2106 - THIN LIZZY - Fighting (Deluxe Edition), Disc Two (1975)

THIN LIZZY
''FIGHTING (DELUXE EDITION), DISC TWO''
1975
2012
ISLAND
99:34

DISC ONE
1/Rosalie
Bob Seger/2:58
2/For Those Who Love to Live
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:09
3/Suicide
Phil Lynott/5:14
4/Wild One
Phil Lynott/4:19
5/Fighting My Way Back
Phil Lynott/3:13
6/King's Vengeance
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/4:08
7/Spirit Slips Away
Phil Lynott/4:42
8/Silver Dollar
Brian Robertson/3:29
9/Freedom Song
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/3:33
10/Ballad of a Hard Man
Scott Gorham/3:18

DISC TWO
1/Half Caste
Phil Lynott/3:38
2/Rosalie [US Album Mix]
Bob Seger/2:56
3/Half Caste [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/3:52
4/Rosalie [BBC Session]
Bob Seger/3:15
5/Suicide [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/5:18
6/Ballad of a Hard Man [False Starts and No Vocal]
Scott Graham/4:08
7/Try a Little Harder [Alternate Vocal]/4:07
8/Fighting My Way Back [Rough Mix with Alternate Vocal]/3:23
Phil Lynott/3:23
9/Song for Jesse [No Vocal]/2:13
10/Leaving Town [Acoustic, Bass & Drums - No Vocal]/4:51
11/Blues Boy
Brian Robertson/4:33
12/Leaving Town [Extended Take]/5:52
13/Spirit Slips Away [Extended Version - Take Four]/5:30
14/Wild One [No Vocal]/4:18
15/Bryan's Funky Fazer (Silver Dollar)
Brian Robertson/3:37

Roger Chapman /Vocals
Brian Downey /Drums, Percussion
Scott Gorham /Guitar
Phil Lynott /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Bass), Producer, Vocals
Ian McLagan /Piano
Brian Robertson /Guitar, Vocals

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's hard not to interpret the "fighting my way back" chorus of the title track on Thin Lizzy's fifth album as the band's way of bouncing back from the uncommonly subdued Night Life. If that record was smooth and relaxed, Fighting is a tense, coiled, vicious rock & roll album, as hard as Vagabonds's toughest moments but more accomplished, the sound of a band truly coming into its own. There are two key forces at work. First, there's the integration of guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, who get to unleash furious playing on every track here. It's hard not to thrill at their harmonizing twin-lead interplay, which is enough to excuse the rather pedestrian nature of their original tunes here (Robertson penned the boogie "Silver Dollar," Gorham the closer "Ballad of a Hard Man"). That's especially true because of the other development here: the full flourishing of Phil Lynott as a rock & roll poet. Whether he's writing hard-charging rockers like "Wild One," jazzy Springsteen-isms of "For Those Who Love to Live" or combining both on "Freedom Song," his songs manage to be both mythic and commonplace, and when delivered by the vital, visceral lineup he has here, they're invigorating. Strangely enough, that leap forward as a writer is somewhat overshadowed by a triumph of the band, in how they completely steal Bob Seger's "Rosalie" turning it into their own anthem, but that again is a testament to the strength of this incarnation of Thin Lizzy, who truly begin their classic era with this dynamic LP.

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2105 - THIN LIZZY - Fighting (Deluxe Edition), Disc One (1975)

THIN LIZZY
''FIGHTING (DELUXE EDITION), DISC ONE''
1975
2012
ISLAND
99:34

DISC ONE
1/Rosalie
Bob Seger/2:58
2/For Those Who Love to Live
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:09
3/Suicide
Phil Lynott/5:14
4/Wild One
Phil Lynott/4:19
5/Fighting My Way Back
Phil Lynott/3:13
6/King's Vengeance
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/4:08
7/Spirit Slips Away
Phil Lynott/4:42
8/Silver Dollar
Brian Robertson/3:29
9/Freedom Song
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/3:33
10/Ballad of a Hard Man
Scott Gorham/3:18

DISC TWO
1/Half Caste
Phil Lynott/3:38
2/Rosalie [US Album Mix]
Bob Seger/2:56
3/Half Caste [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/3:52
4/Rosalie [BBC Session]
Bob Seger/3:15
5/Suicide [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/5:18
6/Ballad of a Hard Man [False Starts and No Vocal]
Scott Graham/4:08
7/Try a Little Harder [Alternate Vocal]/4:07
8/Fighting My Way Back [Rough Mix with Alternate Vocal]/3:23
Phil Lynott/3:23
9/Song for Jesse [No Vocal]/2:13
10/Leaving Town [Acoustic, Bass & Drums - No Vocal]/4:51
11/Blues Boy
Brian Robertson/4:33
12/Leaving Town [Extended Take]/5:52
13/Spirit Slips Away [Extended Version - Take Four]/5:30
14/Wild One [No Vocal]/4:18
15/Bryan's Funky Fazer (Silver Dollar)
Brian Robertson/3:37

Roger Chapman /Vocals
Brian Downey /Drums, Percussion
Scott Gorham /Guitar
Phil Lynott /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Bass), Producer, Vocals
Ian McLagan /Piano
Brian Robertson /Guitar, Vocals

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's hard not to interpret the "fighting my way back" chorus of the title track on Thin Lizzy's fifth album as the band's way of bouncing back from the uncommonly subdued Night Life. If that record was smooth and relaxed, Fighting is a tense, coiled, vicious rock & roll album, as hard as Vagabonds's toughest moments but more accomplished, the sound of a band truly coming into its own. There are two key forces at work. First, there's the integration of guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, who get to unleash furious playing on every track here. It's hard not to thrill at their harmonizing twin-lead interplay, which is enough to excuse the rather pedestrian nature of their original tunes here (Robertson penned the boogie "Silver Dollar," Gorham the closer "Ballad of a Hard Man"). That's especially true because of the other development here: the full flourishing of Phil Lynott as a rock & roll poet. Whether he's writing hard-charging rockers like "Wild One," jazzy Springsteen-isms of "For Those Who Love to Live" or combining both on "Freedom Song," his songs manage to be both mythic and commonplace, and when delivered by the vital, visceral lineup he has here, they're invigorating. Strangely enough, that leap forward as a writer is somewhat overshadowed by a triumph of the band, in how they completely steal Bob Seger's "Rosalie" turning it into their own anthem, but that again is a testament to the strength of this incarnation of Thin Lizzy, who truly begin their classic era with this dynamic LP.

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2104 - THIN LIZZY - Nightlife (Deluxe Edition), Disc Two (1974)

THIN LIZZY
''NIGHTLIFE (DELUXE EDITION), DISC TWO''
1974
2012
ISLAND
83:50

DISC ONE
1/She Knows
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/5:14
2/Night Life
Phil Lynott/3:58
3/It's Only Money
Phil Lynott/2:48
4/Still in Love with You
Phil Lynott/5:41
5/Frankie Carroll
Phil Lynott/2:03
6/Showdown
Phil Lynott/4:33
7/Banshee
Phil Lynott/1:28
8/Philomena
Phil Lynott/3:44
9/Sha-La-La
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:28
10/Dear Heart
Phil Lynott/4:38

DISC TWO
1/She Knows [BBC Session]
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/5:10
2/Sha-La-La [BBC Session]
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:37
3/It's Only Money [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/2:43
4/Philomena [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/3:42
5/Dear Heart [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/4:28
6/Banshee [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/2:43
7/Showdown [Demo]
Phil Lynott/3:53
8/Still in Love with You [Demo]
Phil Lynott/6:26
9/It's Only Money [Demo]
Phil Lynott/2:55
10/Showdown [Alternate Take]
Phil Lynott/4:36
11/Still in Love with You [Rough Vocal Mix]
Phil Lynott/6:02

Brian Downey/Drums, Percussion
Scott Gorham/Guitar, Vocals
Phil Lynott/Bass, Guitar, Producer, Vocals
Frankie Miller/Vocals
Gary Moore/Guitar
Brian Robertson/Guitar
Jean Russell/Keyboards

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's curious that Night Life -- the first album Thin Lizzy recorded for Mercury, the first album to feature guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, the album that in many ways kicked off their classic era -- is in many ways a complete anomaly within their catalog. It's a subdued, soulful record, smooth in ways that Thin Lizzy never were before and rarely were afterwards. To be sure, the title Night Life is accurate but not in the sense of this providing a soundtrack for a night out on the town -- quite the opposite actually. This is the soundtrack for an intimate night in, either alone or as a pair, since it has moments ideal for either contemplation or seduction. There are still some moments of tough, primal rock & roll -- there's the funky workout of "It's Only Money" and the nasty "Sha-La-La," both excellent showcases for Gorham and Robertson -- but they stick out among the jazzy, soulful whole, even if they never quite disrupt the mood. And it's that mood that's so appealing about Night Life -- it's a warm, soulful sound that resonates in ways Thin Lizzy's earlier records didn't. And it's not just because of the feel of the music, either, it's due to Phil Lynott's increasing growth as a songwriter. Much of this is quite sentimental -- especially the closing "Dear Heart" -- but it's never saccharine or sappy, it's big-hearted and effecting, best-heard on the gently propulsive, utterly addictive opener "She Knows" and the easy-rolling jazzy "Showdown." These may be the high-water marks on this album, but they're not the only highlights, they're just the most immediate, representative signs of the charms of this underrated gem of a record.

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2103 - THIN LIZZY - Nightlife (Deluxe Edition), Disc One (1974)

THIN LIZZY
''NIGHTLIFE (DELUXE EDITION), DISC ONE''
1974
2012
ISLAND
83:50

DISC ONE
1/She Knows
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/5:14
2/Night Life
Phil Lynott/3:58
3/It's Only Money
Phil Lynott/2:48
4/Still in Love with You
Phil Lynott/5:41
5/Frankie Carroll
Phil Lynott/2:03
6/Showdown
Phil Lynott/4:33
7/Banshee
Phil Lynott/1:28
8/Philomena
Phil Lynott/3:44
9/Sha-La-La
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:28
10/Dear Heart
Phil Lynott/4:38

DISC TWO
1/She Knows [BBC Session]
Scott Gorham / Phil Lynott/5:10
2/Sha-La-La [BBC Session]
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/3:37
3/It's Only Money [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/2:43
4/Philomena [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/3:42
5/Dear Heart [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/4:28
6/Banshee [BBC Session]
Phil Lynott/2:43
7/Showdown [Demo]
Phil Lynott/3:53
8/Still in Love with You [Demo]
Phil Lynott/6:26
9/It's Only Money [Demo]
Phil Lynott/2:55
10/Showdown [Alternate Take]
Phil Lynott/4:36
11/Still in Love with You [Rough Vocal Mix]
Phil Lynott/6:02

Brian Downey/Drums, Percussion
Scott Gorham/Guitar, Vocals
Phil Lynott/Bass, Guitar, Producer, Vocals
Frankie Miller/Vocals
Gary Moore/Guitar
Brian Robertson/Guitar
Jean Russell/Keyboards

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's curious that Night Life -- the first album Thin Lizzy recorded for Mercury, the first album to feature guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, the album that in many ways kicked off their classic era -- is in many ways a complete anomaly within their catalog. It's a subdued, soulful record, smooth in ways that Thin Lizzy never were before and rarely were afterwards. To be sure, the title Night Life is accurate but not in the sense of this providing a soundtrack for a night out on the town -- quite the opposite actually. This is the soundtrack for an intimate night in, either alone or as a pair, since it has moments ideal for either contemplation or seduction. There are still some moments of tough, primal rock & roll -- there's the funky workout of "It's Only Money" and the nasty "Sha-La-La," both excellent showcases for Gorham and Robertson -- but they stick out among the jazzy, soulful whole, even if they never quite disrupt the mood. And it's that mood that's so appealing about Night Life -- it's a warm, soulful sound that resonates in ways Thin Lizzy's earlier records didn't. And it's not just because of the feel of the music, either, it's due to Phil Lynott's increasing growth as a songwriter. Much of this is quite sentimental -- especially the closing "Dear Heart" -- but it's never saccharine or sappy, it's big-hearted and effecting, best-heard on the gently propulsive, utterly addictive opener "She Knows" and the easy-rolling jazzy "Showdown." These may be the high-water marks on this album, but they're not the only highlights, they're just the most immediate, representative signs of the charms of this underrated gem of a record.

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2102 - THIN LIZZY (BONUS TRACKS) (1971)(2010)

THIN LIZZY
''THIN LIZZY (BONUS TRACKS)''
1971
2010
71:29

1/The The Friendly Ranger At Clontarf Castle
Eric Bell / Phil Lynott/3:02
2/Honesty Is No Excuse
Phil Lynott/3:43
3/Diddy Levine
Phil Lynott/7:08
4/Ray Gun
Eric Bell/3:08
5/Look What The Wind Blew In
Phil Lynott/3:26
6/Eire
Phil Lynott/2:10
7/Return of the Farmer's Son
Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/4:16
8/Clifton Grange Hotel
Phil Lynott/2:29
9/Saga of the Ageing Orphan
Phil Lynott/3:40
10/Remembering
Phil Lynott/6:07
11/The The Farmer
Phil Lynott/3:40
12/Dublin
Eric Bell / Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/2:29
13/Remembering
Eric Bell / Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/5:07
14/Old Moon Madness
Phil Lynott/3:55
15/Things Ain't Working Out Down At the Farm
Phil Lynott/4:32
16/Look What the Wind Blew In
Phil Lynott/3:22
17/Honesty is No Excuse
Phil Lynott/2:45
18/Dublin
Eric Bell / Brian Downey / Phil Lynott/2:32
19/Things Ain't Working Out Down At the Farm
Phil Lynott/3:58

Eric Bell/Guitar, Guitar (12 String)
Bryan Downey/Drums, Percussion
Phil Lynott/Bass, Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals
Eric Wrixon/Keyboards

REVIEW
by Eduardo Rivadavia
Thin Lizzy were originally conceived as a power trio in the image of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but Eric Bell lacked the charisma of these groups' guitarists, forcing vocalist/bassist Philip Lynott to take center stage from day one. Despite his already poetic, intensely personal lyrics, Lynott was only beginning to develop as a songwriter, and the band's unfocused, folk-infused early efforts are a far cry from their mid-'70s hard rock glory. Recorded on a shoestring budget, their self-titled debut is surprisingly mellow; many songs, such as "Clifton Grange Hotel" and "The Friendly Ranger of Clontarf Castle," sound confused and unfinished. Quiet ballads like "Honesty Is No Excuse," "Eire," and "Saga of the Ageing Orphan" abound, while supposed rockers such as "Ray-Gun" and "Return of the Farmer's Son" fall remarkably flat. In fact, Lizzy only bare their claws on "Look What the Wind Blew In," a gutsy rocker that hints at things to come. Four bonus tracks (originally released as singles) were added to this CD reissue, and of these "Things Ain't Working Out Down at the Farm" is quite memorable, while the mournful "Dublin" contains Lynott's first great lyric.

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2101 - MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT - Later That Same Year (1971)

MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT
''LATER THAT SAME YEAR''
1971
MCA
41:05

1/Woodstock
Joni Mitchell/4:26
2/To Love
Gerry Goffin / Carole King/4:42
3/And Me
Ian Matthews/4:39
4/Tell Me Why
Neil Young/2:04
5/My Lady
Ian Matthews/1:38
6/And When She Smiles (She Makes the Sun Shine)
Alan Anderson/2:13
7/Mare, Take Me Home
Alan Anderson/3:43
8/Sylvie
Ysaye Barnwell/5:41
9/The Brand New Tennessee Waltz
Jesse Winchester/3:00
10/For Melanie
Ysaye Barnwell/6:40
11/Road to Ronderlin
Ian Matthews/2:19

Carl Barnwell /Guitar, Vocals
Roger Coulam /Keyboards
Ray Duffy /Drums
Tristan Fry /Vocals (Background)
Mark Griffiths /Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Gordon Huntley /Guitar (Steel)
Andy Leigh /Bass, Vocals
Ian Matthews /Guitar, Vocals
Keith Nelson /Banjo

REVIEW
by Mark Deming
Ian Matthews left Fairport Convention in 1969, and while the U.K.'s greatest folk-rock band was beginning to reinvent itself in a more traditional and very British direction, Matthews began digging deeper into the American influences that had marked his old band's first era. Later That Same Year, the second album from Ian's new group Matthews Southern Comfort (it was released in late 1970, a mere six months after their debut, hence the title), is a beautiful set of songs that splits the difference between West Coast folk-rock and early country-rock, with Gordon Huntley's pedal steel and Roger Coulam's lending an air of sunny sadness that dovetails beautifully with Matthews' silky tenor. Matthews wrote three of the songs on Later That Same Year, and they rank with the album's finest moments, especially the ethereal harmonies of "And Me" and the graceful simplicity of "My Lady," but Matthews also borrows some excellent material from American writers, including a cover of Neil Young's "Tell Me Why" that remains faithful while creating a languid mood of its own, a fine, poignant take on Jesse Winchester's "Brand New Tennessee Waltz," and two by Al Anderson, which date from the latter days of the Wildweeds before he joined up with NRBQ (and "Mare Take Me Home" and "And When She Smiles" show Big Al was already a songwriter of no small talent and Matthews handles both tunes beautifully). While country influences run all through the album, Matthews had the smarts not to try to emulate a Nashville production or arrangement style, and instead the album suggests the shadows of Tim Buckley or early Crosby, Stills & Nash while adding an English pastoral subtext all their own. After Later That Same Year, Matthews parted ways with Southern Comfort to record solo and later form Plainsong, but you'd never guess that this album was recorded by a band on its last legs -- this is subtle but confident music that comes from a handful of artists working at the height of their skills. [Before the release of Later That Same Year, Matthews Southern Comfort released a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" as a single, and it became a sizable hit in both America and Europe; it was added to the American edition of the album when it was released in the States in 1971.]

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2100 - THANK YOU SCIENTIST - The Perils Of Time Travel (2011)

THANK YOU SCIENTIST
''THE PERILS OF TIME TRAVEL''
JAN 2011
29:21

1. Grin/5:18
2. Abandonship/5:26
3. Leave Your Light On/5:56
4. Make Like a Tree (Get Out)/5:27
5. Gemini/7:14

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2099 - JACKYL - Best In Show (2012)

JACKYL
''BEST IN SHOW''
JUL 31 2012
LABEL MIGHTY LOUD

1. Best in Show/4:04
2. Encore/3:55
3. Screwdriver/4:08
4. Horns Up/Dupree, Roman Glick/3:28
5. Golden Spookytooth/3:30
6. Cover of the Rolling Stone/Shel Silverstein/2:59
7. Walk My Mile/5:18
8. Favorite Sin/3:17
9. Better Than Chicken/2:44
10. Don't Lay Down On Me/3:57
11. Eleven/4:30
12. It's Tricky/2:59
Tracks By Jesse James Dupree, Excet As Indicated

Jesse James Dupree /Guitar, Vocals
Roman Glick /Bass
Chris Worley /Drums
Jeff Worley /Guitar

REVIEW
by James Christopher Monger
Best in Show, the seventh studio album from chainsaw-loving, southern rock veterans Jackyl, is as refreshingly unpretentious as it is willfully juvenile, offering up 11 slabs of ribs that are hardly fall-off-the-bone tender, but still require a bib. Unapologetically lewd and loud, the Kennesaw, Georgia quartet owe more than a little tip of the hat to venerable blue collar bar rockers like Ted Nugent, ZZtop, and AC/DC. Lyrically, it's the latter act's classic sex romp "You Shook Me All Night Long" that flavors Best in Show's most titillating cuts, a few of which, like "Encore (It Makes My Bic Dig Her") and "Better Than Chicken," the latter of which informs the listener (a great number of times) that the protagonist likes "poontang better chicken," are so winningly dumb, that it's hard not to want to crack open a Tall Boy and scream along with them. Other cuts like "Horns Up," "Walk My Mile," and the ballsy title track sport a dense, homespun sheen that suggests a lost, good-old-boy weekend that someone miraculously remembered to record, a notion that is backed up further by the inclusion of a pair of covers, Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show's "Cover of the Rolling Stone" and Run-D.M.C.'s "It's Tricky," which may have been better off left in the tool shed. That said, Jesse James Dupree and company know exactly what their fans want from them, and the words "subtle" and "cerebral" simply do not apply.

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2098 - PAT TRAVERS - Blues On Fire (2012)

PAT TRAVERS
''BLUES ON FIRE''
JUL 31 2012
PURPLE PYRAMID RECORDS
48:12

1. Black Dog Blues/3:39
2. Nobody's Fault But Mine/3:18
3. Back Water Blues/5:06
4. Meat Shakin' Woman/3:49
5. Easy Rider Blues/3:08
6. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out/3:07
7. Bulldozer Blues/4:40
8. You Can't Get That Stuff No More/4:39
9. Dark Night Blues/4:24
10. Rock Island Blues/3:13
11. Jailhouse Blues/4:17
12. Death Letter/4:52

Pat Travis/Vocals, Guitars, Bass
Doug Bare/Piano, Organ
Carl Cleaver/Piano
Sean Shannon/Drums

REVIEW
On July 31, Purple Pyramid (a division of Cleopatra Records) will release Pat Travers’ new record, BLUES ON FIRE, a collection of historic, classic blues songs that date back to the early 1900s. After a long and loud European tour last year, Pat came back home to the States and decided to decompress and refresh by listening to nothing but old blues on AOL radio. “I listened and absorbed. I got the artist biographies and the back stories, and heard about the influences of my influences!” said Pat.

With an affinity to both the music and the artists, and much attentive research, he hand-picked twelve songs that showcase the finest early 20th century bluesmen and blueswomen. While the record boasts a full, classic rock production and guitar-heavy interpretations, Pat says with reverence to the source material, “there’s no way to hide under technology.” The emotion of story-telling through lyric and strings comes through in tracks like the heavy melodic opener “Black Dog Blues” by Blind Blake, Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and Jimmy Cox’s lament “Nobody Knows When You’re Down And Out.” Son House’s stark and bleak “Death Letter” is a one-take stunner.
Bessie Smith, Tampa Red, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and more are also honored on BLUES ON FIRE.

Pat produced and performed all vocals, guitars, and bass on BLUES ON FIRE, with Doug Bare on piano/organ and Carl Cleaver on piano. Sean Shannon played drums as well as engineered the record.

Pat Travers is one of the most prolific guitar players of this generation. In his 40-year career, he has released dozens of records across many genres, and has been a Top 20 and Top 40 charter. Noted musicians like Nicko McBrain, Tommy Aldridge, Pat Thrall, and Carmine Appice have been part of The Pat Travers Band. In addition to coast-to-coast and international headlining tours, the band has toured with the likes of Rainbow and Rush. Pat continues to inspire and influence his peers, including Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, who called Pat one of his favorite guitarists.

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2097 - THE SIGHTS - Left Over Right (2012)

THE SIGHTS
''LEFT OVER RIGHT''
MAY 2012
HRM
29:04

1/Left Over Right/2:47
2/Fool (I Can't Stop Making Out With You)/2:49
3/Prayer/2:55
4/Mercy/2:29
5/Bad Man/3:06
6/Anything to Anyone/2:49
7/You Are the Sunshine/2:35
8/Not As Pretty/2:34
9/Could Not Call It Love/3:17
10/Easy Living/3:46

BIOGRAPHY
by Bryan Thomas
The Sights' lead guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek and bassist Mark Leahey (who both share songwriting and vocal duties) have been playing music together since the age of 13, forming this band at the beginning of their senior year of high school. They played their first shows together in early 1998. Baranek and Leahey were still under the age of 18 at the time, and were not old enough to remember firsthand the bands that seem to have had the biggest influence on them, including edgy late-'70s punk/new wave acts like the Buzzcocks and early Jam, and certainly did not remember those bands' influences: British mods like the early Who or the Creation. In late 1999, drummer Eugene Strobe came on board, replacing a series of drummers, adding a raucously wild Keith Moon-like quality to their live performances. The youthful trio recorded songs for a debut album, Are You Green?, at Jim Diamond's Ghetto Recorders that same year. The album was issued in 2000 by Spectator Records, but the small Detroit-based indie folded not too long afterwards. Fall of Rome Records in Los Angeles reissued Are You Green? in 2001, as well as The Sights' 2002 follow-up, Got What We Want. Three years later, the band released a self-titled album on New Line/Scratchie. The band returned in 2010 with the release of Most of What Follows Is True.

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2096 - THE SIGHTS - Most Of What Follows Is True (2010)

THE SIGHTS
''MOST OF WHAT FOLLOWS IS TRUE''
NOV 2010
ALIVE RECORDS
38:13

1. How Do You Sleep?/2:28
2. Hello To Everybody/2:37
3. Honey/3:32
4. I Left My Muse/4:06
5. Guilty/2:40
6. Maria/2:55
7. Happy/2:16
8. Take & Take/2:46
9. Cheers/4:12
10. Tick Talkies/3:20
11. Back To You/3:31
12. (Nose To The) Grindstone/3:50

REVIEW
by Mark Deming
It wasn't long after the Sights released their first album in 1999 that fans and journalists began talking about them as Detroit's Next Big Thing, and when they scored a major-label deal in 2005, the band seemed to be poised for the spotlight. Unfortunately, the Sights missed the brass ring, got dropped, and broke up within the space of two years, but thankfully, guitarist and singer Eddie Baranek has decided to give rock & roll another chance, and 2010's Most of What Follows Is True reveals he hasn't allowed the music business to get in the way of the music, and the result is some of the strongest and most heartfelt music he's recorded to date. Most of What Follows is rooted in the tough, straightforward, R&B-based rock that's the Sights' bread and butter, though the pedal steel on "I Left My Muse" suggests they've also been listening to some classic country sides, and "Maria" is spot-on pure pop. The album is long on great tunes and rock & roll swagger, but Baranek and his latest edition of the Sights (Dave Lawson on bass, Gordon Smith on keys, and Skip Denomme on drums) never sound arrogant or gimmicky -- what comes through most strongly on Most of What Follows is the sound of four guys playing rock & roll because they love it, and even when the music takes a dark detour on "Take & Take" or slips into the blues on "Back to You," there's an honest joy and enthusiasm that infuses the music at every turn. Baranek sings with an unaffected passion and force that's truly impressive while he and his bandmates play with lots of heart and soul and no false moves; this is strong, rootsy, meat-and-potatoes rock & roll played with gravity, skill, and the enthusiasm of true fans. One spin Most of What Follows Is True leaves no doubt the Sights are still a band worth hearing, and if you like to hear great songs played with gravity, skill, and brio, this is one album you'll have been waiting for.

BIOGRAPHY
by Bryan Thomas
The Sights' lead guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek and bassist Mark Leahey (who both share songwriting and vocal duties) have been playing music together since the age of 13, forming this band at the beginning of their senior year of high school. They played their first shows together in early 1998. Baranek and Leahey were still under the age of 18 at the time, and were not old enough to remember firsthand the bands that seem to have had the biggest influence on them, including edgy late-'70s punk/new wave acts like the Buzzcocks and early Jam, and certainly did not remember those bands' influences: British mods like the early Who or the Creation. In late 1999, drummer Eugene Strobe came on board, replacing a series of drummers, adding a raucously wild Keith Moon-like quality to their live performances. The youthful trio recorded songs for a debut album, Are You Green?, at Jim Diamond's Ghetto Recorders that same year. The album was issued in 2000 by Spectator Records, but the small Detroit-based indie folded not too long afterwards. Fall of Rome Records in Los Angeles reissued Are You Green? in 2001, as well as The Sights' 2002 follow-up, Got What We Want. Three years later, the band released a self-titled album on New Line/Scratchie. The band returned in 2010 with the release of Most of What Follows Is True.

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2095 - THE SIGHTS - Got What We Want (2002)

THE SIGHTS
''GOT WHAT WE WANT''
JUN 2002
37:20

1/Don't Want You Back
Eddie Baranek/3:21
2/Be Like Normal
Eddie Baranek/2:50
3/Sorry Revisited
Eddie Baranek/3:14
4/It'd Be Nice (To Have You Around)
Eddie Baranek/2:39
5/One and Only
Eddie Baranek/2:40
6/Got What I Want
Dave Shettler/2:23
7/Last Chance
Eddie Baranek/2:45
8/Everyone's a Poet
Eddie Baranek / Mark Leahey/3:04
9/Sick and Tired
Eddie Baranek/4:09
10/Sweet Little Woman
Zach Curd / Mark Leahey/2:46
11/Nobody
Eddie Baranek/7:29

Eddie Baranek /Guitar, Vocals
Bobby Emmet /Organ
Jim Diamond /Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Guitar (Electric), Producer
Mark Leahey /Bass, Vocals
Dave Shettler /Drums, Guitar, Mellotron, Organ, Vocals

REVIEW
by Bryan Thomas
Got What We Want is a melodically complex and accomplished album, and ample evidence that this young band from Detroit have a tacit understanding of what made primal '60s garage rock and early-'70s power pop so exhilarating and memorable in the first place. Not only do the Sights seem like they've educated themselves with repeated listenings to albums from a Rock History 101 syllabus, but they have an audible confidence and forcefulness that one usually only finds in bands who've been playing together for many years. Indeed, they have: Eddie Baranek (vocals/guitars/keyboards) and Mark Leahey (bass/vocals) have been making music together since 1995, when both were classmates at De LaSalle Collegiate High in Detroit. In October 2001 -- a few short months before they were to enter Ghetto Recorders to record this sophomore effort for L.A.'s Fall of Rome -- Baranek and Leahey made the decision to replace longtime bandmate Eugene Strobe (now playing with the Witches and the Alphabet) with a new drummer, Dave Shettler (ex-Moods For Moderns). This last-minute switch-out might have slowed the band's momentum, but now seems to have renewed their resolve to successfully accomplish the task at hand. Consequently, Got What We Want is a concentrated and well-produced group effort with strong and varied songs. The super-charged power pop numbers -- "Don't Want You Back," "Be Like Normal," "Sweet Little Woman" -- are rife with crunchy guitars, catchy percussive elements, and memorable hooks. Meanwhile, the title song, "Got What We Want," and the last track, "Nobody," recall the bombastic heaviosity of Mott the Hoople, Humble Pie, and Led Zeppelin at their most glorious. The main bass riff from the blues-soaked "Nobody," in fact, plays like an homage to Zeppelin's "How Many More Times?" (the song -- with lyrics purloined from Albert King's "The Hunter" -- may have also provided the Sights with their moniker). There's also an enjoyable assortment of keyboards on the album; drummer Dave Shettler contributed Hammond organ and swirling Mellotron. The fathoms-deep Got What We Want should provide the Sights with a promising and (hopefully) propitious future once the world discovers its many treasures.

BIOGRAPHY
by Bryan Thomas
The Sights' lead guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek and bassist Mark Leahey (who both share songwriting and vocal duties) have been playing music together since the age of 13, forming this band at the beginning of their senior year of high school. They played their first shows together in early 1998. Baranek and Leahey were still under the age of 18 at the time, and were not old enough to remember firsthand the bands that seem to have had the biggest influence on them, including edgy late-'70s punk/new wave acts like the Buzzcocks and early Jam, and certainly did not remember those bands' influences: British mods like the early Who or the Creation. In late 1999, drummer Eugene Strobe came on board, replacing a series of drummers, adding a raucously wild Keith Moon-like quality to their live performances. The youthful trio recorded songs for a debut album, Are You Green?, at Jim Diamond's Ghetto Recorders that same year. The album was issued in 2000 by Spectator Records, but the small Detroit-based indie folded not too long afterwards. Fall of Rome Records in Los Angeles reissued Are You Green? in 2001, as well as The Sights' 2002 follow-up, Got What We Want. Three years later, the band released a self-titled album on New Line/Scratchie. The band returned in 2010 with the release of Most of What Follows Is True.

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2094 - THE SIGHTS - Are You Green? (1999)

THE SIGHTS
''ARE YOU GREEN?''
1999
40:06

1/All Night Long Stay
The Sights/4:12
2/Want Is You
The Sights/2:57
3/Sorry
Andy Cox / Grace Jones / Everett Morton / Ranking Roger / Saxa / The Sights / David Steel / Dave Wakeling / David Wright/3:51
4/I Can't Stand You
Ronnie Parasite / The Sights/2:18
5/F#
Nuclear Assault / The Sights/1:31
6/Not One to Beg
The Sights/3:09
7/She's Not the One
The Sights/3:17
8/Finish Whatcha Started
The Sights/3:16
9/Talk to You
The Sights/3:35
10/That Ain't Right Little Girl
The Sights/2:38
11/The Hott Seat
The Sights/2:13
12/Hey Girl
Ronnie Lane / Steve Marriott/1:55
13/Are You Green?
The Sights/5:14

Deb Agnolli /Vocals
Eddie Baranek /Guitar, Organ, Piano, Vocals
Jim Diamond /Organ, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Dave Knepp /Drums
Mark Leahey /Bass, Organ, Vibraphone, Vocals
Aran Ruth /Vocals (Background)
Dave Shettler /Organ, Piano, Tambourine, Vocals (Background)
Eugene Strobe /Drums, Tambourine, Vibraphone, Vocals
Aaron Warshaw /Vocals (Background)

REVIEW
by Bryan Thomas
Detroit's Sights play a high-spirited brand of aggressive '60s-pop, garage rock, and Brit-inspired psych, drawing on a transmogrified gene-splice of British freakbeat, new wave/punk, and rock influences, including the early Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Who, the Creation, the Yardbirds, the Jam, and the Buzzcocks. Guitarist Eddie Baranek -- whose rousing lead vocal talent seems unusually sharp for his age -- and bassist Mark Leahey formed the Sights at the beginning of their senior year of high school, but the real surprise here is relative newcomer Eugene Strobe, who approaches his drum kit like a man possessed by the vodka-drenched spirit of the Who's Keith Moon. With songs like "All Night Long Stay," "She's Not the One," and "That Ain't Right Little Girl," the Sights have become one of the greater late-90's bands of the Detroit area -- other include the Go, Outrageous Cherry, the Witches, and the White Stripes -- who seem to be putting the Motor City back on the musical map. Incidentally, "Sorry" features a recording of two members of the band, armed with baseball bats, who are smashing a computer terminal to pieces after it was thrown out of an upstairs window. Fall of Rome Records in Los Angeles re-issued the album in 2001.

BIOGRAPHY
by Bryan Thomas
The Sights' lead guitarist/vocalist Eddie Baranek and bassist Mark Leahey (who both share songwriting and vocal duties) have been playing music together since the age of 13, forming this band at the beginning of their senior year of high school. They played their first shows together in early 1998. Baranek and Leahey were still under the age of 18 at the time, and were not old enough to remember firsthand the bands that seem to have had the biggest influence on them, including edgy late-'70s punk/new wave acts like the Buzzcocks and early Jam, and certainly did not remember those bands' influences: British mods like the early Who or the Creation. In late 1999, drummer Eugene Strobe came on board, replacing a series of drummers, adding a raucously wild Keith Moon-like quality to their live performances. The youthful trio recorded songs for a debut album, Are You Green?, at Jim Diamond's Ghetto Recorders that same year. The album was issued in 2000 by Spectator Records, but the small Detroit-based indie folded not too long afterwards. Fall of Rome Records in Los Angeles reissued Are You Green? in 2001, as well as The Sights' 2002 follow-up, Got What We Want. Three years later, the band released a self-titled album on New Line/Scratchie. The band returned in 2010 with the release of Most of What Follows Is True.

DOWNLOAD

2093 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Tracks, Disc Four (1998)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
''TRACKS, DISC FOUR''
NOV 1998
SONY MUSIC
252:54

DISC ONE
1. Mary Queen Of Arkansas/4:26
2. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City/2:52
3. Growin' Up/2:37
4. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?/1:58
5. Bishop Danced (Live)/4:18
6. Santa Ana/4:35
7. Seaside Bar Song/3:32
8. Zero And Blind Terry/5:55
9. Linda Let Me Be The One/4:24
10. Thundercrack/8:25
11. Rendezvous (Live)/2:48
12. Give The Girl A Kiss/3:51
13. Iceman/3:16
14. Bring On The Night/2:36
15. So Young And In Love/3:46
16. Hearts Of Stone/4:28
17. Don't Look Back/2:59

DISC TWO
1. Restless Nights/3:43
2. A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)/3:14
3. Roulette/3:51
4. Dollhouse/3:31
5. Where The Bands Are/3:43
6. Loose Ends/3:59
7. Living On The Edge Of The World/4:16
8. Wages Of Sin/4:51
9. Take 'Em As They Come/4:27
10. Be True/3:38
11. Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own/2:44
12. I Wanna Be With You/3:21
13. Mary Lou/3:20
14. Stolen Car/4:26
15. Born In The U.S.A./3:09
16. Johnny Bye-Bye/1:48
17. Shut Out The Light/3:51

DISC THREE
1. Cynthia/4:12
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down/4:23
3. This Hard Land/4:46
4. Frankie/7:22
5. TV Movie/2:44
6. Stand On It/3:05
7. Lion's Den/2:17
8. Car Wash/2:05
9. Rockaway The Days/4:40
10. Brothers Under The Bridges ('83)/5:05
11. Man At The Top/3:19
12. Pink Cadillac/3:33
13. Two For The Road/1:57
14. Janey Don't You Lose Heart/3:23
15. When You Need Me/2:54
16. The Wish/5:17
17. The Honeymooners/2:03
18. Lucky Man/3:30

DISC FOUR
1. Leavin' Train/4:04
2. Seven Angels/3:25
3. Gave It A Name/2:46
4. Sad Eyes/3:47
5. My Lover Man/3:56
6. Over The Rise/2:37
7. When The Lights Go Out/3:04
8. Loose Change/4:18
9. Trouble In Paradise/4:37
10. Happy/4:51
11. Part Man, Part Monkey/4:28
12. Goin' Cali/2:58
13. Back In Your Arms/4:34
14. Brothers Under The Bridge/4:55
All Tracks By Springsteen

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine For years, decades even, Bruce Springteen was legendary for the amount of recordings he did not release. Every time he cut an album, he recorded a surplus of songs and left some out, not always on the basis of quality, but often because they simply didn't suit the mood of the record. It was inevitable that dedicated fans and collectors would bootleg these recordings, and for many years, he was one of the most popular bootlegged artists, rivaling even Bob Dylan. Dylan released a box set of unreleased songs in 1991, paving the way for the long-overdue appearance of a similar Springsteen set, Tracks, in 1998. Spanning four discs, it isn't entirely devoted to unreleased material -- a few B-sides pop up here and there -- nor is it truly definitive, since it misses a number of key outtakes, plus his original version of "Because the Night," the sole hit for Patti Smith. Instead, the compilation is an unassuming sampling of what's in the vaults, from his early acoustic demos to polished outtakes from Human Touch and Lucky Town. Along the way, there are a number of great songs -- "Bishop Danced" is every bit as terrific as its legend, as are "Thundercrack," "Give the Girl a Kiss," "Hearts of Stone," "Roulette," and many others. Tracks merely offers fans an enjoyably sequenced selection of what was left behind. If the end result isn't as revelatory as some may have expected (even the acoustic "Born in the U.S.A.," powerful as it is, doesn't sound different than you may have imagined it), it's because Springsteen is, at heart, a solid craftsman, not a blinding visionary like Dylan. That's why Tracks is for the dedicated fan, where The Bootleg Series or The Basement Tapes were flat-out essential for rock fans.

DOWNLOAD

2092 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Tracks, Disc Three (1998)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
''TRACKS, DISC THREE''
NOV 1998
SONY MUSIC
252:54

DISC ONE
1. Mary Queen Of Arkansas/4:26
2. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City/2:52
3. Growin' Up/2:37
4. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?/1:58
5. Bishop Danced (Live)/4:18
6. Santa Ana/4:35
7. Seaside Bar Song/3:32
8. Zero And Blind Terry/5:55
9. Linda Let Me Be The One/4:24
10. Thundercrack/8:25
11. Rendezvous (Live)/2:48
12. Give The Girl A Kiss/3:51
13. Iceman/3:16
14. Bring On The Night/2:36
15. So Young And In Love/3:46
16. Hearts Of Stone/4:28
17. Don't Look Back/2:59

DISC TWO
1. Restless Nights/3:43
2. A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)/3:14
3. Roulette/3:51
4. Dollhouse/3:31
5. Where The Bands Are/3:43
6. Loose Ends/3:59
7. Living On The Edge Of The World/4:16
8. Wages Of Sin/4:51
9. Take 'Em As They Come/4:27
10. Be True/3:38
11. Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own/2:44
12. I Wanna Be With You/3:21
13. Mary Lou/3:20
14. Stolen Car/4:26
15. Born In The U.S.A./3:09
16. Johnny Bye-Bye/1:48
17. Shut Out The Light/3:51

DISC THREE
1. Cynthia/4:12
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down/4:23
3. This Hard Land/4:46
4. Frankie/7:22
5. TV Movie/2:44
6. Stand On It/3:05
7. Lion's Den/2:17
8. Car Wash/2:05
9. Rockaway The Days/4:40
10. Brothers Under The Bridges ('83)/5:05
11. Man At The Top/3:19
12. Pink Cadillac/3:33
13. Two For The Road/1:57
14. Janey Don't You Lose Heart/3:23
15. When You Need Me/2:54
16. The Wish/5:17
17. The Honeymooners/2:03
18. Lucky Man/3:30

DISC FOUR
1. Leavin' Train/4:04
2. Seven Angels/3:25
3. Gave It A Name/2:46
4. Sad Eyes/3:47
5. My Lover Man/3:56
6. Over The Rise/2:37
7. When The Lights Go Out/3:04
8. Loose Change/4:18
9. Trouble In Paradise/4:37
10. Happy/4:51
11. Part Man, Part Monkey/4:28
12. Goin' Cali/2:58
13. Back In Your Arms/4:34
14. Brothers Under The Bridge/4:55
All Tracks By Springsteen

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine For years, decades even, Bruce Springteen was legendary for the amount of recordings he did not release. Every time he cut an album, he recorded a surplus of songs and left some out, not always on the basis of quality, but often because they simply didn't suit the mood of the record. It was inevitable that dedicated fans and collectors would bootleg these recordings, and for many years, he was one of the most popular bootlegged artists, rivaling even Bob Dylan. Dylan released a box set of unreleased songs in 1991, paving the way for the long-overdue appearance of a similar Springsteen set, Tracks, in 1998. Spanning four discs, it isn't entirely devoted to unreleased material -- a few B-sides pop up here and there -- nor is it truly definitive, since it misses a number of key outtakes, plus his original version of "Because the Night," the sole hit for Patti Smith. Instead, the compilation is an unassuming sampling of what's in the vaults, from his early acoustic demos to polished outtakes from Human Touch and Lucky Town. Along the way, there are a number of great songs -- "Bishop Danced" is every bit as terrific as its legend, as are "Thundercrack," "Give the Girl a Kiss," "Hearts of Stone," "Roulette," and many others. Tracks merely offers fans an enjoyably sequenced selection of what was left behind. If the end result isn't as revelatory as some may have expected (even the acoustic "Born in the U.S.A.," powerful as it is, doesn't sound different than you may have imagined it), it's because Springsteen is, at heart, a solid craftsman, not a blinding visionary like Dylan. That's why Tracks is for the dedicated fan, where The Bootleg Series or The Basement Tapes were flat-out essential for rock fans.

DOWNLOAD

2091 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Tracks, Disc Two (1998)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
''TRACKS, DISC TWO''
NOV 1998
SONY MUSIC
252:54

DISC ONE
1. Mary Queen Of Arkansas/4:26
2. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City/2:52
3. Growin' Up/2:37
4. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?/1:58
5. Bishop Danced (Live)/4:18
6. Santa Ana/4:35
7. Seaside Bar Song/3:32
8. Zero And Blind Terry/5:55
9. Linda Let Me Be The One/4:24
10. Thundercrack/8:25
11. Rendezvous (Live)/2:48
12. Give The Girl A Kiss/3:51
13. Iceman/3:16
14. Bring On The Night/2:36
15. So Young And In Love/3:46
16. Hearts Of Stone/4:28
17. Don't Look Back/2:59

DISC TWO
1. Restless Nights/3:43
2. A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)/3:14
3. Roulette/3:51
4. Dollhouse/3:31
5. Where The Bands Are/3:43
6. Loose Ends/3:59
7. Living On The Edge Of The World/4:16
8. Wages Of Sin/4:51
9. Take 'Em As They Come/4:27
10. Be True/3:38
11. Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own/2:44
12. I Wanna Be With You/3:21
13. Mary Lou/3:20
14. Stolen Car/4:26
15. Born In The U.S.A./3:09
16. Johnny Bye-Bye/1:48
17. Shut Out The Light/3:51

DISC THREE
1. Cynthia/4:12
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down/4:23
3. This Hard Land/4:46
4. Frankie/7:22
5. TV Movie/2:44
6. Stand On It/3:05
7. Lion's Den/2:17
8. Car Wash/2:05
9. Rockaway The Days/4:40
10. Brothers Under The Bridges ('83)/5:05
11. Man At The Top/3:19
12. Pink Cadillac/3:33
13. Two For The Road/1:57
14. Janey Don't You Lose Heart/3:23
15. When You Need Me/2:54
16. The Wish/5:17
17. The Honeymooners/2:03
18. Lucky Man/3:30

DISC FOUR
1. Leavin' Train/4:04
2. Seven Angels/3:25
3. Gave It A Name/2:46
4. Sad Eyes/3:47
5. My Lover Man/3:56
6. Over The Rise/2:37
7. When The Lights Go Out/3:04
8. Loose Change/4:18
9. Trouble In Paradise/4:37
10. Happy/4:51
11. Part Man, Part Monkey/4:28
12. Goin' Cali/2:58
13. Back In Your Arms/4:34
14. Brothers Under The Bridge/4:55
All Tracks By Springsteen

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine For years, decades even, Bruce Springteen was legendary for the amount of recordings he did not release. Every time he cut an album, he recorded a surplus of songs and left some out, not always on the basis of quality, but often because they simply didn't suit the mood of the record. It was inevitable that dedicated fans and collectors would bootleg these recordings, and for many years, he was one of the most popular bootlegged artists, rivaling even Bob Dylan. Dylan released a box set of unreleased songs in 1991, paving the way for the long-overdue appearance of a similar Springsteen set, Tracks, in 1998. Spanning four discs, it isn't entirely devoted to unreleased material -- a few B-sides pop up here and there -- nor is it truly definitive, since it misses a number of key outtakes, plus his original version of "Because the Night," the sole hit for Patti Smith. Instead, the compilation is an unassuming sampling of what's in the vaults, from his early acoustic demos to polished outtakes from Human Touch and Lucky Town. Along the way, there are a number of great songs -- "Bishop Danced" is every bit as terrific as its legend, as are "Thundercrack," "Give the Girl a Kiss," "Hearts of Stone," "Roulette," and many others. Tracks merely offers fans an enjoyably sequenced selection of what was left behind. If the end result isn't as revelatory as some may have expected (even the acoustic "Born in the U.S.A.," powerful as it is, doesn't sound different than you may have imagined it), it's because Springsteen is, at heart, a solid craftsman, not a blinding visionary like Dylan. That's why Tracks is for the dedicated fan, where The Bootleg Series or The Basement Tapes were flat-out essential for rock fans.

DOWNLOAD

2090 - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Tracks, Disc One (1998)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
''TRACKS, DISC ONE''
NOV 1998
SONY MUSIC
252:54

DISC ONE
1. Mary Queen Of Arkansas/4:26
2. It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City/2:52
3. Growin' Up/2:37
4. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?/1:58
5. Bishop Danced (Live)/4:18
6. Santa Ana/4:35
7. Seaside Bar Song/3:32
8. Zero And Blind Terry/5:55
9. Linda Let Me Be The One/4:24
10. Thundercrack/8:25
11. Rendezvous (Live)/2:48
12. Give The Girl A Kiss/3:51
13. Iceman/3:16
14. Bring On The Night/2:36
15. So Young And In Love/3:46
16. Hearts Of Stone/4:28
17. Don't Look Back/2:59

DISC TWO
1. Restless Nights/3:43
2. A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh)/3:14
3. Roulette/3:51
4. Dollhouse/3:31
5. Where The Bands Are/3:43
6. Loose Ends/3:59
7. Living On The Edge Of The World/4:16
8. Wages Of Sin/4:51
9. Take 'Em As They Come/4:27
10. Be True/3:38
11. Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own/2:44
12. I Wanna Be With You/3:21
13. Mary Lou/3:20
14. Stolen Car/4:26
15. Born In The U.S.A./3:09
16. Johnny Bye-Bye/1:48
17. Shut Out The Light/3:51

DISC THREE
1. Cynthia/4:12
2. My Love Will Not Let You Down/4:23
3. This Hard Land/4:46
4. Frankie/7:22
5. TV Movie/2:44
6. Stand On It/3:05
7. Lion's Den/2:17
8. Car Wash/2:05
9. Rockaway The Days/4:40
10. Brothers Under The Bridges ('83)/5:05
11. Man At The Top/3:19
12. Pink Cadillac/3:33
13. Two For The Road/1:57
14. Janey Don't You Lose Heart/3:23
15. When You Need Me/2:54
16. The Wish/5:17
17. The Honeymooners/2:03
18. Lucky Man/3:30

DISC FOUR
1. Leavin' Train/4:04
2. Seven Angels/3:25
3. Gave It A Name/2:46
4. Sad Eyes/3:47
5. My Lover Man/3:56
6. Over The Rise/2:37
7. When The Lights Go Out/3:04
8. Loose Change/4:18
9. Trouble In Paradise/4:37
10. Happy/4:51
11. Part Man, Part Monkey/4:28
12. Goin' Cali/2:58
13. Back In Your Arms/4:34
14. Brothers Under The Bridge/4:55
All Tracks By Springsteen

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine For years, decades even, Bruce Springteen was legendary for the amount of recordings he did not release. Every time he cut an album, he recorded a surplus of songs and left some out, not always on the basis of quality, but often because they simply didn't suit the mood of the record. It was inevitable that dedicated fans and collectors would bootleg these recordings, and for many years, he was one of the most popular bootlegged artists, rivaling even Bob Dylan. Dylan released a box set of unreleased songs in 1991, paving the way for the long-overdue appearance of a similar Springsteen set, Tracks, in 1998. Spanning four discs, it isn't entirely devoted to unreleased material -- a few B-sides pop up here and there -- nor is it truly definitive, since it misses a number of key outtakes, plus his original version of "Because the Night," the sole hit for Patti Smith. Instead, the compilation is an unassuming sampling of what's in the vaults, from his early acoustic demos to polished outtakes from Human Touch and Lucky Town. Along the way, there are a number of great songs -- "Bishop Danced" is every bit as terrific as its legend, as are "Thundercrack," "Give the Girl a Kiss," "Hearts of Stone," "Roulette," and many others. Tracks merely offers fans an enjoyably sequenced selection of what was left behind. If the end result isn't as revelatory as some may have expected (even the acoustic "Born in the U.S.A.," powerful as it is, doesn't sound different than you may have imagined it), it's because Springsteen is, at heart, a solid craftsman, not a blinding visionary like Dylan. That's why Tracks is for the dedicated fan, where The Bootleg Series or The Basement Tapes were flat-out essential for rock fans.

DOWNLOAD

2089 - PETER BARDENS - Write My Name In The Dust (1971)

PETER BARDENS
''WRITE MY NAME IN THE DUST''
VERVE/FORECAST
1971

01 - North End Road/1:25
02 - Write My Name In The Dust/6:33
03 - Down So Long/6:58
04 - Sweet Honey Wine/4:24
05 - Tear Down The Wall/7:20
06 - Simple Songs/2:19
07 - My House/6:14
08 - Feeling High/5:06
09 - Blueser/2:11
All Tracks By Bardens

Peter Bardens /Keyboards, Producer, Vocals
Victor Brox /Violin, Vocals
Andy Gee /Guitar
Reg Isadore /Drums
Linda Lewis /Vocals
John Owen /Bass
Anita Pollinger /Vocals
Judith Powell /Vocals
Liza Strike /Vocals

REVIEW
by Richie Unterberger
Write My Name in the Dust was the American release of Pete Bardens' second album, which was simply titled Peter Bardens in the U.K., though the contents were identical. It was a curious low-key, slightly downbeat affair whose unspectacular mixture of hard rock, blues, some female soul-gospel backup vocal arrangements, and more meditative jazz-classical-influenced progressive music was very much of its time. Bardens' first album (1970's The Answer) had suffered from drawn-out song construction, a trait that remained present to a large degree here, though without guitarist Peter Green on hand to help lift the proceedings. There was a lethargic hangover feel to tracks like "Feeling High," and attempts at pure blues and lighthearted music hall on briefer tracks were inconsequential distractions. The more serious and stately passages demonstrated Bardens' formidable genre-blending skills as a keyboardist, particularly on organ. But the material wasn't up to the standard of his playing, though the lighter, more focused moodiness of "Sweet Honey Wine" resulted in the record's best track.

BIOGRAPHY
by Rovi
An accomplished organist, Peter Bardens was a founder member of the Cheynes, prior to a brief spell in Them. By 1966 he was fronting a club-based act, Peter B’s Looners, which included drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Peter Green. The unit recorded a single, "If You Wanna Be Happy," but was then absorbed into the Shotgun Express, a soul-inspired revue that featured Rod Stewart. Bardens later formed the short-lived Village before releasing his first solo album, The Answer, in 1970. This informal selection featured several telling contributions by Peter Green, masquerading under an "Andy Gee" pseudonym, but an undisciplined approach undermined its obvious potential. A second collection, Peter Bardens, was more focused and showcased the artist’s touring group, which included the multi-talented Victor Brox, a former member of the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation.
In 1972 Bardens formed a new band, Camel. He remained with this successful unit for the next six years before resuming his solo career with Heart to Heart. He later divided his time between session work and crafted adult rock and new age material, exemplified on the U.S.-charting 1987 release Seen One Earth and 1991’s Water Colors. In 1994 he formed Mirage with several leading prog rock musicians, including his former Camel bandmate Andy Ward and Caravan's David Sinclair. On January 22, 2002, Bardens succumbed to lung cancer in Malibu, CA. Write My Name in the Dust, a two-CD set covering his entire career, was released in 2005.

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2088 - PETER BARDENS - The Answer (1970) (2010)

PETER BARDENS
''THE ANSWER''
1970
48:52

1/The Answer
Peter Bardens/5:26
2/Don't Goof with a Spook/7:21
3/I Can't Remember
Peter Bardens/10:43
4/I Don't Want to Go Home
Peter Bardens/5:14
5/Let's Get It On
Peter Bardens/6:36
6/Homage to the God of Light
Peter Bardens/13:32

Peter Bardens /Organ, Piano, Producer, Vocals
Steve Ellis /Vocals
Andy Gee /Guitar
Reg Isadore /Drums
Linda Lewis /Vocals
Alan Marshall /Percussion, Vocals
Bruce Thomas /Bass Guitar
David Wooley /Vocals & Antiques
Rocky /Congas
Bill Porter /Drums

REVIEW
by Richie Unterberger
Prior to this solo debut, Pete Bardens had been on the British R&B-rock and psychedelic scene for about half a dozen years, playing in early bands with Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green, as well as (briefly) in Them with Van Morrison. The Answer was his chance to step out of the shadows, and while his skills as a keyboardist were formidable, his songwriting just wasn't up to carrying an interesting album of his own. Devoted to a half-dozen lengthy tracks varying in duration from five to 13 minutes, Bardens offered a blues-progressive stew that, despite some flashy licks, lacked focus. It's a shame there wasn't better material to work with, for some quite talented musicians were among the supporting cast, including Love Affair singer Steve Ellis, session vocalist Linda Lewis, Bruce Thomas (later to back Elvis Costello in the Attractions), and most of all his old friend Peter Green. In fact, Green offers some of his best playing as a sideman on this record, which both makes it better than it could have been, and makes it worth checking out for serious fans of the guitarist. In common with some of Green's own solo work, however, it's a meandering record, bits of promising ideas swirling around before they've been honed into something cogent. Against the odds, however, the 13-minute "Homage to the God of Light" is the highlight, its mesh of Latin-esque rhythms, burning organ, and bluesy guitar recalling some of early Santana's more jammy grooves.

BIOGRAPHY
by Rovi
An accomplished organist, Peter Bardens was a founder member of the Cheynes, prior to a brief spell in Them. By 1966 he was fronting a club-based act, Peter B’s Looners, which included drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Peter Green. The unit recorded a single, "If You Wanna Be Happy," but was then absorbed into the Shotgun Express, a soul-inspired revue that featured Rod Stewart. Bardens later formed the short-lived Village before releasing his first solo album, The Answer, in 1970. This informal selection featured several telling contributions by Peter Green, masquerading under an "Andy Gee" pseudonym, but an undisciplined approach undermined its obvious potential. A second collection, Peter Bardens, was more focused and showcased the artist’s touring group, which included the multi-talented Victor Brox, a former member of the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation.
In 1972 Bardens formed a new band, Camel. He remained with this successful unit for the next six years before resuming his solo career with Heart to Heart. He later divided his time between session work and crafted adult rock and new age material, exemplified on the U.S.-charting 1987 release Seen One Earth and 1991’s Water Colors. In 1994 he formed Mirage with several leading prog rock musicians, including his former Camel bandmate Andy Ward and Caravan's David Sinclair. On January 22, 2002, Bardens succumbed to lung cancer in Malibu, CA. Write My Name in the Dust, a two-CD set covering his entire career, was released in 2005.

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2087 - BLUESGUY SCHWARTZ & THE NEW JACK HIPPIES - Blue Motel (2004)

BLUESGUY SCHWARTZ & THE NEW JACK HIPPIES
''BLUE MOTEL''
2004
53:16

1. Let the Rain Fall Down/4:39
2. I Know What's Going On/2:50
3. Enough of the Blues/3:41
4. The Girl's So Fine/3:59
5. St. James Hall/3:07
6. I Get Excited (When I See My Baby)/4:04
7. Save Me/4:07
8. Roger Needs His Money/6:43
9. What You Give/3:56
10. Where We Gonna Party Tonight?/3:32
11. In God We Trust/1:17
12. A Penny for Your Thoughts/3:39
13. Spider Hole/2:00
14. Understanding/5:43

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2086 - BLUESGUY SCHWARTZ & THE NEW JACK HIPPIES - Blue Jack Hippies (2001)

BLUESGUY SCHWARTZ & THE NEW JACK HIPPIES
''BLUE JACK HIPPIES''
2001
SPACE CITY RECORDS
48:44

1. You Should Have Told Me/3:12
2. Our Time to Shine/3:58
3. Baby Loves the Blues/3:34
4. Ain't Got Time for the Blues/4:11
5. Sunday Is Our Time (For the Blues)/3:09
6. Since My Baby Went Away/5:02
7. Right Now/2:31
8. You Lied to Me/2:12
9. Dr. Scott's Heights Escapade/2:00
10. Under Suspicion/3:58
11. The House Is Burning Down/4:55
12. Baby's Got a Job (And I Don't Have to Do This Anymore)/3:49
13. Section 7 Breakaway - Hidden Track/3:01
14. I'm Turning Blue (Blue Balls Blues) - Hidden Track/3:12

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2085 - THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME - Believe It (Bonus Tracks) (1975)(2004)

THE NEW TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME
''BELIEVE IT'' (BONUS TRACKS)
1975
2004/COLUMBIA/SONY JAZZ
44:11

1/Snake Oil
Tony Newton/6:24
2/Fred
Allan Holdsworth/6:44
3/Proto-Cosmos
Alan Pasqua/3:58
4/Red Alert
Tony Newton/4:34
5/Wildlife
Tony Williams/5:17
6/Mr. Spock/6:11
Allan Holdsworth
7/Celebration/3:59
8/Letsby
Allan Holdsworth/6:32

Allan Holdsworth/Guitar
Tony Newton/Bass, Vocals
Alan Pasqua/Clavinet, Keyboards, Piano (Electric)
Tony Williams/Drums

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2084 - THE NEW PERCUSSION GROUP OF AMSTERDAM - Go Between (1987)

THE NEW PERCUSSION GROUP OF AMSTERDAM
''GO BETWEEN''
1987
2007
SUMMERFOLD RECORDS

1/GO BETWEEN/RUUD WIENER/14:23
2/REDBONE/NIELS LE LARGE/6:39
3/MARIMBA SPIRITUAL/MINORU MIKI/14:01
4/MAENADEN/PETER PROMMEL/13:33

. Bill Bruford/Acoustic Drums, Percussion On Track 1
. Rudd Weiner/Xylophone, Vibraphone, Marimba & Bass Marimba On Track 1, Percussion On Track 3
. Peter Prommel/Xylophone, Vibraphone & Bass Marimba On Track 1, Marimba On Tracks 1, 4, Log Drum & Peacock Gongs On Track 2, O-Daiko & Percussion On Track 3
. Herman Rieken/Xylophone, Vibraphone & Marimba On Track 1, Bass Marimba On Tracks 1, 4, Log Drum & Peacock Gongs On Track 2, Shimi-Daiko On Track 3, Percussion On Tracks 3, 4
. Steef van Oosterhout/Log Drum On Track 2, Percussion On Tracks 2, 4, Marimba On Track 4
. Johan Faber/Log Drum & Peacock Gongs On Track 2, Percussion On Track 4
. Toon Oomen/Log Drum & Percussion On Track 2
. Keiko Abe/Marimba On Track 3
. Jan Pustjens/Conductor On Track 3

REVIEW
By John Kelman (Nov 10, 2007)
Those who think of Bill Bruford only as art rock drummer for groups including Yes and King Crimson, fusion drummer with his late-1970s group Bruford, or even (finally, after all these years) a jazz drummer with his ongoing Earthworks projects and improvisation-heavy duets with Dutch pianist Michiel Borstlap, still don't know the whole story. Those familiar with his work in the collective World Drummers Ensemble know that this iconic British percussionist has a pervasive and encyclopedic interest in anything that can be hit with a stick, something made crystal clear on this reissue of The New Percussion Group of Amsterdam's 1986 release, Go Between.

Bruford only plays on one track, the fourteen-minute title composition by Group member Rudd Wiener that, alongside Bruford's acoustic kit and percussion, features xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and bass marimba. It's a complex and episodic piece that shifts from a rhythm-heavy art rock intro to a gentler, minimalist-informed middle section, propelled forward with multiple repetitive patterns that gradually shift, Steve Reich-like, giving the piece an evocative sense of forward motion. Bolstered occasionally by Bruford's more powerful tom-toms and tympani, the two concepts come together as the tuned percussion builds into a harmonic foundation for Bruford's mathematically precise kit work, only to drop into quiet once again before the piece's conclusion—a polyrhythmic and contrapuntal tour-de-force from everyone involved.

"Redbone" is more primal; five percussionists working only with log drums ("the modern equivalent of an ancient hollow tree trunk," says the liners) and three Chinese peacock gongs, which add simple melody periodically throughout this piece by Niels Le Large who, along with Jan Pustjens, co-founded the Group, although neither of them perform on the album.

Pustjens does, however, conduct Japanese composer Minoru Miki's "Marimba Spiritual," which features guest marimba player Keiko Abe and is the closest thing to classical writing on the disc. Instead of repetitive patterns or easily discernible motifs, this complex fourteen-minute piece possesses a larger arc, with Abe's surprisingly expressive marimba supported by a variety of percussion instruments, including temple bells, temple blocks, the small but distinctive shimi-daiko and larger o-daiko drums.

The album closes with Group member Peter Prommel's "Maenaden," another long-form, through-composed piece featuring two marimbas, one bass marimba and a wealth of other percussion instruments. At various points marimba figures trade-off against untuned percussion, creating a wide array of textures while bringing sharp focus to the individual roles of the various instruments.

A remarkably compelling album that demonstrates just how musical an all-percussion album can be, Go Between sits comfortably alongside Pierre Favre's Singing Drums (ECM, 1984) and contemporary groups including the World Drummers Ensemble and So Percussion. Thanks to Bruford, then, for bringing Go Between back into print after a fifteen year absence.

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