JANUARY /
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NEIL YOUNG |
ALLMAN BROTHERS |
JOHN LENNON |
DAVIE ALLAN |
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THE BEATLES The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 (Capitol / Apple) A hot button issue thats sure to keep the proverbial musical telephone ringing off the hook well into 05, the four CD box set release of The Capitol Albums Volume 1 will either prove to be a musical panacea for long time Beatles fans or this kiss of death for non-believers, purists and sundry international fans never exposed to these American-only releases. Actually, Capitol Records is only finally legitimizing and setting in stone something bootleggers and collectors have known for quite a few years already. The fact is, the original Beatles Lps as released in the USA on Capitol were punch for punch, track lineup by track lineup, more fab, more impressionistic and more (cost) effective (marketable) than the groups Fab-endorsed Parlophone albums. Case in point comes by way of the very first Beatles Lp release on Capitol in the US, Meet The Beatles. If you look at the Fabs first two UK albums (Please, Please Me and With The Beatles), nowhere is to be found a little song called I Want To Hold Your Hand. The bands first signature song kicking off the late 63 Meet The Beatles release, I Want To Hold Your Hand can single-handedly take the creditalong with She Loves You, another hit single not released on their U.K. albumsfor sparking off the essence of the worldwide Beatlemania phenomenon. That and other comparative footnotes aside, as someone who grew up with these different looking and sounding albums, I admit to being more intrigued by the U.S. Beatles albums, an effect quite tangible from Meet The Beatles on, including their three 60s soundtracks and the Summer 66 smash Revolver, which marked the end of the obvious U.S. / U.K. Beatles album differences. More important, this first ever CD reissue series pairs both authentic stereo and mono mixes of the Beatles U.S. releases, offering the ultimate sonic comparison. Keep in mind that many purists still regard the mono mixes as the definitive versions straight through and including The Beatles (double white album) and Abbey Road. No less an expert than the late great George Harrison admitted to preferring the mono mix of Sgt. Peppers. One can only hope that Capitol goes the distance this way with every Beatles record. Definitive as it is, Capitols 2004 Beatles box also sports a 48 booklet, lovingly encasing each album in spiffy, mini Lp jacket sleeves and finally represented in the best CD sound quality yet. With the release of The Capitol Albums Volume 1, combining Meet The Beatles (24 tracks), The Beatles Second Album (22 tracks), Something New (22 tracks) and Beatles 65 (22 tracks), justice has finally been served back in the USA. www.thebeatles.com
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PAT MORAZ & BILL BRUFORD Music For Piano And Drums (Winterfold) Having
secured a first rate musical reputation during that fabled 69-74
era, drummer Bill Bruford and keyboardist Pat Moraz teamed
in both 83 and 85 for a pair of albums that are considered
progressive music masterpieces. Both the 83 album Music
For Piano And Drums, and its 85
follow up Flags retained the best qualities of Brufords
drumming in Yes with that incredible Moraz piano technique. Although
its only the two of them locked in a prog-jazz grand piano/drum
duet layered with some tasteful electronic keyboard effects, the sound
is enormous and quite majestic, leaving one to only ponder the Bruford
/ Moraz match up in Yes that never happened. Both CD reissues are featured
here with bonus tracks on what is being heralded as the first two reissues
on Brufords new Winterfold Records. Winterfold is planning
to revive and remaster Bruford's entire output between 1978 and 1985,
while also planning for possible unreleased sessions. Interestingly,
Bruford has simultaneously started a second label called Summerfold
Records, which will devote it's resources towards overhauling his
various releases since 85. www.billbruford.com
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NEIL
YOUNG
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ALLMAN
BROTHERS BAND Stand Back: The Anthology (Hip-O / UMG) A 2004 double CD set on Hip-O / UMG, The Anthology, taps the best of Southern rock legends The Allman Brothers Band, as recorded for Capricorn Records and various labels between 1969-2003. Fresh from his work as session guitar for Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman lead the Allmans through a sprint of now classic blues rock albums, till his untimely death in 1971. Despite the passing of their trademark guitar sound and vision, Duanes brother Gregg Allman and second guitarist Dickey Betts continued the bands success till the departure of Betts in 2002. Theres even a track from the 1994 Tom Dowd produced Where It All Begins and a 2003 track featuring the Allmans lineup on their first post-Betts CD on Sanctuary, Hittin The Note. Even so, its still their early 70s rock classics with Duane Allman that still retains the biggest influence. www.allmanbrothersband.com
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JOHN
LENNON Rock 'N' Roll (Apple / Capitol / EMI)
Released
in 2004 under the supervision of Yoko Ono, John Lennon
Acoustic and the simultaneous release of Rock N
Roll show two distinct sides of John Lennons recorded
output during the fleeting 70s. The subject of extensive bootlegging
through the years, the mid 70s Rock N Roll album
remains an influential moment from the official first end of Lennons
public career before finally moving back to NYC, only to be shot five
years later by a deranged, gun-toting religious psycho. Bolstered by
his then companionJohns assistant whom he referred to as
Mother Superior, May PangRock N Roll featured
Lennon waxing prolific and elaborate on set of 50s rock and roll
standards, backed by some legendary musicians, especially guitarists,
including Lennon, Jesse Ed Davis and Steve Cropper. From his 2003 20th
Century Guitar interview Cropper recalls, Leon Russell was there.
You had four other guitar players. Five and Lennon. So there were six
guitars on the track. He had horns. He had two keyboard players. He
had two drummers and a percussionist and three background singers. It
was just a wall of sound. Also recently commenting on this excellent
sounding Rock N Roll remaster, May Pang adds, "John
would've loved this technology. All of his remixed albums sound so good.
We can now hear all the little nuances." Released worldwide by
EMI and Capitol in the USA, the CD is enhanced by bonus tracks and some
way cool Lennon artworkexemplified best by an inset tray card
with his hilarious Rock And Roll caricature. John Lennon Acoustic,
in the other hand features 16 acoustic demos performed as only Lennon
could, with a definite highlight being a swinging doo-wop version of
his Plastic Ono Band epic, God. Acoustic versions
of his Double Fantasy songs are equally revealing and the CD
is fleshed out with priceless pics and complete guitar chord charts
/ diagrams of all the songs. www.maxwelledison.blogspot.com
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DAVIE
ALLAN & THE ARROWS Anthology '64 - '68 (Sundazed) Back in the 60s guitarist Davie Allan set the music scene ablaze with his unique approach to the guitar instrumental genre pioneered by The Shadows and Duane Eddy. Released by Sundazed in 2004 as a 40 track double CD set or a 28 track double Lp pressed on 180gm vinyl, Devils Rumble / Anthology 64-68 is the final word on the 60s recordings from Davie Allan & The Arrows. Many of Allans guitar instrumentals provided the ultimate soundtrack of the 60s world of biker and hot rod flicks like The Wild Angels and Sundazed has wisely compiled the best of Allans 60s studio albums along with hard to find singles and rare soundtracks appearances. Released with the participation of guitarist Allan and original Arrows producer Mike Curb, Devils Rumble compiles a slew of tracks recorded by Allan for the Tower and Sidewalk record labels, and, complete with a 16 page booklet the set offers a real historical treat for fans of 60s instrumental guitar groups. www.DavieAllan.com
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