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Formed in France in the mid-1970s, (Les) Rockets were a pioneering glam-outfitted quintet that featured many different musicians throughout their lengthy lifespan. Combining a rare mixture of diverse musical subgenres slightly ahead of their time–such as synth-dominated disco, and rock, while 'knocking' on new wave's doorstep four years prior to the movement's tsunami's watershed–the band's first single, "Future Woman", made a small splash in Montreal's discotheques, and adventurous FM radio. It even preceded another similar French formation, that of Space's "Magic Fly", as well as Giorgio, and Donna Summer's landmark "I Feel Love" by nearly two years. In fact their only competing contemporaries were Germany's Kraftwerk who were the leading electronic innovators of the period minus though the disco, and rock-guitar influences found ici. The aforementioned Rockets track presented here on 12-inch format came out in early 1977, and is an extended, and better mix than the original 7-inch as well as the album version. The long instrumental intro is a delight not only for electro fans but for deejays who wish to overlap songs for many music measures. The original French Decca pressing is exquisitely punchy in the bass accompanied by just the right amount of treble detail, low compression, and overall great tonal balance. "Atomic Control" on side A, is another terriffic track that did not get as much airplay, but is equally interesting, and the sound is ever so slightly even more impressive than the B side, with stupendous dynamics for the genre, and what must be the most massive, solid pounding kick drum–and snare also–in my record collection; almost 'frightening' how a simple spiral groove can startle the senses! Produced by Claude Lemoine, the band would go on to release three other worthy club hits such as 1978's cover of Canned Heat's "On the Road Again", 1979's "Electric Delight", and 1980's "Galactica".
Just for a moment, forget all those radio programs, movies, TV shows, variety specials, and keep in mind that it was Bing Crosby who exerted his strong influence at the time on the mighty broadcast networks, and got involved financially early on with the newly-formed Ampex company to manufacture their new reel-to-reel tape recorders first introduced to the market in 1948. This technical achievement–originally developed by the German's in the mid-1930s to the onset of the allied invasion ten years later–not only far surpassed pre-existing recording methods but opened up numerous posterior possibilities such as 'sound-on-sound', multitracking, editing, etc. Accompanied by a seventeen-piece big band, this present 1956 mono LP was Bing's first, and only release for Verve, the crooner being primarily represented up until then by Decca–and to a lesser degree by Brunswick–while later shuffling between labels a bit more. Faithful readers know by now that my two favorite male singers, situated on equal footing, are Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra, but Bing comes in a close second to the pair. No doubt inspired by the latter's Swing Easy! [Capitol H528] out two years earlier, and Songs for Swingin' Lovers! [Capitol W653] just a few months prior, Bing Sings... teeters towards the same swinging crowd. My original US red/yellow label pressing is generally excellent until you put on MoFi's 1996 remastered version where every aspect sounds quite superior–be that the brass, bass, drums, dynamics, and of course the smooth tone of Bing's voice, featuring nuances, and richness not heard on the original. Probably one of the best remasters among the Anadisq series.
Time really does fly! Hard to believe it's been roughly 28 years since I first spun this record deejaying in a small downtown club. Hailing from Arlington, Texas, Pantera pretty much took over the metal scene by storm at the turn of the decade, stealing the thunder from then heavyweights, Slayer and Metallica. Though the latter two had spearheaded the speed-thrash metal movement since the early-1980s, and advancing the genre's evolution at an alarming rate, one can also make the case that both players had probably 'topped their game' by 1990, and were headed more towards redundancy than fresh creativity–at a juncture when grunge was about to shift rock-metal into many directions. Meanwhile the cats from Texas had already four albums under their paws–the first dating back to 1983–but none of them had registered with an audience until the release of their 1990 breakthrough Coyboys from Hell. Among the twelve tracks we can detect traces of Anthrax, and early Metallica roaming within the faster songs but most importantly is the quartet introducing groove-based rhythms, riffs, and shuffling hi-hat to the thrash subgenre, making it more engaging for the dancefloor. Produced, and engineered by Terry Date, the recording took place at Pantego Sound Studio, in Pantego, Texas, whereas the mixing–accompanied by the band–was done at Carriage House, Stamford, Conneticut. Vinnie Paul's drums are really nice, and punchy, providing perfectly defined double-kick along with just the right amount of cymbals, and snare. Rex Brown's bass resonates with a cold metallic sound, making good contrast with Diamond Darrell's warmly distorted guitar work. Howie Weinberg did his part with an excellent well balanced 'non-fatiguing' mastering at Masterdisk in New York. My original Euro pressing was representative of that period when CD's had taken over the vinyl landscape, and most of the music industry had abandoned US pressing altogether, relying instead on Europe to 'keep the presses hot'. The rather-thin vinyl–typical for the era–was pressed at Record Sevice GmbH in Alsdorf, Germany. I have not heard the 2010 180g double-vinyl reissue, cut at The Mastering Lab by (most probably) Doug Sax, which all things being equal would give it a 'groove-spread' advantage over a single LP. Note that they mention: "pressed from the Original High Definition Masters"–the latter term hints at HD digital files rather than saying "cut directly from the Original Analog Tape" if such was the case in 1990, so it is hard to speculate on the sound even if Doug Sax has a 'good track record'.
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82- Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon. Harvest – SHVL 804, 1E 064 o 05249 (UK) (1973), 582 1361 (UK) (2003) (30th anniversary edition), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: space rock, art rock, progressive rock, electronic, jazz fusion, and funk touches
Ahh, at last, there it is. Of course it just had to be included in any Top Sonic or Top Rock Album List worthy of the name. Recorded between June 1972 and January 1973 at Abbey Road Studios, London by a masterful twenty-three year old engineer named Alan Parsons, with assistance from engineers Peter James, and Chris Thomas supervising the mix on then state of the art 16 track analog; by all acounts
DSOTM represents Pink Floyd's musical masterpiece. Parsons had previously cut his teeth as an assistant engineer on The Beatles last two albums–
Abbey Road and
Let it Be–as well as the band's 1970 release
Atom Heart Mother [Harvest SHVL 781], and
later forming his own pet Project–prioritizing
that direction over Floyd's follow-up to
DSOTM, 1975's
Wish You Were Here [Harvest SHVL 814]. Along with
Sgt. Pepper,
this must be Rock's most analyzed album of all time, certainly one of the biggest sellers also–well over 25 million certified units worldwide–and consequently one of the most reissued LP from countless countries and pressing plants. As such, you will find an abundance of detailed info in books and online that dives deeper than I dare go inside the usual space of this List. And similar to '
Pepper', the album also combines many musical styles other than rock. Interspersed between the harder-heavier riffs, are floating atmospheric material; add to that a pinch or two of jazz, fusion, and funk in the odd-metered "Money" before the break, and progressing onto "Us and Them" through Dick Parry's sax solos; there's even some pioneering–Synthi AKS–sequencer synth on the electronic "On the Run". Given the scarcity of finding an original UK first press in NM condition at an affordable price–the lowest on Discogs as of writing approaching the $1K mark–my favored choice is the 2003 UK, 30th anniversary edition remastered by Doug Sax and Kevin Gray, and lacquer cut by Gray at AcousTech Mastering. This winning duo did a fantastic job providing a well balanced analog warm tone, respecting the tape and the era's dynamics. The soundstage is well exploited to convince us that we are part of
another universe while the central image locks down the
rockier elements of the main quartet. My previous preferred pressing was the JVC MoFi [MFSL 1-017] half-speed cut by Stan Ricker in 1979, which all in all, is good–though the EQ seems a tad heavier-handed–but in comparison I find this Sax/Gray pairing more open and transparent, delivering delicate details especially appreciated in the ride cymbal's top end, myriad vocal and reverb/delay effects, and the spectacular clock chimes sequence in "Time". Lastly, I also have a friend's 1978 Italian repress [Harvest 3C 064-05249] that sounds sweet, nicely balanced, and not that far apart from the 30th anniversary edition described above. As a consequence of being pressed so many times since its inception, you will find many different opinions on which is
the best version to own, but the general concensus on serious sound forums seems to gravitate towards the 2nd or 3rd UK pressing which I haven't heard unfortunately.
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83- Triumvirat – Spartacus. Harvest, EMI Electrola – 1C 062-29 567 (Ger.) (1975), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: progressive
Germany's response to Britain's ELP–which makes perfect sense given that both groups counted three virtuoso musicians conquering keyboards, bass/guitars, and drums, closely spanning the same pertinent period–1972-1980. Throw in a dash of early-seventies Yes and you get a good idea of what to expect from this trio stemming from Cologne. This was the band's third and best known release, and as the title suggests, it is a concept album inspired by the Thracian gladiator Spartacus, sequenced in a suite of nine tracks–some of which subdivided into four parts–reinforcing the progressive path put forth. Engineer Wolfgang Thierbach finely recorded the band at EMI Electrola Studio 1 in Cologne in February/March 1973 while famed-Beatles British engineer Geoff Emerick superbly mixed the tracks at A.I.R. Studios in London that same March, pushing the drum parts quite in prominence relative to the rest of the instruments–an engineering style which I welcome greatly and seldom encountered on record regrettably. Helmuth Rüssman was the tape operator. The sound is truly excellent with a powerful bottom end provided by the drums, bass, and lower-note keyboard reach, accompanied by greater than usual dynamics for this
symphony-esque musical genre. The latter allows us to turn up the volume quite higher than usual without any listener fatigue–always a good sign and oh, how I wish many artists, producers, and engineers would follow this route. Counting a total of seven albums and many member changes, like the majority of progressive groups, they called it quits at the turn of the decade as the musical landscape considerably changed towards other directions.
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84- Voyage – Voyage. Sirocco or Polydor – 2933 803 (France) (1977), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Along with Crystall Grass, Cerrone, and Costandinos' numerous productions, French-based Voyage transports us to the epicenter of Euro disco. Headed by Marc Chantereau on keyboards, Pierre Alain Dahan on drums, and Slim Pezin on guitar–with all three tagging percussion and vocals to their résumé–the nine-member musical ensemble explored the globe through four albums until their final landing in 1982. Their self-titled debut comprising seven segued songs, quietly launched at the very end of 1977 but really took flight the following spring, supported by two discothèque hits–"From East to West" and the energetic, piano-driven "Lady America" closing the album. Both unaltered extracts found their way on this side of the Atlantic on the 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-085] which can serve as a worthwhile alternative if one does not care for the remaining five, fairly good, mostly instrumental tracks. Recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Peter Kelsey and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris, by engineer Paul Scemama; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout the trip. Only a sliver more of bottom weight would make it picture perfect. As typical for the period the compression is kept appropriately low for this progressive subgenre.
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85- Voyage – Fly Away. Sirocco – 2473 302 (France) (1978), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Euro disco, tribal, indo-disco, protoworldbeat
Fly Away is the follow-up to Voyage's debut LP, pretty much repeating the same successful recipe; so if you
tripped on the former, you shouldn't be disoriented on this voyage. It too comprised two discothèque and radio hits: "Souvenirs", sounding a lot like–and also a great mix pairing with–"From East to West", and "Let's Fly Away" that did not gather as much airplay as their other singles but is melodically pleasant nonetheless. By the same recommendation as above, if you would rather concentrate on the main hit of the album and benefit a bit from a technical sonic standpoint, then go with the US pressed, 45rpm twelve-inch single [T.K. TKD-117]. Originally recorded and mixed at Trident Studios, London, by engineers Paul Scemama and Steve Tayler with additional recording at Ferber Studios, Paris; and pressed at C.I.D.I.S. Louviers; the tonal balance is evenly well balanced with generous top end detail, accompanied by a constant metronomic upbeat drive throughout. As typical for the period, the compression is kept appropriately low. The TK maxi-single in particular has a very satisfying punch in the upper bass and slightly shelved mids that encourages pumping up the volume! The Canadian LP [RCA Victor KKL1-0299] mastered at RCA Canada, lacquer cut at RCA Studios in Toronto, and pressed by RCA Records Pressing Plant in Smith Falls, Ontario is quite good also and easily found at a low price if you have trouble finding the original French Sirocco pressing. The group would encounter 2 more minor hits, first with "I Love You Dancer" [Sirocco 2441 236] in 1980, and finally with "Let's Get Started" [Sirocco 2441 500] in 1982, though not surprisingly, changing styles and sonic esthetics with the times.
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86- Art Pepper Quintet – Smack Up. Contemporary Records S7602 (1962), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7602 (2009) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, bop, West Coast, cool jazz
Altoist Art Pepper's
Smack Up fits in as the fourth of five LP's released between 1957 and 1963 on Lester Koenig's Contemporary jazz label. Recorded by Roy DuNann in Los Angeles in late October 1960, it is one of my favorites right after his
+ Eleven–Modern Jazz Classics LP out the year before (see entry #63). Accompanied by Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Pete Jolly on piano, Jimmy Bond on bass, and Frank Butler on drums, the quintet navigates alternating waters between hotter-harder bop numbers borrowing from "Bird" and Blue Note, and cooler Coast sounds à la Brubeck and Miles circa 1959–both of whom were enjoying immense influence and success at that time on the jazz scene–through six saxophonist compositions. I did not have an original 1962 Contemporary pressing to compare with which I'm sure should be excellent given their usual high caliber, nor do I have the first Analogue Productions version remastered and cut by Doug Sax in 1992 [APJ 012]. This 2009 double-45 rpm cut by AcousTech's remastering team of Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman is incredibly good, combining the traditional duo's strengths of warmth, relaxing non-fatigued sound, great dynamics and definition, and top end extension; i.e. a sure bet for audiophiles, jazz aficionados, and just plain music lovers.
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87- Art Pepper Quintet – Intensity. Contemporary Records S7607 (1963), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7607 (2003) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, bop, West Coast, cool jazz
Recorded in late November 1960–exactly one month after the
Smack Up sessions
–Intensity reunites the core rhythm section of Bond on bass plus Butler on drums, with the exception of Jolly replaced by Dolo Coker on piano, and dropping Sheldon on trumpet; sticking with the quartet formula this time around. As the title suggests, the opening number
is intense, with '007' in the right channel solidly marking the high pace tempo–each bass string note perfectly captured and cut onto the 45rpm groove–with Pepper dead center, lithe, and lit from within, leading the pack. There is no real need to reiterate the sonic details, for it equals the previous entry on all fronts; which makes plenty of sense knowing that it employed basically the same personnel and (most probably) equipment at the same place during the recording, remastering, cutting, and pressing stages. I did not have an original 1963 Contemporary pressing for reference. Great as that can be, I would be very surprised that it surpasses this double-45rpm edition. Either way get one or the other.
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88- Bauhaus – "Bela Lugosi's Dead"/"Boys"+"Dark Entries (Demo)". Small Wonder Records – TEENY 2 (UK) (1979), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: goth, dub, experimental, psychedelic, noise rock, gothic rock
Bauhaus' debut single "Bela Lugosi's Dead" represents the epitome of the goth genre. Recorded January 26, 1979 at Beck Studios in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England, this 12-inch single on Small Wonder–a UK independent label mostly associated with the post-punk movement–was first released the following August, barely two months after Joy Division's debut album
Unknown Pleasures [Factory FACT 10] appeared; both considered seminal works in the emerging alternative, gothic, and post-punk scene such as pursued by Public Image Limited aka PiL, and The Sisters of Mercy. The influence of dub–an offshoot of reggae–with its delay effects on the song structure is undeniable and brings an experimental edge and originality to the whole presentation. What makes the two main tracks sonically special is that they were recorded live in the studio in one take within a six-hour session; i.e. a true direct-to-analog tape recording–a rare thing in most non-classical-jazz settings, sounding similar to direct-to-disc in physical presence and palpability with just a slight sweetening and rounded dynamics. David J's bass takes pride of place in the overall well-balanced mix supplying the extensive main riff, with plenty of sustained decay and bouncy roundness to resonate–bookshelf speakers and sloppy subs need not apply. He is supported by Kevin Haskins' foot-tapping energetic rhythm that predates Radiohead's Philip Selway's metronomic drumming by more than a decade. Daniel Ash's electric guitar alternates between a recurring droning sound–which lends a psychedelic-tinged ambiance–and a staccato-reverbed percussive
plucked sound, more in line with surf and ska. Though not printed on the label nor sleeve, the other side sports not one but two songs: "Boys" and a shortened demo of "Dark Entries". While the latter sounds thin and compressed, the former sounds really great, very direct, neutral, raw noise rock–a precursor to Steve Albini's Shellac sessions comes readily to mind. Peter Murphy's vocals veer from ghostly ethereal on "Bela" to Bowie-like on "Boys'. While not identified but by closely examining the dead wax, my copy appears to be the SNA French pressing circa 1984 based on the inner sleeve print.
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89- Ray Anthony – Dream Dancing Medley. Capitol Records – ST-1608 (1961), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: easy listening, smooth orchestral dance band
A trumpet player with the original Glenn Miller Orchestra back in 1941–shortly before its leader's disbandment the following year–Ray Anthony took center stage on screen as an actor, and on record as a renowned bandleader starting in the early 1950s and throughout the 1960s mainly for Capitol Records. In 1956 he released
Dream Dancing originally in mono [Capitol T-723] but re-released it a bit later in 'Full Dimensional Stereo' [Capitol ST-723] by re-recording the album with most of the same musicians–instead of simply settling for an electronic re-channeling such as Capitol's 'Duophonic' process. That particular album, made up of 12 individual songs, is quite good but I prefer–perhaps out of nostalgia being among the very first records I ever played on my parent's old Viking stereo cabinet–his 1961 follow up
Dream Dancing Medley that counter-intuively does not reappropriate the same song selection simply by playing them in a medley form but rather selects 30 other songs segued in the most seamless manner. All this due in part to wonderful harmonious arrangements as well as Capitol's glorious sweet 'Full Dimensional Stereo'
rainbow label known for its high sound quality. My copy is the Canadian first pressing with the oval Capitol symbol situated on the left at
9 o'clock–1961 being the last year before the design department moved it at the top or
12 o'clock position afterwards. I have not had the chance of comparing mine with the original US pressing, but based on similar Sinatra comparisons in the past between both country pressings, I did not find that they differed that much in general and would confidently recommend either one.
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90- Isaac Hayes – Shaft. Enterprise – ENS-2-5002, Stax – 2628 001 (Ger.) (1971), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: memphis soul, funk, protodisco, soul-jazz, cinematic soul, blaxploitation soundtrack style
The iconic Isaac Hayes had four albums prior to the release of this big blaxploitation soundtrack, setting the score for several
seventies action-crime cop films to follow. With the 1960s now over,
Shaft signaled the shift towards a new decade of decadence, dancefloors, and discomania. Hayes and Johnny Allen's original orchestration and arrangements beautifully built up the track layer by layer; distinguishing it from previous soul or funk compositions with its lengthy instrumental intro, 16th note hi-hat groove and distinctive wah-wah guitar; that, in addition to keyboards, flute, brass, and strings. As such, this song structure would be exploited in subsequent soul and disco tracks throughout the 1970s; most notably on Cerrone's 1976 Euro disco debut "Love in C Minor" [Alligator J 1611] (see entry #46). Released in August 1971, the double-album is superbly recorded at Stax Recording Studios by engineers Bobby Manuel, Dave Purple, Henry Bush, and William Brown, with Purple and Ron Capone in charge of re-mixing–earning two awards at the 1972 Grammys. My copy is the earliest Stax first pressing, lacquer cut and pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in Germany. The tonal balance is spot on with just the right amount of warmth, definition, and dynamics, tending to be a tad sharper in the top end than the typical early-1970s fat and sometimes softer sound. I did not have an original U.S. Enterprise pressing to compare with but based on many comments found on forums, there seems to be strong concensus that the German pressing is indeed quite superior to the U.S. pressing. Take note that the other tracks do not share the same Shaft
style, and run the gamut from lighter soul-jazz to the heaviest hard funk of the final track–the nearly twenty minute "Do Your Thing". You can find three songs from the soundtrack on the 2003 audiophile 12-inch single
Hits From Shaft [Analogue Productions APP 88002-45], remastered and cut at 45 rpm by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, which is warmly well balanced. When comparing with my German LP pressing, the latter surprisingly surpasses the newer 45rpm 12-inch single in top end transparency and directness, making it my favored choice to own and listen to. For a more in-depth evaluation, you can go HERE:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/11/isaac-hayes-shaft_2.html
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91- Deep Purple – Machine Head. Purple Records – TPSA 7504 IE 064 (UK) (1972), Warner Bros. Records, Rhino Vinyl – R1 75622 (2006), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy metal, proto-speed metal, blues rock.
"We all came out to Montreux..." Surely one of the most recognizable rock riffs in history, "Smoke on the Water", firing the second side, solidified the English quintet's second and best line-up consisting of: Ian Gillan on vocals and harmonica; Ritchie Blackmore on guitar; Jon Lord on keyboards; Roger Glover on bass; and Ian Paice on drums and percussion. Indeed as a kid growing up in the 1970s, who hasn't been tempted at some point to pick up a guitar to try and find those seven
sacred staccato
notes? Around its March 1972 release date,
Machine Head and the band were displaying their deepest shade of Purple in studio and in concerts around the globe. Assisted by Jeremy (Bear) Gee, British engineer Martin Birch–who ended up working on close to a dozen Deep Purple LPs as well as many Mac, Maiden, and Rainbow records–recorded the band in December 1971 while in Switzerland. After the
inspirational infamous fire following Frank Zappa's fiery concert–where they were registered to record the following day–the group relocated to the Pavilion theater for a few basic tracks which soon proved problematic due to neighborly noise complaints. Consequently the remainder of the album was completed at the Grand Hotel with endless cables crawling the floors hooked up to the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio truck operated by technician Nick Watterton, equipped with a 16-track 3M M56 2-inch tape recorder and mixed on a Helios console–famously used by The Beatles, The Who, and Steve Miller. While "Smoke on the Water" remains their quintessential anthem–and the best sounding song of the album followed closely by the bluesy, and quite dynamic "Lazy"–on equal musical footing, though to a slightly lower sonic prowess is the proto-
speed king "Highway Star". Starting side one, and spearheading intricate Hammond organ and guitar solos backed with Bach-inspired arpeggios descending the minor harmonic scale–it presents several key elements predating power and speed metal song structures roughly by a decade. Lastly there is the psychedelic-tinged "Space Truckin'" that shows signs of slight compression converging fast towards the label's smaller radius, building a strong case for the need of a high quality double-45rpm reissue–MoFi are you listening? Unfortunately I do not have an original UK Purple pressing to compare with but Kevin Gray's Rhino remastering and cutting beats my first press Canadian olive green Warner Bros. in every aspect, with nice warm analog non-fatiguing textures and tonal balance. The high hat, snare, kick, and toms are meaty, with superb
springiness, snap, dryness, and dynamics especially on the intro of "Smoke.." where the six cascading 4/4 bars build up before the vocals first enter, as well as "Lazy" toying with us through a lengthy
roller coaster instrumental intro, the latter containing
crunchy overdriven Hammond organ swirling in dynamic shadings, contrasts, and strong soundfield panning. Note that there is nearly no dead wax which is evident in the
dulling top end towards both side's endings and unfortunately "Highway Star" lacks a bit of bite, dynamic contrast, and frequency extremes to match the rest of the album.
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92- Deep Purple – Made in Japan. Purple Records – TPSP 351, IE 192 o 93915-6 (UK) (1972), DCC Compact Classics – LPZ-2052 (1998), 2x33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy metal, proto-speed metal, blues rock.
Made in Japan is one of my five favorite live rock albums, and most probably my top choice for sonics alone, along with ELP's
Pictures at an Exhibition [MoFi MFSL 1-031] (see selection #19 of my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html). Recorded in August 1972 at the Festival Hall in Osaka and Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan, this double LP captures the band brimming at the top of their game, hot on the heels of
Machine Head's success
selected above. Purple-produced, and engineered once again by maestro Martin Birch–with mixing credited to Paice and Glover–it is astounding how great the performances, and sonics coalesce into one gigantic
fireball. The show opener fearlessly features a high-octane "Highway Star" delivering drive, force, and solid showmanship, pushing pedal to the metal under maximum horsepower. The temporary
calm after the storm comes in the form of "Child in Time" taken from their fourth studio album
Deep Purple in Rock [Harvest SHVL 777, 1E 062 o 91442] from 1970–the first for this mk2 line-up. The smooth mysterious intro showcases the beautiful delicate interplay between the bass, keyboards, and drums, later augmented by Gillan's incredible haunting vocals, slowly building towards a combined crescendo and accelerando. This leads to a brief
Ravel-Holst-esque staccato march before unleashing the full fury and power of Paice, Lord, Glover, and Blackmore. The thunderous track appears inspired by Led Zep's cover of "Dazed and Confused" from their 1969 debut album–released a year before Purple's studio version–which follows a very similar song structure. The sound quality on this particular piece resonates with a rare realism thanks to Birch's impressive engineering, along with Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray's
right on the money remastering and all vacuum tube cutting for the now-defunct DCC label. As I've often mentioned this
dynamic duo knew how to rock! The sound is very punchy, meaty, and the tone is spot on to turn it way up! The drumkit in general, and cymbals in particular on "Child on Time" are to die for. "Smoke on the Water" follows on the B-side sporting a live-only alteration amid its famous intro riff, and easily living up to the original studio version with a small added adrenaline boost, resulting in record 1 being the best of the two. Side C's lengthier
"Lazy" is a bit disappointing when compared with the other tracks of the concert and its superior studio version, while "Space Truckin'" occupies the whole last side, nearing 20 minutes–nearly five times the original–and presents an interesting alternative to its studio counterpart. I did not have an original UK Purple pressing to compare with but strongly doubt it could beat or equal this unfortunately–presently expensive–discontinued DCC copy.
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93- Yello – "Lost Again"+"Base for Alec"/"No More Words"+"Pumping Velvet". Stiff Records – BUY IT 191 (UK) (1983), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: electropop, synth-pop, electronica, experimental flirtings, hints of Central European folk.
The Swiss electronic formation created by Carlos Perón, Boris Blank, and Deiter Meier, first emerged on the scene with an obscure single in 1979, then truly rose to prominence in June 1983 with the release of their third album
You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess. Extracted from it are three tracks in addition to "Base for Alec" which originally didn't appear on the LP. Though the latter is worth getting at some point in time, my first recommendation is this 12-inch 45 rpm U.K. EP–as it features not only better extended versions but also way superior sound; with solid four on the floor punch pounding the
Wagnerian soundstage by experimenting with creatively fierce phase manipulations. The
confrontation going on between the clean swirling synths and the harsher, dead center,
dirty-chunky riffs is very tactile to the body and senses. Deiter's distinct haunting voice invades our inner space, drumming up drama and foreshadowing Leonard Cohen's flirting with electronica and Central European folk by barely a few years. Tonal balance and dynamics are superb and above average for this music period. Of course the big hit here was "Lost Again" but the three remaining tracks are as captivating in composition and sound
design. All songs were composed, arranged, and produced by Blank, while engineered by Swiss mastering engineer Ursli Weber. Denis Blackham aka BilBo cut the lacquer at Tape One in London, England, and the records were manufactured by the CBS Pressing Plant in the historic village of Aston Clinton situated in Buckinghamshire, England.
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94- Yello – "Call It Love"/"L'Hotel"+"Call It Love" (Trego snare version). Vertigo – 888 311-1 (Ger.) (1987), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: electropop, synth-pop, electronica.
Taken from their fifth album released four years later, "Call It Love" is another well recorded 12-inch single that merits its place in the List. I have a slight preference for the previous entry both for the musical content which I find a bit more diversified–you do get only two distinct songs here whereas the previous presented four–and darker to my tastes but some may prefer this entry for its more
angelic or atmospheric ambiance. Sonically, it is full range reaching down low and equally extended in the top end with ample low mids in between; the sole unusual trait for this music genre would be the emaciated electro kick lost a bit in the mix–though the overall sound envelope remains tonally balanced at all times. The soundscape is typically enveloping and rich in artistic effects blending jungle-type sounds with metallic-slap sounding riffs contrasting with Chico Hablas' clean rhythm guitar. Ian Tregoning mixed the tracks–the last one specifically credited to his name in its song title–while the master disc was cut at The Town House in London, England, and pressed at PDO in Germany. The dead wax indicates it is a DMM cut which I usually dislike but in this instance didn't display an overly-emphasized hot treble.
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95- Booker T. – "Don't Stop Your Love" (Special Extended Version). A&M Records – SP-17188 (1981), 12", 33 1/3 rpm, promo. Genre: soulful disco.
Best known as the better part of Booker T. & the M.G.'s–the soul-funky stalwarts from Stax behind major instrumental tracks such as "Green Onions" and "Melting Pot"–Jones had a club/radio hit in 1981 with the disco-ish "Don't Stop Your Love". Sporting soothing soulful vocals reminiscent of an Isaac Hayes or Barry White record, the then thirty-six year old reemerged on the scene, dusting off the dancefloor as the glory days were long gone for disco nights as well as the multi-talented Mr.T. Both sides of this 12-inch single showcases the same song but differs in durations. Side B features the "special extended version" favored to fully benefit from the added
breakdowns and
buildups not present on side A's edited version.
Produced by Michael Stokes–well known for his work with Creative Force in the mid-1970s–and recorded by engineers Don Hahn and Jim Cassell at A&M Recording Studio "B" in Hollywood, CA, this particular promo issue comes from the Columbia Records Pressing Plant in Terre Haute, IN whereas the standard 12-inch A&M single [SP-12046] was pressed by the Monarch Record Mfg. Co. in Los Angeles, CA and puts the extended version on its side A with a different song on side B. After comparison, both sound impressive but my white label promo slightly surpasses the standard issue having incredible punch in the 60 to 80 Hz region–what I designate as the club
belly punch–with sharp attack and deep sustain pumping the woofer throughout the track but especially appreciated during the intro and two breaks. The mix and wide tonal balance is absolutely perfect while the VUs
swing on the modulated dynamics. One of my favorite early-1980s track.
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96- The Curtis Counce Group – You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce!. Contemporary Records C7539 (1957), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7539 (2006) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, West Coast, cool jazz, hard bop flirtings.
Often appending "
Vol.2"
to the LPs title on it's back cover,
YGMBWCC is the follow up to the quintet's self-titled debut [Contemporary C3526] which comprises the leader on bass, Frank Butler on drums, Carl Perkins on piano, Harold Land on tenor, and Jack Sheldon on trumpet. Staying firmly anchored in West Coast cool territory, there are few surprises; the album presents seven songs performed with finely attuned musicianship. Produced by Lester Koenig, this is one of the first beautifully captured in stereo by–my
hero–engineer Roy DuNann between October 1956 and September 1957 at Contemporary's studio in Los Angeles. I don't have the original Contemporary pressing but this Analogue Productions' double 45 rpm edition dating from 2006 is outstandingly great. Remastered and cut by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman, the sound is a bit more intimate, warmer, and tamer at the very top than usual, yet retains its explosive dynamics with pleasant tonal balance. The trumpet and tenor timbres are to die for; Counce's bass is–not surprisingly–well captured leaning more towards a full roundish
wooden tone rather than hyper-articulated; the soft swirling brush rattling of the snare's skin as well as a few startling staccato strikes of its metal rim is refreshing in today's sad world of over and
overt compression, and a hard reminder of how perfected the art of recording was already attained back in 1956!
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97- Lita Roza – Lita Roza. London Records – LL 1450 (mono) (1956), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional pop standards, easy listening, vocal jazz.
English singer Lita Roza conjures up fond memories for me, being my lowest price ever paid for a sealed NOS LP which I found in a local record shop for 29 cents back in the mid-1980s. Odysçon opened around 1979, and closed by the end of the following decade–as CD's were slowly taking over vinyl sales and shelf space. The charming spot was owned by Guy Bertrand who previously worked as an A&R executive for Polydor, and CBS in the early to mid-1970s, and prior to that at London Records starting in the mid-1950s. His deep knowledge of the record industry, and associated anecdotes fostered my music-related curiosity, and I owe him much for where I am today. All this to say that there were many NOS "leftover" London, Savoy, and Polydor pressings sitting in the backstore bins for under five bucks. These thick London FFRR releases have "Made in England"–indicating the recording origin only–printed on the label, whereas the back cover states "Printed in U.S.A.", and were in fact perfectly pressed in the States to the highest standards, still standing the test of time. Lita's intimate vocal delivery and delicacy is delicious to the ears as well as the sultry sax solos, both highly dynamic and transparent with natural textures throughout. There are some tracks leaning more towards traditional pop-jazz, while others rather fitting under the easy-listening nomenclature. One of my all time female vocal sonic reference.
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98- Keely Smith with Billy May and His Orchestra – Politely!. Capitol Records – ST 1073 (1958), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional pop standards, vocal jazz, swing.
Politely! presents American pop and jazz singer Keely Smith
backed by Billy May and His Orchestra mixing mid-tempo standards and ballads for Capitol's Full
Spectrum of Sound. Married at one time to musician-entertainer-band leader Louis Prima–both part of the 1950s Las Vegas lounge scene cicuit–her singing is more poised than sultry with a style, spirit, and sound synergizing Sinatra's swingin' sessions to a tee. My mono Canadian first press [Capitol T-1093] is great, and sounds sweeter especially in her vocals than the original US stereo version but the latter shows significantly deeper bass, bringing more majesty along with a wide soundstage, beautiful floating string tone, and exciting dynamic brass burst. In addition, there are tiny musical sounds that appear in the stereo soundfield that seem camouflaged in the mono mix. So it is a bit of a toss-up between both versions but forced to pick only one, I would stick with the stereo for the fuller tonal balance and the noted benefits while accepting a slight vocal
thinning–which is why in the end I am glad to have one of each depending on my mood. This is Smith's second solo release following her debut
I Wish You Love [Capitol T-914 or ST-914] and preceding
Swingin' Pretty [Capitol ST-1145],
both of
which are also excellent LP's, and worth getting at some point.
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99- Ike Quebec – Bossa Nova Soul Samba. Blue Note – BST 84114 (1962), Classic Records – ST 84114 (1997) 33 1/3 rpm or Analogue Productions – AP-84114 (2009) (2x45 rpm). Genre: bossa nova, latin jazz, soul jazz.
You would think that being from Québec, I would have heard of Ike Quebec long before 1997 came along, and yet it took Classic Records' reissue to further enrich my musical heritage. This title, closely followed by Kenny Burrell's
Midnight Blue [see below], were the two last Blue Note releases–numerically speaking–that I acquired from Classic back in the day. I tend to tie them together; no doubt due to Burrell's dual performance. Aside from the latter–as with the vast majority of Blue Note records of that era–Rudy Van Gelder engineered both releases. But contrary to usual,
BNSS does not share the typical RVG signature sound wherein the upper mids and treble are prominently placed front and center while the bass is rather
flatly compressed. In fact this recording represents what is probably the warmest, most intimate, tonally balanced RVG-Blue Note-Grundman remastered release I know of. Quebec's tenor sax is closely captured combining warmth with the requisite bite to insure sufficiant definition despite a faint
fuzz or
smudge to the textures–the very opposite of a clinically clean, cool, and contrived sound. Burrell's gifted guitar performance perfectly complements this latin-flavored jazz by infusing subtle soulful touches to the delicate mix. Wendell Marshall's bass, Willie Bobo's drums, and Garvin Masseaux's Shekere secure a charming recording session, perfect for those
special occasions. I do not own an original Blue Note pressing for this title to compare with but based on many past comparisons between original deep groove RVG cuttings and BG-cut Classic Records reissues, I generally preferred the latter, be they mono or stereo versions, finding them a bit cleaner, and more extended in both frequency directions. I did though had the chance to compare the Classic 33 1/3 rpm with the 2009 double-45 rpm Analogue Productions remastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman a few years ago, and if my memory is still intact, found the latter slightly airier in the top end–especially in the shekere's shaking, and a whisker cleaner in the sax. That said the usual disparities between Grundman vs Gray-Hoffman tonal presentations were much less apparent than expected.
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100- Kenny Burrell – Midnight Blue. Blue Note – BST 84123 (1963), Classic Records CRBST 84123 (2005) 33 1/3 rpm, 200g or Analogue Productions – AP-84123 (2008) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, hard bop.
As mentioned just above,
Midnight Blue brings Burrell back into the spotlight; this time as leader of a quintet featuring tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, backed by drummer Bill English, bassist Major Holley Jr., and Ray Barretto on congas in more traditional jazz territory. As with the previous entry, Kenny's guitar tone, texture, and playing is simply exquisite for the senses, filled with delicate dexterity, and colorful nuances, showing the mark of a true genius. The conga in the opening track is very transparent and tangible. The album's tempo shifts between smooth and swingin', embracing a 1960s
spy-swagger which wouldn't feel out of place in a
Pink Panther/Matt Helm motion picture. Like the
Bossa Nova Soul Samba LP
[see above], the tonal balance is warmer, intimate, and less compressed than typical RVG Blue Notes, as well as Grundman remasterings. I did not have an original Blue Note pressing to compare with nor the 2008 Analogue Productions double-45rpm remastered by Gray and Hoffman but based on experience I doubt an original RVG would surpass or equal the BG-cut Classic edition. On the other hand, the AP cut at 45 rpm stands a real fighting chance–plus most online forum comments seem very positive, which is why I can cautiously recommend it. Neither have I heard the 2014 Music Matters 33 1/3 rpm cut at Cohearent Audio by Gray and Ron Rambach.
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A final note:
Now don't go 'bonkers' if you have not found your favorite recording included in this List, just remember: we are still in the first fifth of a long long journey...into sound.
