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)

 

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)

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)

Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club - The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981

Raised by a father who was a Dixieland clarinetist that introduced him to a variety of musical styles, Bruce Woolley formed his first rock band in his late teens.  After playing around with jazz rock, he started writing songs with three and four chords.  He was also doing manual labor in a tarmac gang at this time, and thanks to his boss, a former singer, he started playing the working men’s club scene in Leicester before joining Ivor Kenney’s Dance Band.  He started recording demos of the songs he was writing and in 1976 he moved to London and got hired as a songwriter for the publishing and production company Everblue Music.  Trevor Horn became the in-house producer there and when Everblue folded they wrote some songs together including “Clean Clean” and “Video Killed The Radio Star”.  Not long after the demos were recorded, the two parted ways due to their desires to move in different directions musically.  Bruce decided he wanted to form a band and the first on board was Dave Birch who had been playing guitar in The Vibrators.  He brought in drummer Richard Wernham (aka Ricky Slaughter) from The Motors, who also brought along his girlfriend bassist Marion Fudger.  Last on board was Thomas Dolby on keys.  When it came time to record their debut album, producer Mike Hurst said they should replace Fudger.  They let her go, which also led to the departure of Wernham, since he was her boyfriend.  They were replaced by Matthew Seligman and Rod Johnson, and that lineup recorded the hugely underappreciated English Garden album.  Not long after the album’s release, Seligman left the band and was replaced by Nigel Ross-Scott (he plays on the live show at My Father’s Place included here).  Dolby also ended up leaving the band after Johnson tried to strangle him after a fight over the window seat on a plane trip, an event that also resulted in Johnson getting kicked out of the band.  They were replaced by Nigel Glockler, later of Saxon, and Simon House who had played with Hawkwind and Bowie.  This new lineup went into the studio with producer John Wood and recorded their sophomore release.  It was more of a rock record, but unfortunately the label wouldn’t release the album and were also reluctant to have them go back in the studio, so the band ended up disbanding a short time later.  The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981 is a fantastic new three CD box set that includes an expanded version of the English Garden album, the unreleased second album, two live concerts, b-sides, demos and much more.  It's an absolute treasure trove with forty-one of the sixty-nine tracks previously unreleased.   

Mixing new wave and power pop with rock and glam, English Garden, which opens disc one, is an outstanding collection, that while largely praised by the critics, didn’t get the recognition it deserved.  The album kicks off with the bouncy new wave title track with its early synth blips from Dolby, followed by their take on “Video Killed The Radio Star”, which is similar to The Buggles’ version, but meatier and with less synths. “Dancing With The Sporting Boys” is a laid-back, kind of loping tune with a bit of a bounce that really showcases Woolley’s vocals, while “Johnny” (another Trevor Horn co-write) is a fast-paced, new wave track with a sixties feel (complete with handclaps), and “No Surrender” adds some Bowie-like glam to the mix.  Although the band says “Flying Man” was inspired by The Dave Clark Five’s “Glad All Over”, it has been pointed out that this hyper track sounds a lot like The Rezillos’ cover of that song.  Following the fast-paced pop of “You Got Class” and the short instrumental “WW9” is “Clean Clean”, the second track also recorded by The Buggles, which here has more of a new wave sound with a rock edge.  The somewhat laid-back “Get Away William” is up next and then it’s “Goodbye To Yesterday”, a really strong track with a driving beat and thumping bass that brings to mind Magazine, and “Goodbye To Yesterday (Reprise)”, a punkier take on the song.  Closing out the album is “You’re The Circus (I’m The Clown)”, a super catchy tune with a rock / new wave sound, a chorus full of power pop hooks and some great synth work from Dolby.  Disc one is rounded out with twelve bonus tracks, starting with “News”, an extremely catchy new wave song that was recorded during the English Garden sessions, but surprisingly left off the album.  Next up are a couple of early cuts released as The Killers.  This version of “No Surrender” is slower with less new wave and more glam, and is complemented with some cello, and “Killer On The Dancefloor” is fun, upbeat synthpop.  The next three cuts are album tracks that were rerecorded for the US.  “Clean Clean” is faster and more intense, “Video Killed The Radio Star” sounds a lot closer to The Buggles version and “Goodbye To Yesterday” is more synth heavy and slower giving it a bit of a new romantic feel.  The pre-Camera Club single “Bobby Bad” is a quirky pop ditty with a hint of Sparks, with another version of “You’re The Circus (I’m The Clown)” on the flipside.  This version is similar to the one on the album, but a little less rock and features Dave Birch on guitar, Geoff Downes on keys and Trevor Horn on bass.  Another pre-band track is the demo of “You Got Class”, which is edgier and more rock than the album, and to me a better version.  The final three songs on disc one were co-written and recorded with Horn and Rod Thompson for the punk rock musical Killer On The Dancefloor, which was actually performed at the Leicester Phoenix Theatre in the Summer of 1980.  “Going to The City” is a bouncy, kind of angular and punky new wave track and “Needletime” is very Bowie-ish rock opera glam.  Lastly is the outstanding “Sugar Daddy”, a rock opera sounding ballad comprised mainly of piano, vocals and drums.     

Disc two opens with the tracks that would have comprised their second release, Snapshots of Sound, which veers away from the new wave sound a bit, moving in more of a rock direction, as evidenced by the catchy, straight-ahead opener “I Set Fire To You”.  Released as a promo single, but never actually released, “Ghost Train” is an extremely strong track that’s a slower, darker new romantic song.  “Killer On The Dancefloor” is back again and this time is super infectious synth rock with punk energy.  Catchy, but not as straightforward, with angular guitars and a stabbing beat, “Trouble Is” was released as a single by CBS right before the band were dropped.  The hypnotic “Only Babies Can Fly” is a pretty, laid-back tune while “All Real Americans” is another super catchy, upbeat synth rocker.  With Simon House playing some beautiful syths and Solina String Machine, “Morning Shadows” is a very dreamy and hypnotic track.  Up next is another great version of “Ghost Train”, which is similar to the earlier one, but with synths that are a little dreamier.  Closing out the planned album tracks are the quirky rocker “All At Once” (flipside to the “Trouble” single) and “Warning Shadows”.  Eleven more bonus tracks, mostly previously unreleased, complete disc two, starting with his post Camera Club solo single “Blue Blue Victoria”.  Produced by Mike Howlett, who had just worked with OMD, it’s a catchy, upbeat pop tune with a lot of piano and synths that really show his influence.  The flipside is “1000 MPH”, a manic, fast-paced synth rocker.  A couple more solo tracks follow with the high energy new wave of “The Black Girls Understand” and a club mix of “Ghost Train”.  Following “How Do You Say Goodbye?”, another upbeat, hook-heavy, new wave tune are a handful of demos including “Too Late For Tears”, a bouncy track that’s a little on the quirky side with a bit of a dance beat and brief moments that bring to mind The Cars.  The demo of “Blue Blue Victoria” is more rock oriented with plenty of pop hooks but missing that Howlett influence of the single.  “You Got Class” is an earlier demo from 1975 that is a lot slower than the album version, but with an catchy beat, and “News” sounds a lot like the one on the album, but with some differences in the instrumentation.  The last two tracks are a couple of real standouts.  “House of Wax” is a rocker with all the elements of an eighties hit.  As you listen to it you can envision an early MTV video in your head, and it’s hard to understand why it was never released (Richard Thompson plays cimbalon on this track).  Lastly is “Radio Pictures (Bye Bye Love)”, a big sounding, yet dreamy and somewhat melancholy track that sounds very little like what they had done before but was instead reminiscent of the bands that were on the horizon at that time.

Rounding out the box set on disc three are a couple of great sounding live sets.  The first is from May 6, 1979 from a show supporting XTC at High Wycombe Town Hall, that was recorded from the sound desk by XTC’s sound engineer.  In addition to Woolley, the band for this show consisted of Birch, Dolby, Wernham and Fudger, the original pre-album lineup.  The performance is very high energy and at times even a little ragged, giving great insight to the very early days of the band.  The second was recorded on March 25, 1980 by WLIR Radio at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, New York.  Since it was recorded for a radio show, the recording itself is of course the better of the two and while the performance itself is again high energy (Woolley says of the show in the liner notes - “we perform the album at breakneck speed”) they sound tighter this time around.  Both shows make for an outstanding addition to an already stellar box set.  Also included is an extremely detailed booklet giving a history of the band, including quotes from Woolley, Birch and Dolby and song by song notes from Woolley.  The Definitive Anthology 1977-1981 is absolutely one of the best box sets I've come across in awhile and can't be recommended enough. 

(Cherry Red Records)

BLOKE - Living Without Expectations 

Originally from London and now based in Berlin, BLOKE, is an impressive new band led by German artist Jakob Buraczewski on vocals and guitar, and rounded out with Michelangelo Lamattina (guitar), Alex Kozmidi (bass), Michael Drummer (drums) and Martijn Smits (synthesizer, backing vocals. percussion).  Making their debut with two singles, they have now released the EP, Living Without Expectations.  It is an outstanding collection of songs that are often hypnotic, yet raw, noisy and experimental at the same time.  With its driving percussion, wall of guitars and heavy psychedelia, “Money Says” gets things going and to me is somewhat reminiscent of Love and Rockets’ “Mirror People”.  “Never Try” is a bit of a darker track, opening with a thumping bass and then shifting into droning psychedelia a la Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Jesus and Mary Chain.  Thanks largely to the bass, “Up Tight” finds them moving back in a more upbeat direction, while still maintaining a noisy guitar driven drone. Love and Rockets comes to mind again a little on “So Do I”, which ups the psychedelia with swirling guitars and a slow, mesmerizing groove that draws you in.  While that song shows a more diverse side to the band, the closing track “Tomorrow” displays even more.  It’s more melancholy than the rest of the EP with guitars that at times have a psychedelic spaghetti western feel and even a little harmonica.  A highly recommended listen and a band to definitely keep an eye on.  

(Tonzonen Records)

 

The Dickies - The Incredible Shrinking Dickies

Originally released in 1979, The Incredible Shrinking Dickies was the debut release from California punk band The Dickies.  Now, thanks to Captain Oi! Records, it has been reissued on both CD and red vinyl, along with six bonus tracks originally released on 7-inch singles.  In just over twenty-seven minutes, with only one song over three minutes, the original album contains thirteen tracks that are largely fast-paced punk, often bringing to mind The Ramones, full of pop hooks, occasional sound effects and noises, and an almost ever-present sense of humor.  Having said that, almost every tune has some other element added that adds to the uniqueness of their sound.  Tracks like “Give It Back” and the bonus track “I’m OK You’re OK” have some ragged piano that give the songs a garage rock vibe.  “Walk Like An Egg” starts out slow and psychedelic with echoey guitars, before exploding into an all-out punk tune, and along with “Poodle Party”, which includes frontman Leonard Graves Phillips growling and barking like a dog, mixes in a bit of a fifties rock beat.  The addition of sax from the band’s multi-instrumentalist Chuck Wagon (complete with a little bit of The Champs’ “Tequila”), takes the more straight-ahead “Shadow Man” and gives it a fresh twist.  While “Waterslide” is a super catchy track that’s closer to pop punk (including what sounds like old school video game blips), “Shake & Bake” is good, straight-ahead, old-school punk and “Mental Ward” sounds like what you would expect from a song titled that.  It’s noisy, chaotic punk with an almost manic pace and sound effects that include a twisted cuckoo clock.  The rollicking instrumental “Rondo (The Midgets Revenge)” is the only track over three minutes and is a complete left turn coming across like an upbeat Prog tune.  The album also contains three covers, which is something the band has become known for over the years.  This time around they tackle Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”, The Monkees’ “She” (written by Boyce and Hart), and Barry McGuire’s “Eve Of Destruction” (written by P.F. Sloan).  They’ve also had a knack for doing great covers of songs you wouldn’t necessarily think a punk band would tackle and there are three included among the bonus tracks here that are perfect examples.  “Silent Night”, Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sound Of Silence” and my absolute favorite, their take on The Banana Splits Theme, “The Tra La La Song”, which incredibly hit number seven on the UK singles charts.  The final two bonus tracks are “Hideous”, another more straight-forward, less pop, old school punk tune complemented again with piano and some solid guitar, and the mosh pit ready “Got It At The Store”.  For punk fans old and new, this is the perfect time to discover or rediscover the debut from this band that is going strong today with frontman Phillips and guitarist Stan Lee still in the band.

(Captain Oi!)

Elephant - For A Friend / For A Friend Pt. 2 single

Ever since I heard their debut EP when it was released in 2021, Rotterdam’s Elephant have continuously impressed me with two more albums and now the first two singles from their third album, scheduled to be released in March.  “For A Friend”, the first single from that album has been released as a 7” on orange vinyl through the Paradiso Vinyl Club and is another great shot of sunshine-y melancholy rock with a lazy groove and hooks that will have you singing long after the song is over.  The flipside contains “For A Friend, Pt 2”, a moody, ethereal instrumental soundscape, enhanced by the sounds of a crackling fire, that is brilliantly slated to be the album’s closing track.  Also, while it has nothing to do with this single, do yourself a favor and check out their next single "20k", a stunningly hypnotic track that at its very core has elements that will be familiar to fans of the band's previous work, but with more of a hip-hop beat and the use of vocoder that finds them really expanding their sound.  

(Paradiso Vinyl Club / Excelsior Recordings / Elephant)

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe - An Evening Of Yes Music Plus  

At the end of 1988, following the release of the more commercial sounding, pop-oriented Yes albums 90125 and Big Generator, Jon Anderson, unhappy with the direction they had taken, left the band.  He released a solo album, In The City Of Angels, and then started a solo project involving the 1971-1972 members of Yes, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe and Bill Bruford (four-fifths of the band that recorded Fragile and Close To The Edge).  Since the fifth member of that Yes lineup was still in the band, Bruford’s King Crimson bandmate Tony Levin joined on bass and the project evolved into the band Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, who released an eponymous album in 1989, which hit 14 on the UK Charts and 30 in the US.  Following the album’s release, they did a world tour called An Evening of Yes Music Plus.  Two shows on the tour were recorded for broadcast and release.  NEC Arena in Birmingham, England was recorded on October 25, but not released until 2012, and the show included on this release was recorded for the King Biscuit Flower Hour at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on September 9.  While this concert has been released a few times in the past, this newly remastered version sounds fantastic.  Also of note here is the absence of Levin, who missed several shows on the tour, due to being in the hospital recovering from hepatitis, and was replaced by Jeff Berlin.  The show has an interesting opening with Anderson, Howe and Wakeman each coming out one by one and doing a short solo piece.  Anderson starts things off with a very nice medley of sorts of the Yes songs "Time and A Word" and "Owner of A Lonely Heart" as well as the ABWH cut "Teakbois".  Next up is Howe on his acoustic guitar with lively takes on "The Clap" and "Mood For A Day," often with the crowd joining in on handclaps.  Lastly is Wakeman, often showcasing his speed and dexterity with pieces of "Gone But Not Forgotten", "Catherine Parr" and "Merlin the Magician", all tracks from his solo career.  Once Wakeman finishes his section, the familiar opening notes of “Long Distance Runaround” start up and the full band comes out on stage.  Bruford has his moment at the end of the song with an extended solo, that unfortunately sounds a little dated today with the heavy emphasis on electronic drums.  The remainder of the set is a nice mixture of tracks from The Yes Album, Fragile and Close To Edge along with the ABWH album.  The band sounds very tight and the new songs fit in perfectly with the older tracks, really coming to life live and often showing a little more experimentation stylewise.  In addition to the two CD’s that contain the live performance, this box set also include two DVD’s.  The first DVD contains video of the concert, while the second disc has the promotional video “In The Big Dream”, with several promo and live videos and video of them recording the album. (Unfortunately I haven’t had access to the DVD’s so I can’t comment on them).   

(Esoteric Records)

Slaughter & the Dogs - Do It Dog Style (Vinyl LP Edition)

For the first time in over twenty years, Do It Dog Style, the 1978 debut album from one of Manchester’s earliest punk bands, Slaughter & the Dogs, is again “officially” available on vinyl.  The album kicks off with the energetic “Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone”, a track that has been credited as the inspiration behind the Oi! Movement, and while there is also plenty of great early punk like “Boston Babies”, “I’m Mad”, with its poppy choruses, and “We Don’t Care”, there’s also a lot of diversity.  “Victims of The Vampire”, “Keep On Trying” and “Dame To Blame” are extremely infectious tracks that perfectly mesh ragged punk with glam, while “You’re A Bore” is more on the rock side of things.  Then there’s “Since You Went Away”, which is slower and somewhat reminiscent of the jangly alt rock that was in its very early infancy.  The band named themselves after two of their favorite albums, Bowie’s Diamond Dogs and Mick Ronson’s Slaughter on 10th Avenue and fittingly, Ronson contributes guitar to the glam sounding cover of the late sixties track “Quick Joey Small” (originally a bubblegum pop song from  The Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus) and their take on The New York Dolls’ “Who Are the Mystery Girls”, which is louder, faster, ragged and more energetic than the original.  Honestly, it’s way better and Ronson’s on fire here.  Ironically, they also do a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting For The Man”, but it’s a pretty straightforward version that doesn’t really add much to the song.  In addition to the twelve tracks from the original album, this version includes two songs that were originally non-album B-sides.  Just as the title says, “Johnny T” (flipside of the “Dame To Blame” single) is a raucous tribute to Johnny Thunders and “Come On Back” (flipside to the “Quick Joey Small” single) is a massively catchy, no-frills, straight-ahead rocker.  The album is presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve that includes press clippings and memorabilia from that era.  

(Captain Oi! Records)

Storace - Crossfire

While best known as the lead vocalist of the Swiss hard rock band Krokus, 2021 found Marc Storace starting work on a solo career, releasing his debut album Live and Let Live under the name Storace. Unfortunately, it was released during the pandemic and without any way to properly promote it, the album didn't get much notice.  When it came time to work on Crossfire, the follow-up, Storace teamed up with Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires, Crossbone Skully) who produced the album, co-wrote all the songs and played a variety of instruments.  For the most part the album shifts away from the more muscular, classic rock sounds of the debut, often like a more modern-day sounding throwback to his work with Krokus, which is evident from the get-go with the full speed ahead power rocker “Screaming Demon”.  “Rock This City,’ which has an intriguing short, sci fi sounding instrumental “The New Unity” as its lead in, and “Hell Yeah” are big sounding anthems, although with the drawback of 80’s metal lyrics that are a bit dated.  “Adrenaline” shows the influence of Def Leppard, down to the guitars, effects and vocal harmonies in the chorus, while “Love Thing Stealer” will bring to mind AC/DC.  Although still rockers, “Let’s Get Nuts” has a bit more of a poppier side and “We All Need The Money” adds a little bit of boogie woogie swagger.  The meaty rocker “Thrill And A Kiss” is a definite high point, and “Millionaire Blues” is another straight-ahead rocker, although a little nondescript.  Closing things out are what have become my two favorite tracks here, and two that actually sound different than the rest.  “Sirens” is a powerhouse track that’s heavy, darker and more introspective and “Only Love Can Hurt Like This” is a strong, piano-led power ballad with an emotional vocal performance from Storace.  Speaking of his vocals, it should be noted that at over seventy years old, Storace sounds just as good as ever.  If you long for the days when bands like Krokus were making their name, do yourself a favor and give Crossfire a listen.

(Frontiers Music)

Various Artists - Dearly Beloved : A Prince Songbook

Dearly Beloved - A Prince Songbook is a fantastic three-CD set compiling fifty-two tracks (five on CD for the first time) that recognize his incredible songwriting.  Disc one is devoted to tracks he wrote or co-wrote for other artists, while disc two consists of soul, funk and jazz covers and disc three is covers that are for the most part genres outside the soul and funk genre.  Of course, when it comes to a collection like this there are going to be songs that come to mind that aren’t included but having said that they have done an outstanding job with the songs and artists that are here.    

Disc one opens with some of the biggest hits other artists have had with Prince songs, including Martika’s “Love… Thy Will Be Done” and Sheena Easton’s “Sugar Walls”, both Top 10 hits, and The Bangles’ “Manic Monday”, which hit number 2.  There are also a couple of Top 10 R&B hits with Prince’s childhood friend and former bandmate André Cymone’s “The Dance Electric” and Patti LaBelle’s “Yo Mister”.  Other high points are “The Sex Of It” from Kid Creole & The Coconuts, the super funky with a rock edge “Sex” from Dutch girl group Lois Lane, the psychedelic tinged rocker “Van Gogh” from Van Gogh, the stunningly gorgeous, smoky jazz groove of “Dream Of Fire” from Portuguese Fado singer Ana Moura with Herbie Hancock, and “North Carolina” from former Prince vocalist Shelby J (featuring Anthony Hamilton), which is a soulful, gospel flavored track with a slow funk beat.  The remaining cuts on disc one are Elisa Fiorillo’s “Oooh This I Need”, with the slow, burning sexy funk of bands like Apollonia 6 and Vanity 6, the super funky “I Want U” from Rosie Gaines (another former Prince vocalist), Monie Love’s “In A Word Or 2”, Mica Paris’ “If I Love U 2 Nite”, Nona Hendryx’s “Baby Go-Go” (with backing vocals from George Clinton and Mavis Staples), Paula Abdul’s “U”, former Revolution bassist Brownmark’s “Shall We Dance?” and strangely Kenny Rogers’ “You’re My Love”, which actually sounds more like a Kenny Rogers song than a Prince song.  

As mentioned before, the second disc is primarily soul, funk and jazz covers.  There are a few exceptions including Jonny Lang’s standout, swampy funk and blues take on “I Am” (an unreleased Prince cut) and Tuesday Knight’s “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?,” which veers more in an eighties pop rock direction.  Some of the other highlights here include Corinne Bailey Rae’s “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, Valerie Carter’s gorgeous take on “Crazy You”, which in her hands becomes a slower, jazzy torch ballad, a soulful and slightly funky gospel version of “Walk Don’t Walk” from Traces Gospel Choir, Jordan Knight’s slowed down “I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man,”  “Soft And Wet” from N’Dambi, a super funky track with some great rock guitar, Workshy’s really pretty, stripped down take on “Damn U” and “Sometimes It Snows In April from Bobby Sparks II and Lizz Wright.  Rounding out disc two are Stephanie Mills’ “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?”, The Pointer Sisters “I Feel For You,” which sticks fairly close to the original, but is missing that something that made the Chaka Khan version such a hit, Meli’sa Morgan’s “Do Me Baby”, Crystal Waters’ “Uptown,” Joe Roberts’ “Adore,” Debra Hurd’s “Gotta Broken Heart Again”, Passion’s “Gigolos Get Lonely Too” (originally recorded by The Time), Mellow Man Ace’s “Irresistable Bitch” (featuring Geo) and “It’s Gonna Be Lonely” from Princess & Starbreeze.

Where a lot of the songs on the first two discs don’t stray too far from the original, and a few here still follow that same path, disc three is largely full of tunes that have been completely reinterpreted.  The uniqueness and the diversity of these sixteen tracks makes this my favorite disc of the set.  7 Hurtz with Peaches and Bitch Lap Lap (aka Feist) kick things off with a super fun and funky electronic tinged take on “Sexy Dancer.”  “Take Me With U” is given an upbeat James Brown funk groove by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, while Hue & Cry give “Sign O’ The Times” a horn-driven, soulful funky bebop treatment, and Lambchop’s “When You Were Mine” is lo-fi alt country with processed vocals.  Dead Or Alive takes the psychedelia of “Pop Life” and adds some Indian instrumentation giving it their unique sound, followed by Robyn’s awesome piano and vocal rendition of “Jack U Off” which has a cabaret feel, and the infectious electropop of The Dirty Monroes’ “Vibrator.”  Dayna Kurt’s rendition of “Joy In Repetition” is an absolutely stunning cover that is subdued and haunting with outstanding vocals and brilliant atmospheric production.  The vocals are also the highlight of the primarily a cappella “Love 2 The 9’s” from Michelle Mailhot, and Bilal’s soulful performance of “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” which is very reminiscent of the original.  Next up is Surferosa’s catchy, synth-driven alt pop take on “Controversy” followed by Morgan James’ powerhouse vocal performance on the soulful, somewhat bluesy “Call My Name.”  Joe Stilgoe’s “Partyman” is a fun upbeat, Cab Calloway styled Big Band version and legendary saxophonist Maceo Parker, known for his work with Parliament-Funkadelic, James Brown and Prince, contributes a laid-back jazzy soul take on “Other Side Of The Mirror”.  The disc closes extremely strong with Anne Marie Almedal’s beautiful, dreamy “Paisley Park” and the stunning “Purple Rain” featuring Amanda Palmer’s fragile, whispery vocals backed by a haunting string section composed by Jherek Bischoff.  The box set is rounded out with a nice booklet from Adam Mattera, who curated the collection, and quotes from many of the contributing performers.  

(Cherry Red Records)