk and strangely reminds me of early Billy Joel at times, “Evil Eye,” an interesting track that has a bit of Alan Parsons and The Beatles with lyrics about their management’s greed and how they only saw the band as a means of making money, and “Ten Feel Tall” (the last official Pilot single) that at times sounds more like Queen and Supertramp. Considering that they did have some hits, and therefore some name recognition, it’s a real mystery why more of these songs weren’t hits as well.  There’s the lazy pop of “Love Is” (an album track that was released on a flexi disc given away in the UK in the weekly music paper “Record Mirror”), “Running Water,” a big power ballad with a strong 10CC vibe and “Penny In My Pocket,” an extremely catchy pop rock tune with some great guitar work that has hit written all over it.  “Monday Tuesday” and the dreamy, laid-back acoustic “Steps” are a couple of great ballads.  Then there’s “Are You In Love,” a gorgeous, semi-acoustic ballad with some nice prog elements in the guitar work (not sure why this was a b-side) and “Big Screen Kill,” a Beatles flavored tune with a big sounding, orchestral string section and lyrics dealing with Hollywood churning out crappy, violent movies just for the money.  In all fairness, there are a few tracks that to me just don’t really work.  “Ra-Ta-Ta” was the a-side of that pre-Pilot single under the name Scotch Mist, and it’s a cover of a 1970 hit for the band Rotation that’s driven by a military style beat and is really annoying (ironically the meandering psychedelic “Pamela” is the flipside and is a strong, dreamy acoustic track). Then there’s “Lady Luck,” which is kind of cheesy and sounds like they threw everything but the kitchen sink in production wise but just doesn’t work.  The solo singles are a nice addition to close out the disc.  Taken from his only solo album released in 1976, the two tracks that comprise Lyell’s only solo single are “Us,” a lightweight seventies power pop tune with some hints of ELO, and the very impressive, orchestrated, art rock pop song “Maniac” (a reworking of a song from the third Pilot album).  Phil Collins played drums on both songs and Phil Chen (Rod Stewart and many more) played bass.  Following Pilot's demise, David Paton started doing session work with artists like Kate Bush, Alan Parsons and Chris DeBurgh.  His single was recorded at Abbey Road and released in 1980 (the lack of radio play for the single ended up resulting in a proposed album being shelved).  The influence of his work with Alan Parsons is very evident on both "No Ties No Strings" and "Stop And Let Go."  Sadly, Lyall passed away in 1989, but various incarnations of the remaining members have gotten back together off and on over the years and in 2014 Paton, Bairnson and Tosh all reunited and released the album A Pilot Project.  Bairnston has since passed away as well in 2023.

(7T's)

Semihelix - Deeper Space in Time / Tin Blvd single

With a full-length release tentatively scheduled for late 2025, Austin three-piece Semihelix is back with their latest single.  "Deeper Space In Time" starts of with an infectious meshing of jangly guitar pop and driving riot grrrl punk and builds and builds in intensity before settling into a slower, more melancholy groove.  At first, the flipside "Tin Blvd" has more of the jangle rock guitar but with a bit of a Pixies feel, but evolves into a very taut and tense, fast paced song that becomes almost manic, but still with a sense of melody.  This is another great single that really has me looking forward to the upcoming album.

(Semihelix - Bandcamp)

Atomic Rooster - Atomic Rooster (Remastered and Expanded)

When The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown came to an end in 1969, two members of the final lineup, organist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer, decided to form a new band and Atomic Rooster was born.  Rounded out by Nick Graham on bass, they recorded their debut album before both Graham and Palmer left the band.  Over the ensuing years and a multitude of member changes (including expanding to a four-piece at one point), they released five albums, with Crane the only consistent member, before calling it a day in 1975.  Fast forward to 1980 when Crane and John Du Cann, who had been in the band on guitar and vocals from 1970 to 1971, decided to give the band another go with session musician Preston Heyman, who left the band after recording the album.  The resulting release was the self-titled Atomic Rooster (not to be confused with their debut Atomic Roooster), which has now been remastered and reissued in this new edition that also includes eleven bonus tracks, and a second disc recorded live at the Marquee Club in 1980.   

While their last two releases before the breakup had more of a soul influence, this album found them shifting back in a hard rock and prog direction, taking influences from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal that was hot at the time, along with some elements of punk (Du Cann's vocals were notably different here with more of a punk snarl). The album starts strongly with "They Took Control Of You", which opens with screeching guitars and is a powerful, all-out rocker that's musically very reminiscent of Deep Purple (especially thanks to Crane's organ work), but with a touch of punk.  "She's My Woman" and "He Did It Again" are a couple of muscular rockers, the latter of which has more emphasis on the organ, giving it a bit more of a prog element with hints of Argent. While not totally punk, "Where's The Show?" really shows their punkier side.  At almost seven minutes, "In The Shadows" is a very organ driven track that is dark and a little evil sounding and in more of a prog direction.  The punk influence shows up once again on "Do You know Who's Looking For You," a track that is more aggressive but still with plenty of keys.  "Don't Lose Your Mind" has more of a classic rock sound that is reminiscent of the band's early days.  Instrumental "Watch Out!" is a solid prog instrumental that at times brings to mind Yes, although it's a bit faster at times.   ”I Can’t Stand It” is a fun rocker with a punky attitude that’s kind of upbeat with sprightly keys giving it a bit of a bounce, and closer “Lost In Space” is another more prog influenced track.  Rounding out the first disc are eleven bonus tracks starting off with “Throw Your Life Away” (originally released as a b-side), a high energy track that really showcases Du Cann’s guitar work and has more of his old school vocals, and “Broken Windows,” an unreleased, hard-driving rocker that was possibly initially recorded as a b-side.  Next up are four demos of songs that ended up on the album and four more that were recorded for a potential follow-up album before Du Cann left the band again.  They include the muscular rock of “End Of The Day” (released a year later as a single by a different incarnation of the band) and “Play It Again,” and the bluesy, soulful “Hold It Through The Night.”  The final bonus track is the short instrumental “Moonrise”, that is just listed as “last recording 1981.”

As was mentioned earlier, after the album was recorded, Heyman left the band and was replaced for a very short time by Ginger Baker followed by the return of Paul Hammond.  At this point the band was back to the lineup that recorded their sophomore album Death Walks Behind You.  This is who played in 1980 at The Marquee in London, which is documented here on disc two.  It was originally recorded on cassette on a single onstage microphone, so it definitely has that bootleg feel, but considering how it was recorded, it sounds extremely good and really puts you right in the middle of the action.  The band sounds really tight and the performance is strong, which is even more impressive since they hadn't been back together that long.  Along with four songs from the Atomic Rooster album, there are five from Death Walks Behind You along with "Devil's Answer," which had been released as a single back in 1971. These earlier cuts tend to be a little heavier than they were originally, putting them more in line with the rest of the set.  This disc is a great addition to this release that shows where the band was at that time.     

(Esoteric Recordings)

Treasure Pains - Charming

Durham, North Carolina's Treasure Pains was formed through a collaborative writing sessions with members of Youth League and WolvesxWolvesxWolvesxWolves, and Charming is their debut EP.  In just over sixteen minutes, the post-hardcore band blasts through six tracks that are aggressive with taut angular guitars, but dripping with a strong, hook-heavy sense of melody.  Openers “Blowout” and “Charming”, along with “Vines”, personify this perfectly.  “Not Opaque” moves in more of a melancholy direction, although is still not lacking in power.  They shift gears a little on the final two tracks, which are quite possibly my favorites. “Hands Up” kicks off with a Primus-like distorted bass that will throw you at first, but then moves into a mellower, very catchy rock song, while “Empty Paws” is a little less aggressive, but more high energy and will have you bouncing your head.  Hopefully this is just beginning of this collaboration.   

(Wiretap Records)

Madball - True To The Game - The Roadrunner Years

Back in the mid-eighties, when future Madball frontman Freddy Crucien was just a kid, he would get onstage with his brother, legendary Agnostic Front vocalist Roger Miret, and perform some lead vocals.  Fast forward a few years to 1988 and Madball became a full-fledged band with Cricien on vocals and Miret on bass along with fellow Agnostic Front members Vinnie Stigma on guitar and Will Shepler on drums.  They released a couple of EP's in 1988 and 1992 (second guitarist, and another former AF member Matt Henderson joined between EP's), and then in 1994 they signed a deal with Roadrunner Records, who released their first three albums.  Now, with the release of True To The Game - The Roadrunner Years, those releases have been combined into an outstanding box set.

Set If Off kicks the box set off, and features Jorge ‘Hoya Roc’ Guerra on bass, replacing Miret who had left the band at this point.  With it being their full-length debut and featuring so many former Agnostic Front members, that band is more of an influence here than on future releases.  Tracks like “Lockdown,” “Never Had It,” “Face To Face” and “Across Your Face” are hard-hitting and angry, but almost always have a slower moment to take a breath.  There is also a sign of what was to come on future albums on tracks like “It’s Time” and “Down By Law,” (the video for this song got a lot of attention on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball), which have a bit of a groove.  Interestingly, the album ends with their aggressive cover of Agnostic Front’s “Friend Or Foe.”

Between their debut and album number two, Demonstrating My Style, Vinnie left the band.  This album found them embracing the groove element even more, which is evident from the get-go with the opening title track, along with cuts like “Pride (Times Are Changing)” and “5-O".  “Godfather” is another interesting shift with instrumental breaks that are almost hardcore hip hop.  They once again close this album with an Agnostic Front cover, “Your Fall”, which is actually a hidden bonus track.  

Look My Way was the band’s final album on Roadrunner.  They continued as a four-piece, but John Lafata had replaced Shepler on drums.  Quite a few of the songs here, like the title track, “Waste Of Time” and “Cut Off,” are slower, but still lose nothing in the intensity department.  Having said that there are plenty of powerful fast-paced cuts like “Moment Of Truth” and “All I Can Take.”  Songs like “Fools Die” and “Lesson Of Life” also delve a little more into the metal side of things. Another track of note is “Our Family”, a reworking of “Nuestra Familia” from the previous album, that is their first song sung in Spanish.  True To The Game does a great job of consolidating this chapter of the Madball story, which still continues to this day, although with Cricien as the only remaining member from this era.  Also included is a great booklet with in-depth interviews with Cricien, Henderson and Shepler, as well as video director Drew Stone and Howie Abrams, the A&R person that signed them to Roadrunner.     

(Dissonance Productions)

Gentlemen Rogues - Half Empty, Half Fool / Children Of The Revolution single  

With it's punchy, yet jangly, guitars, the energetic, hook-heavy power pop gem "Half Empty, Half Fool," from Austin’s Gentlemen Rogues is a hook-heavy, power pop gem that would fit right in with Bob Mould in his Sugar days.  The track is taken from last year's full-length release Surface Noise and is the a-side of their new single released on vinyl to coincide with their Midwest tour.  The opaque pink 7” is limited to 100 copies that will only be available at shows on that tour while supplies last (the digital version is available on Bandcamp).  The flipside is a fantastic cover of the T-Rex classic “Children Of The Revolution," that  maintains the glam core of the original, but with a heavier, more muscular sound, that keeps it fresh.  

(Gentlemen Rogues - Bandcamp)

Quireboys - Hey You! The Parlaphone Years 1989-1993

In the mid to late eighties, while bands like Guns N Roses, LA Guns, Faster Pussycat and more were emerging from the LA rock scene, The Quireboys were among the bands coming out of a similar scene in London.  Hey You! The Parlophone Years 1989-1993 documents the first phase of their career and contains their first two albums along with an expanded version of their 1990 live album Live Around the World and bonus tracks consisting of b-sides, live cuts and demos from that era.  

They released their debut A Bit Of What You Fancy… in 1990 and the influence of The Faces, and to a lesser degree The Rolling Stones, is evident throughout the majority of the album.  They also throw in a little glam at times, which helps set them apart.  While they have been quite successful in the UK, the promise of US success was there initially with the single “7 O’Clock” hitting fifteen on the US Mainstream Rock Charts, but unfortunately it never happened.  That single opens the album and has a bluesy bar room rock swagger with some great piano and does a great job of setting the tone for what’s to come.  “Man On The Loose” is up next and is similar with more of that bar room swagger.  It’s more reminiscent of The Rolling Stones with some strong guitar work and a slower section highlighted by some gospel backing vocals, which are also present on “Whippin’ Boy”, a slower, down and dirty blues track highlighted by a string section that gives it a haunting mood.  The anthemic “Sex Party” seems to always get the crowd going at the live shows, but to me it’s a little dated, sounding like bluesy hair metal.  Starting off acoustic before going electric, the country-tinged rock of “Sweet Mary Ann,” an album standout, takes a page straight out of the Rod Stewart handbook, as does “Roses & Rings,” a slower rootsy acoustic track with some fiddle (even the guitars on this one have a Rod Stewart vibe).  All the pieces really come together on “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” a slow, rootsy ballad (with some big dramatic ballad moments thanks to the string section) that sounds like it was made for the US charts, but for some reason only hit seventy-six.  While it’s a pretty straightforward anthemic rocker, “Hey You” has some great slide guitar that really sets it apart.  The Stones once again come to mind on “Misled,” a honky tonk rocker with more strong piano, while “Long Time Comin’” is a solid bluesy rocker, although a little nondescript.  “There She Goes Again” is quite different than anything else on the album with a bit of a Springsteen / Southside Johnny vibe, especially with the horns and the chorus.  The album closes fittingly with “Take Me Home”, a gritty rocker that walks the line between The Faces and The Stones.  Disc one also includes three bonus tracks with the bluesy rock of “Pretty Girls” and The Stones-like “How Do You Feel?” (both originally on the Japanese version of the album) and the original version of “Mayfair”, an earlier single that is a raw, down and dirty bluesy glam track.

 In late 1991 the band started working with producer Bob Rock on their sophomore effort.  Due to problems at their label and Rock's other commitments, the album had numerous delays which caused them to bring in Chris Kimsey to help with the production.  The end result, Bitter Sweet & Twisted was finally released in late 1993, and while it’s not as strong as its predecessor, there are plenty of great tracks to be found, with the opener “Tramps And Thieves” a perfect example.  The influence of The Faces definitely shows on the bluesy rock track, full of dirty slide guitar and rollicking bar room piano.  The high points continue with “White Trash Blues” with its shuffling blues swagger along with solid piano and horns, and “Can’t Park Here”, a hard driving rock cut with a strong old school blues undercurrent.  Up next are a couple of the weaker tracks in “King of New York,” an over-the-top ballad that is a little too generic and “hair metal”, and “Don’t Bite The Hand,” a rocker with a bit of a Stones vibe that just seems to be missing something.  “Last Time” is a rootsy, largely acoustic, ballad that finds Spike in full Rod Stewart mode and works much better than the earlier one.  A bit of a departure, “Debbie” is sleaze rock with a tongue in cheek swagger and plenty of horns.  Their cover of Hot Chocolate’s “Brother Louie” is a really fun take on the song, keeping the spirit of the original while giving it The Quireboys treatment.  Next up is the slow burning, bluesy rock of “Ode To You (Baby Just Walk),” followed by “Hates To Please,” which is virtually pure straight ahead country rock complete with pedal steel.  Although the next track “My Saint Jude” is a somewhat generic rock track, the final three songs are among the album’s strongest.  “Take No Revenge” is slow, smoldering blues rock highlighted with some great organ, while Wild, Wild, Wild” is a strong rocker, once again reminiscent of The Faces, and closer “Ain’t Love Blind” is a little more on the pop side, making for a fun track with a hint of glam.  Three more bonus tracks, all originally released as b-sides, are included on disc two.  It’s no surprise “Pleasure And Pain” was relegated to a b-side.  It’s a somewhat soulful tune with a lot of horns that comes across like a band trying too hard for a hit and strangely sounds like late eighties, early nineties era Rod Stewart.  On the other hand, “Best Jobs” is loose, acoustic tune full of saloon piano that just sounds like them sitting around playing and having a good time and “Can’t Get Through” is classic, high energy Quireboys that could’ve replaced any number of songs on the album and made it better.  

For fans that like to dig a little deeper, disc three is a treasure trove with twenty demos from the sessions recorded during these first two albums.  First up are demos of eight tracks that ended up on the debut along with two of the b-sides found on disc one.  While many of them aren’t too far removed from the album cuts, several are notably different.  “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “Hey You” are both a little slower and bit rougher around the edges, while “Roses & Rings,” and “Misled” are both faster.  With the exception of one track that ended up on Bitter Sweet & Twisted, the rest of the demos here are for songs that were never released.  “The Last Time” is that one song and in all honesty the demo, which is stripped down, is full of character and in my opinion the better version.  Some of the other highlights include the mysterious sounding “Ton Ton M’Acoute,” a slower, kind of slinky track, the bluesy, country of “You Can’t Hide From Your Heart” and the powerful “Save Me,” which shows a darker, heavier side to the band.  

Rounding out the box set is a live disc that is actually an expanded version of Live Album (Recorded Around The World) that was released between the two albums in 1990.  Since these tracks were recorded at a variety of shows the sound quality varies, but there aren’t any that are unlistenable, and for the most part they sound good.  As for the performances themselves, they are high energy and show a band at the top of their game, and the crowd participation is great.  In addition to tracks from those two albums there are great covers of Sam and Dave’s “Hold On I’m Coming” and The Rolling Stones’ “Heartbreaker.”  Hey You! The Parlophone Years 1989-1993 is a fantastic look back at the early years of the band and has plenty for new fans and old fans alike.  

(Lemon Recordings)

Rooskin x Beach for Tiger - Dopatine

Dopatine, the new EP from Essex’s Rooskin and London’s Beach for Tiger, is the perfect soundtrack for those laid-back summer nights.  It’s a mesmerizing melding of Rooskin’s psychedelic surf pop and Beach for Tiger’s psychedelic soul.  “Searchin’ For A Reason” opens the EP and draws you in with its waves of synths, hypnotic beats, laid-back groove and dreamy harmonies (there’s also an instrumental version of this track that closes the EP).  The easygoing, soulful “State Of Mind” has a loping surf beat and sounds like the perfect soundtrack for driving around at night with the top down.   The somewhat lazy and meandering “Forever This Way” is full of keyboard washes and more incredible harmonies, while the title track is a gorgeous instrumental soundscape that takes elements of the prior songs, but puts more emphasis on really nice textured guitar work.  Dopatine is an absolutely stunning set of tunes and hopefully is a collaboration we will be hearing more from.

(Rooskin - Facebook / Beach for Tiger)

  

Kevin Ayers & The Whole World - Shooting At The Moon (remastered LP)

Following his stint in Soft Machine, a band he helped found, Kevin Ayers went the solo route, and in order to tour following the release of his debut album, he formed the band The Whole World.  The band was comprised of Mike Oldfield, Lol Coxhill, Mick Fincher and David Bedford, and once the tour was over the band went into the studio, and along with guest appearances from Bridget St. John and Robert Wyatt, recorded his sophomore effort Shooting At The Moon.  That album is now the latest of his releases to be remastered from the original master tapes, cut at Abbey Road Studios and reissued on vinyl.  The album is highly acclaimed and is very adventurous and experimental, dabbling in things like free jazz, folk, prog and avant-garde (some more successful than others) in addition to the psychedelic and baroque pop that was prevalent on his debut.  Album opener “May I?," one of his better-known songs, brings to mind his debut, and is a gorgeous, incredibly infectious ballad highlighted by his rich baritone and Coxhill’s sax. “Rheinhardt & Geraldine / Colores Para Dolores” is an interesting cut that starts with two minutes of prog with the keys, sax and rumbling bass mingling together very prominently before shifting into a minute and a half of pure cacophony, sounding like someone twisting the radio dial back and forth through the channels.  It then shifts back to the prog, but with the guitar moving more to the forefront.  The raw, ragged garage rocker “Lunatics Lament” is unlike anything else on the album and features some great organ along with Oldfield absolutely tearing it up on guitar.  At over eight minutes, “Pisser Dans Un Violon” shows their experimental side, and is a noisy soundscape that really doesn’t do anything for me and is a track I will definitely skip in the future.  Heading in a completely different direction, “The Oyster and the Flying Fish” is a bouncy acoustic folk duet with Bridget St. John that makes for a really fun listen.  “Underwater” is another avant-garde instrumental that is fittingly titled but again is prime for the skip button.  Originally written several years earlier for Soft Machine, “Clarence In Wonderland” is a fun, kind of quirky and whimsical pop tune that at times reminds me of the more offbeat songs of Harry Nilsson.  Driven by a gentle bossa nova beat, “Red Green and You Blue” is a more laid-back jazzy tune.  Closing cut “Shooting At The Moon” opens with a heavy Sixties rock sound and then turns into an extended section that is still rock, but with elements of free jazz that gets a little too long and repetitive before it shifts back to more straight-ahead rock for the last thirty seconds.  The original artwork has also been restored for this release that is well worth adding to your vinyl collection. 

(Esoteric Recordings)

The Adventures - Once More With Feeling

In 1984, after originally working together in the punk / new wave band Tango Brigade (previously The Starjets), lead vocalist Terry Sharpe and guitarist Pat Gribben formed The Adventures with Eileen Gribben (Pat’s wife), Gerard Murphy, Tony Ayre and Paul Crowder.   With a few membership changes along the way, the next nine years found the Belfast band releasing four albums before breaking up in 1993.  These releases contained numerous UK hits, including “Broken Land” which reached number twenty there and ninety-five in the States, where it was their only song to hit the charts.  In the ensuing years they reformed a few times for live performances and now, over thirty years after their last album, they’ve released album number five, Once More With Feeling.  The band had contemplated making another album for a while, but when covid and the lock-downs came along, Pat spent more time in his home studio, and with all the free time, he was able to focus on songwriting.  He ended up writing all the songs himself, with the exception of “L.U.C.Y.”, which he interestingly co-wrote with Cathy Dennis during a session where they were attempting to write a song for S Club 7.  With Mark Tolman now on drums, all of the remaining instruments here were handled by Pat, with Terry and Eileen contributing all of the vocals (Tony Ayre, who was the only other member in the band on their last album, passed away in 2009),  They’ve done a great job here of capturing a lot of what made the band so special all those years ago, but also taking their sound into the modern era.   A lot of the album is also more upbeat than the earlier ones, something that is evident right out the gate with the infectious and bouncy pop of opening track “My Imaginary Girlfriend”, which has some great sprightly keyboards that at times are a little reminiscent of A-Ha.  “With The Cats” is up next and has an Eighties era MTV sound crossed with Beach Boys summertime pop.  Driven by some gorgeous acoustic guitar, “When The Sun Goes Down” is an enchanting, bouncy jaunt followed by another upbeat pop gem “Love Talk”.  The aforementioned “L.U.C.Y.” marks the first time Eileen Gribben has handled lead vocals on an Adventures album (she was the lead vocalist on "Currogh Of Kildare", a bonus track on a single in 1988), and is a delicate and absolutely gorgeous ballad recorded in memory of Pat and Eileen’s niece, who was killed by a drunk driver in 2021.  While still full of hooks, “Down By The Water” is a little darker and edgier like a poppier Neil Young with a little bit of The Beatles.  With the help of Conor and Paul McGuinness (2 extremely talented local singer / musicians from Belfast per the liner notes) on backing vocals, “Song For You” is a great acoustic tune that has a strong Simon and Garfunkel feel.  The upbeat pop of “I Still Dream Of You” adds a bit of a rootsy element to the mix, while “The Hanging Tree” is a fun tune with a rockabilly beat that definitely stands out from the rest of the album.  “To Whom It Concerns” is a stunning, sweeping Lennon-esque song that closes the album perfectly.  Once More With Feeling is a most welcome addition to The Adventures discography and highly recommended to fans of their earlier work as well as anyone that has never heard of them before.  Let’s hope this is a career resurgence and not a one off.

(Cherry Red Records)

Dr. Strangely Strange - Anti-Inflammatory

Dr. Strangely Strange was initially formed in Dublin in 1967 by Tim Booth and Ivan Pawle.  In 1968, after playing some shows as a duo, they added three more members, including Tim Gouldin.  Over the ensuing years, various members came and went with Booth, Pawle and Goulding remaining the constant until they disbanded in 1971 having released two albums.  The three reunited a year later for an Irish tour and then Booth led the band with all new members in 1973.  Since the early 1980's they have gotten back together from time to time, along with fiddle / mandolin player Joe Thoma, and they also released another album in 1997.  Now, fifty-eight years after their formation and forty-six years since their last release, the four of them are back with album number four.  They kick things off with “Up With The Lark”, a quaint tune that starts simply with piano and vocal and then incorporates fiddle and whistle giving it a medieval folk feel.  With its driving Bo Diddley beat, the first single “Baby Bunting” is a strangely infectious psychedelic folk tune with massive pop hooks.  Enhanced with some nice electric piano, “Like Water Like Wind” is a really pretty ballad that brings us to “Sulán,” the first of three instrumentals.  Per the liner notes, “The Sulán is a rhythmical river that meanders through the Cork and Kerry mountains passing near the village of Cúil Aodha”, and meandering is the perfect description for this laid-back instrumental with its dreamy Celtic flair.  The loping, psychedelic country two-step of “Rosenalli’s Two-Step” has a super catchy beat and just the right amount of quirkiness, making it the perfect song for a “psychedelic hoedown”.  “Drive ‘em Down” is a bright, bouncy tune with a rootsy country element.  It has some great acoustic guitar work and is enhanced nicely with keyboards.  “Murmuration” is an acoustic folk cut with a bit of a darker side, followed by “Morning Song,” a pretty acoustic piano instrumental accompanied by viola and fiddle.  With bittersweet lyrics looking back at their younger days and time passing by, “Back In The Day” is a lively folk tune.  The final instrumental “Vienna” also closes the album, and was written by Goulding for the birth of his second grandchild.  It’s a solo piano performance with hints of jazz, and a very bouncy, celebratory feel, making it a really nice way to end the disc.  Anti-Inflammatory is a welcome return and an absolute joy to listen to.    

(Think Like A Key Music)

 

Dear Mr Fantasy – A Celebration for Jim Capaldi

On January, 21, 2007, two years after his death, an impressive collection of musicians got together at London’s Roundhouse to pay tribute to Jim Capaldi.  Originally released in 2007 as a double CD and a DVD, this newly remastered edition contains the full concert on two CD’s along with the video on Blu-ray, available in that format here for the first time.  A diverse array of vocalists, including Paul Weller, Joe Walsh, Bill Wyman, Yusuf Islam, Steve Winwood, Gary Moore and Pete Townsend (many also playing their respective instrument) are backed here by a house band consisting of Mark Rivera , Ray Cooper, Simon Kirke (also singing on one song), Andy Newmark, Pete Bonas, Paul “Wix” Wickens and Dave Bronze.   Capaldi was best known as a member of Traffic, as well as for his numerous solo albums, and the performances here are a nice mixture of both, along with a couple of songs he co-wrote that were recorded by other artists.  “Let Me Make Something in Your Life,” a co-write with Winwood that was on his first solo album is performed here by Stevie Lange with Deep Purple’s Jon Lord on Hammond Organ, while interestingly Winwood sings closing song “Love Will Keep Us Alive”, a song that Capaldi wrote with Paul Carrack and Peter Vale and was recorded by The Eagles.  Winwood also pays tribute to his former bandmate with Traffic’s “Light Up or Leave Me Alone” and “Dear Mr. Fantasy”.  For the most part the performances stick pretty close to the originals, although there are a few little twists here and there including Kirke delving into “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” in the middle of “Whale Meat Again” and Islam adding a snippet of his “Wild World” in “Man With No Country.”  Dear Mr Fantasy is quite a fitting tribute to Capaldi and definitely worth checking out.  It should also be noted that the show raised money for the underprivileged children of Brazil, a cause that Jim and his wife had supported for many years.  Another nice addition is the inclusion of the original tour program in the booklet.  (Unfortunately, I do not have the Blu-ray, so I can’t comment on that part of this reissue)

(Esoteric Recordings)

Cocktail Slippers - Live At Blaker Festival Norway  single

For over twenty-four years, Oslo, Norway’s Cocktail Slippers have been kicking out rock ‘n’ roll that’s mixing influences like no frills garage rock, punk and Sixties girl groups.  Currently in the studio finishing up album number six, they have released this two-track single recorded live at last year’s Blaker Festival.  Originally released on Saint Valentine’s Massacre, “You Do Run” has pop hooks and great vocal harmonies along with a punkier edge and a chorus that can’t help but bring to mind The Crystals’ “Da Doo Run Run”.  The flipside is a cover of Them’s “Gloria,” a crowd favorite that sticks pretty close to the original but is a bit looser and ragged in a live setting and also has a bit of a bluesier feel in their hands.  The quality of the recordings here is great and the performances are full of energy. The only real drawback is the fact that it’s only two songs when according to the press info for the single, the sound engineer actually recorded the whole show.  Hopefully we will be lucky enough to get the chance to hear more, but for now this is a nice stopgap to hold us over until the next album.  

(Wicked Cool Records)

TIME! GENTLEMEN! - Pub Rock Rhythm ‘N Grooves – Classic Cuts & Rarities 1974-1982

While pub rock's heyday was very short-lived, and punk rock is often considered the cause, many people also feel that if it wasn’t for the back to basic, no-frills attitude, punk would have never happened. Between its popularity being largely based in the London area and the fact that I was so young at that time, the pub rock scene pretty much escaped me when it was happening.  Having said that, many artists who came out of that scene, like Elvis Costello, Graham Parker, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and even Eddie and the Hot Rods, were already very familiar to me.  Then, several years ago, I started going down the rabbit hole, listening to bands like Dr Feelgood, Brinsley Schwarz, Kursaal Flyers, Tyla Gang and Eggs Over Easy, the last of which was considered by many to be the band that kickstarted the genre.  Grapefruit Records' outstanding 2019 pub rock box set Surrender To The Rhythm helped further my knowledge of the genre and gave me plenty more bands to discover and now it has been followed up with TIME! GENTLEMEN! - Pub Rock Rhythm ‘N Grooves – Classic Cuts & Rarities 1974-1982.  In addition to tracks from many of the bands that were on the previous collection, this new box largely highlights the latter days of the genre’s biggest era and contains some of the bands that came along towards the end of the scene and expanded on the sound through things like punk and new wave.  Many of the seventy-two songs are available on CD for the first time and all of them were remastered by Tim Turan who has mastered and remastered releases from a who’s who of artists.  The enclosed booklet includes details on each band and their included song from Simon Matthews, who wrote Before It Went Rotten, The Music That Rocked London’s Pubs.  As with any compilation like this, there are a few cuts here that some people might consider questionable inclusions and of course there are other artists that aren’t here that really should be, but overall, this is a fantastic compilation that has led to me searching out more music from many bands that I previously knew very little or nothing about.

(Grapefruit)

JoBoxers - Just Got Lucky - The Complete Works 1983-1986

As an MTV obsessed teen, my first memories of JoBoxers was seeing the video for the insanely infectious song "Just Got Lucky."  It ended up as a hit in the US, making it to thirty-seven on the charts, while their debut album made it to seventy (they found more success in the UK with three top forty hits and the album hitting eighteen), but then just like that they seemed to vanish.   The band was comprised of vocalist Dig Wayne, guitarist Rob Marche, keyboardist Dave (DC) Collard, bassist Chris Bostock and drummer Sean McLusky.  Wayne grew up near Columbus and moved to New York to form Buzz And The Flyers.  When they played a show with The Clash, their manager Bernie Rhodes was impressed and promised to take him to London and make him a star.  Meanwhile, the other four members, who were from Bristol, had been making the rounds playing in various bands.  Rhodes was also managing artists in that area, including Johnny Britton and Vic Godard of Subway Sect.  When Britton needed a band for a session, McLusky got the four of them together and they backed him on the single “The One That Got Away”.  Rhodes then had them back Godard in the second incarnation of Subway Sect, which found them recording the album Songs For Sale and touring with bands like The Pretenders, The Clash, Pere Ubu, Bauhaus and The Birthday Party.  They also worked as the house band at Club Left at the Whiskey A Go Go in Wardour Street, Soho, and as a result of this, the four of them went out on the road with Vic Godard.  When he didn’t show for a show at the Manchester Apollo, they joined up with Wayne and became JoBoxers.  They then took their diverse array of influences that included soul, funk, swing, rockabilly, punk, northern soul and more, and meshed it into a sound that was uniquely their own.  After releasing a couple of hit singles in the UK, “Boxerbeat” and the aforementioned “Just Got Lucky," 1983 saw them release what would (before now) be their only album Like Gangbusters.  They did record a follow-up with producer Chris Kimsey in 1985 and released the single "Is This Really The First Time (You've Been In Love)", but the label pulled the album at the last minute (there is mention online of it actually being released, but I could find nothing confirming this).  They also started a third album, Missing Link, but then broke up before it was finished. Now, these tracks, along with b-sides, extended mixes and a full live set, (twenty-eight previously unreleased) can all be found on the outstanding new three disc Just Got Lucky - The Complete Works 1983-1986.

Disc one opens with that incredible debut album, a massively infectious collection of upbeat songs (“Just Got Lucky” and “Boxerbeat” are a couple of the biggest earworms I’ve ever heard), often rooted in jazzy northern soul with a fun sense of humor.  Throughout the ten tracks, they touch on of all the styles mentioned above at one point or another, and there are also some elements of new wave like the Bow Wow Wow / Adam Ant drumbeat in “Crosstown Walk Up” or the New Romantic vibe on their cover of Georgie Fame’s “Fully Booked.  It’s really pointless to try to pick out standout tracks, because there isn’t a bad one in the bunch.  Interestingly, coinciding with the release of “Boxerbeat” as a single, they did a tour opening for Madness, and while they aren’t ska, there are definite parallels between the two bands and honestly their sounds complement each other perfectly.  As for the bonus tracks on disc one, the first three were originally a cassette bonus track (remember those?) and the b-sides of the “Just Got Lucky” and “Boxerbeat” singles, all three just as strong as the album tracks.  “Forget Me Love” is a midtempo jazzy track with a slinky groove and “Let’s Talk About Love” is super funky.  Then there’s the epic soulful R&B cover of Wilson Pickett’s “Jealous Love” (written by Bobby Womack and King Curtis) with a powerful vocal performance from Dig.  The remaining six are single and 12” versions of album tracks.  

The first nineteen tracks on disc two are just labeled “The Skin & Bone and Missing Link Recordings” and besides the three tracks that were released as the single for what was to be the next album, there isn’t anything that really distinguishes which are which.  In addition to those tracks, five more were released on the 1996 compilation Essential Boxerbeat, while the remaining twelve were previously unreleased.  Listening to them it’s really baffling why they never got the chance to be released as proper albums.  That single, “Is This Really The First Time” is an insanely catchy song that deserved a spot on the charts just like their other hits, and as good as the debut is, these tracks might even be better.  You can really hear them experimenting and expanding their sound, and with Kimsey on board as producer on most of these songs, the production sounds even better with more depth and texture than the debut.  The soulful side of their sound also seems a little more prevalent and would have fit in perfectly with what Style Council and General Public were doing at about that same time (check out “For The Love Of Leo”, “Some Kind Of Heart” and the ballad “Dead End Streets”).  Some of the other highlights are “Missing Link,” a definite standout that’s a little on the darker side, “Lon Chaney, Jr” with its creative arrangement that really highlights their musicianship, the smooth, soulful pop bliss of “One In A Million,” the infectious funk of “Two Weeks Notice,” and even a bit of Madness-like ska on “My Best Friend.”  Closing out disc two are extended versions of three tracks.

Rounding out the box set on disc three is a previously unreleased sixteen song set from London’s Phoenix Theatre.  It was recorded on the Rolling Stones mobile studio in June 1983 and sounds fantastic.  The band is tight and energetic, and their top-notch musicianship is on full display as they tear through every song on the debut plus two b-side tracks, two that were recorded for the unreleased albums and covers of Kansas Joe McCoy’s “Why Don’t You Do Right (Give Me Some Money Too)” and Wilson Picketts “Jealous Love.”  It makes for a welcome addition to the box and definitely stands up to repeat listens.  Following the band's demise, all the members continued to find success in the entertainment industry.  Wayne released a solo single in 1987 and an album in 2007.  He also started acting, with the movie Judge Dredd and the TV shows ER and Dexter among his credits.  Marche and McLusky toured with Sandie Shaw, and Marche then went on to play with the likes of Renegade Soundwave and Gun Club, while McLusky started several high-profile clubs in London as well as 1-2-3-4 Records.  Bostock played on albums from The Style Council and Spear Of Destiny and then played with Dave Stewart & the Spiritual Cowboys.  Collard joined The The and still tours with the reformed band today.  JoBoxers also reunited for a sold out 2022 UK tour.  Quite an impressive feat from a band who only released one official album almost forty years earlier.  

(Cherry Red Records)

Ernie Graham - Ernie Graham (remastered)

Initially released in 1971, Ernie Graham's only solo album was a sadly underappreciated effort that is now getting a much-deserved reissue with a new CD release that has been newly remastered from the original Liberty master tapes. Born in Belfast, Ireland, Ernie Graham initially got some local fame as the rhythm guitarist in Tony and the Telstars.  Several members of that band, along with Graham, then moved on to form The People, and over the next couple of years started touring England and gaining a larger following.  In early 1967 they got the attention of former Animals’ bassist Chas Chandler, who with Mike Jeffery, was managing The Jimi Hendrix Experience.  At his suggestion, they changed their name to Eire Apparent, and started touring with the likes of Hendrix, Pink Floyd and The Move.  In the beginning of 1968, they released a single and did some touring in the States with Eric Burdon and The Animals at first, and then Soft Machine and Hendrix.  October 1968 found them recording their debut album, Sunrise, which was produced by Hendrix, and featured appearances from all the members of his band and Robert Wyatt from Soft Machine.  After recording the album, they hit the road in Europe, once more opening for Hendrix.  The album was released in May 1969, and they spent the rest of the year touring, but by May of the next year they had broken up.  Graham started performing as a solo artist and signed to Famepushers management, who also managed Brinsley Schwarz and Help Yourself.  Both of those bands were signed to Liberty Records and when they heard some of the songs he was working on they signed him as well.  When he went in to record his album, he was backed by Brinsley Schwarz, Bob Andrews, Nick Lowe, Ian Gomm and Billy Rankin of the band Brinsley Schwarz and Malcolm Morley, Richard Treece, Ken Whaley and Dave Charles of Help Yourself.  The resulting album opens strongly with the beautiful “Sebastian,” an acoustic folk tune that has a strong Dylan feel in both vocal delivery and guitar accompaniment.  It also has some great vocal harmonies and guitar.  “So Lonely” finds him going full electric and is a mid-tempo, rootsy rocker that is reminiscent of The Band, but rawer.  The interplay of organ and piano does a great job of setting the tone on “Sea Fever,” a melancholy cut that’s hauntingly dreamy with a hint of psychedelia.  The next two cuts are standouts that make for the perfect centerpiece to the album.  “The Girl That Turned The Lever” has a similar vibe to The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and is an easygoing, laid-back tune with more great harmonies and even some accordion.  With bittersweet lyrics and a gorgeous arrangement that kind of meanders and wistfully rolls along, the melancholy “For A Little While” is a nostalgic reflection on a past romantic relationship.  Shifting gears a bit, “Blues To Snowy” is a taut rocker with some really strong guitar work (at times bringing to mind Lynyrd Skynyrd) that shuffles along sounding like it’s going to explode at any minute.  The Band come to mind once again on “Don’t Want Me Round You,” a strangely somewhat upbeat, very catchy, tune with a playful organ and infectious “na na na’s" accompanying lyrics that, as the title implies, are not very happy.  Closing track “Belfast” is a gritty, fiddle-driven Irish folk rocker that finds him embracing his roots.  Everything about this album, from the vocals and lyrics to the insane talent of the musicians had the makings of a hit, but unfortunately for some reason it just wasn't to be.  Following the album's release, Graham did some live shows opening for both Brinsley Schwarz and Help Yourself, but when the album failed to sell, he joined Help Yourself in the next incarnation of the band. He was part of the recording sessions for their second album, Strange Affair, and wrote the song "Movie Star", but along with Jojo Glemser, left the band before it was finished.  The two of them formed the band Clancy and released two albums, and then in 1978 he released a single on Stiff Records, which would be his last release. He ended up taking a job with British Rail and then passed away in 2001.  

(Esoteric Recordings)

20/20 - Back To California

The 20/20 story starts back in 1977 when Steve Allen and Ron Flynt left Tulsa, Oklahoma and headed to California hoping for a record deal (fellow Tulsa natives Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley had followed a similar path a few years earlier).  In 1979, with the addition of Chris Silagyi on keyboards and Phil Seymour filling in on drums after original drummer Mike Gallo was let go, they released their self-titled debut, an album that’s considered a “Power Pop” classic.  They followed it up with a couple more releases in 1981 and 1982 that didn’t quite reach that peak set by the debut and then went their separate ways, although Flynt and Allen did get back together in the ensuing years to release two more albums, 1995’s 4 Day Tornado and 1998’s Interstate.  Now, twenty-seven years after that last album, the duo have written a whole new batch of songs (with the help of Gus Allen on one track), and with Ron’s son Ray on drums, they have recorded the new album Back To California.  While the hooks are plentiful, and songs like “Springtime Love Song”, an energetic, old school power pop tune and the darker, more midtempo “Why Do I Hurt Myself” (check out the guitar work here) harken back to their Seventies sound, many of the other tracks find them venturing in other directions.  Several songs have a really strong roots rock and country influence.  The title track brings to mind The Long Ryders, and after opening with a big power chord crunch, "The End Of Summer" has hints of The Byrds and some great wistful lyrics and sound that match the title perfectly.  There is a hint of Springsteen in both the music and lyrics of "Lucky Heart", and Tom Petty comes to mind on the midtempo rocker "Spark" with its jangly guitars.  They embrace country rock, complete with slide guitar and harmonica, on the infectious, upbeat "King Of The Whole Wide World", and standout track "Laurel Canyon" has somewhat autobiographical lyrics with big ringing guitars and great vocal harmonies giving it a sound that encapsulates its namesake.  “When The Sun Goes Down” is a pretty, kind of melancholy, roots-tinged pop tune with a touch of The Beach Boys and “Long Distance Call” uses harmonium and Wurlitzer to create a dark and mysterious bluesy groove that really sets it apart from the rest of the album.  The album closes fittingly with “Farewell”, an easygoing track about saying goodbye to lost friends and loved ones.  Back To California is a stellar return for the band with well-crafted songs, outstanding musicianship and hooks galore that should please fans old and new. 

(Big Stir Records / Spyderpop Records)

 

Sharks - Car Crash Supergroup - The Island Years 1973-1974

Sharks were initially formed in the late Summer of 1972 by bassist and songwriter Andy Fraser following a four-year stint in Free.  He had left the band after disagreements with Paul Rodgers about the band’s direction, and even though he was only twenty at this point, he was already a music veteran having joined John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers at fifteen (he had also turned down an offer to join Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood in Blind Faith).  Drummer Marty Simon then came on board and convinced Fraser to contact guitarist Chris Spedding, who in addition to doing his own solo work, was a talented session musician who had played with a multitude of artists in a diverse array of styles.  While Robert Palmer, who had been in Vinegar Joe at that point, and the unknown Leo Sayer, were considered for vocalist, they ended up going with Steve “Snips” Parsons, a twenty-one-year-old from Yorkshire with a voice that sounds like a cross between Joe Cocker and Rod Stewart.  He had been recommended by Muff Winwood, head of A&R at Island Records at that time, who had seen him fronting his band Nothineverappens at a London club and told him he didn’t want to sign the band, but he would find something for him.  Once the band was complete, they played some European club dates and then in December 1972 they went to London to record their debut.  That was followed by a tour of UK clubs and universities and then the release of First Water in the Spring.   

First Water is largely a collection of solid bluesy rockers that are often a little ragged and raw.  Kicking things off is “World Park Junkies” a gritty rocker with a touch of funk.  Up next is the midtempo “Follow Me”, a slinky blues rocker with some honky tonk piano that has a bit of a Stones vibe.  “Ol’ Jelly Roll” starts off kind of slow, but then intensifies as it progresses with a gritty, very emotional vocal performance from Snips.  The upbeat “Brown Eyed Boy” adds a bit of Mott the Hoople swagger (especially with the piano) and album highlight “Snakes And Swallowtails” is an extremely catchy, hard driving track that is a powerhouse blues rocker.  After “Drivin’ Sideways”, a footstomper with a bit of a funk groove and some great guitar work from Spedding, they take it down a bit with another album standout, “Steal Away, a laid-back, bluesy ballad with some gorgeous acoustic guitar.  Closing the album out are the swampy, midtempo rocker “Doctor Love” and “Broke A Feeling”, a loose, ragged track that sounds a lot like early Bob Seger (think of “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man).  Overall, First Water was a great debut with Snips' vocals and Spedding’s guitar playing real highlights throughout.  Also included on disc one is five bonus tracks.  The first of these is the alternate 7” mix of “Ol’ Jelly Roll”, which is given a fresh sound with the addition of organ and vocals that are a bit different.  The remaining bonus cuts are from a fan’s bootleg recording at a show in Providence, Rhode Island on May 23, 1974, and while the band sounds great live, they are definitely bootleg quality.

In early 1973, before the release of the album, they did a UK tour of clubs and universities, and to get attention they travelled in their "Sharkmobile" (seen on the cover of the box set).  On February 19, 1973, Spedding drove the Sharkmobile into a tree on an icy road as they were coming back to London after a show.  Fraser injured his wrist and thumb in the accident and after his recovery, he decided to leave the band saying he felt the accident was a bad omen.  He also said he wanted to be the lead vocalist in his own band and play his own songs.  Since they were under contract, they had very little time to find his replacement.  Contenders for the position included Tom Robinson (later in the Tom Robinson Band), Ric Grech (ex-Family and Blind Faith), Pete Sears (ex-Jefferson Starship) and Boz Burrell (later of Bad Company), but at the recommendation of Mick Jagger, they went with Busta “Cherry” Jones, add also added Nicky Judd on keyboards.  In late 1973 and early 1974 the band did a British tour and then in the spring they released Jab It In Yore Eye, which was just as strong, if not stronger, than its predecessor, despite the membership changes and loss of the band’s founder.  The band sounds more relaxed and there’s a little more soul and funk in their sound.  Opening track “Just Like A Fever” is a loose, funky roots rock track that is kind of reminiscent of The Band and does a great job of showcasing their expanded sound.  Up next are a couple of slower tunes with the soulful “Baby Shine A Light” and the slinky funk blues of “Sun Beat Down”.  Lazy, laid-back “Rain Or Shine” sounds like the perfect summer soundtrack song, while the bluesy “Kung Fu” adds a little quirky fun to the album.  “Sophistication” is a a gritty, straight-on bluesy rocker with some real depth, and per the liner notes, was the inspiration for The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”.  Opening with some really nice acoustic guitar, "Surrender" is a laid-back soulful rocker, while "Cocaine Blues", another standout, is a ragged barnstormer of a track, full of bluesy slide guitar and honky tonk piano.  The disc closes with “Revolution Of The Heart”, a really strong tune with great vocal performance from Snips, that at times brings to mind Bad Company.  As for bonus tracks on disc two, there is “Elevator Dancing”, a loose boogie woogie track that was the B-side to their “Kung Fu” single, and the remaining four live recordings from the Rhode Island show, including a guest appearance from Mountain’s Leslie West on “Colours” (a studio version of this track would show up years later as “Red Red Red” on their 2016 album Killers Of The Deep.  

Following the US tour supporting the sophomore effort, the band split apart and when they entered the studio to record the third album, the band consisted of Spedding and Snips, along with two new members, Dave Cochran on bass and Stuart Francis on drums.  Production was handled by The Who bassist John Entwistle and John Alcock (known for his work with Thin Lizzy), but unfortunately when Island Records heard the first set of mixes, they pulled the plug on the album.  Those mixes were finally released in 2016 as Car Crash Tapes and are included here on disc three.  Although not too far removed from their previous releases, the songs this time around often tended to move in a little more of a rock direction.  To me things do get off to a bit of a slow start with a couple of midtempo rockers, “A Woman” and “Darlin’”.  Both tracks are really a little lackluster and the band sounds tired, although the latter does get a little boost with some French horn from Entwistle.  Things really pick up with “Poor Little Rich Girls”, a heavier cut with a laid-back groove and a funky bass undercurrent.  Slow burning rocker “Amsterdamned” is a definite highlight and does a great job of showcasing Spedding’s guitar work with flourishes of different styles.  “The Shadow Knows”, their tribute to the well-known fictional character, and the moody “Music Breaks Out” (check out Spedding’s solo on this one) are a couple of slower bluesy rockers with a strong Bad Company vibe.  The hook heavy “So Young” is an upbeat rocker with a loose party vibe that again brings to mind early Seger and is another highlight.  Rounding out the album is a solid cover of Solomon Burke’s 1962 R&B hit “Down In The Valley”.  Disc three also has a couple more live bonus cuts recorded in 1974 at East Park Hull.  They have a much better sound than the earlier live cuts and this version of “Colours” is a great seven-minute-long rocker that occasionally has a touch of The Who.

Even though this brings the box set, and this chapter of the Sharks story, to an end, many of the members went on to other successful ventures.  Fraser formed the Andy Fraser band (with Nick Judd as one of the members) and released two albums.  He also wrote numerous hit songs for other artists before passing away in 2015.  Jones played with Talking Heads and Gang Of Four, played in a power trio with Spedding, and released a solo album, but then passed away in 1995.  Along with his aforementioned work with Fraser, Judd also played with Frankie Miller in his band.  Spedding had a UK solo hit with "Motor Bikin" and along with his work as a solo artist, has recorded and performed with the likes of Paul McCartney, Tom Waits, John Cale, Roxy Music and many more.  A month after the band broke up, Snips joined the Baker Gurvitz Army and then recorded a couple of solo albums and then took a break to focus on composing and producing for film and TV.  He eventually teamed back up with Spedding, and along with Martin Chambers (Pretenders) and Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) recorded an album as King Mob.  Snips and Spedding have also recorded three more albums as Sharks over the years, and also toured with Judd back on keys along with Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) and Tosh Ogawa.  There was also a documentary on the band called Not A Rock-Doc that premiered in late 2023.  Although it covers just a short couple of years in the extensive careers of many of its members, Car Crash Supergroup - The Island Years 1973-1974 is an outstanding look (and listen) back to these great albums and this largely overlooked band. 

(Cherry Red Records)