5 comments about The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams (Limited Edition Soft Pack).

1. Certainly one of the best and most provocative albums I have heard in a while!



2. There's not much I can say about Ndegeocello that hasn't already been said by her most loyal followers. She continues what she began in 1993 with PLANTATION LULLABIES and shows that she is still incapable of making a bad album. Every track seems to connect but still stand out on its own. The woman is a true genius of our time and should be heralded as such.



3. I love MeShell of old. Ive loved her since Plantation Lullabies and have followed her since, including seeing her live 8 times. But as of late, I must admit that I just dont "get" her anymore. and after seeing her live this year in Atlanta (which was abysmal) and listening to her latest offering, I dont get the sense that she cares if anyone "gets" her or not. and in a sense, I suppose thats cool. Art is for the artist. But I also thought that art was supposed to be a conversation between the artist and the observer. well, if that is the case, then someone is not hearing someone in this conversation. I think I'm just going to stop listening.



4. This album is the bomb! I own two albums by Me'Shell; Plantation Lullabies and Peace Beyond Passion.The World..... is a masterpiece by comparison,and that is saying a lot,considering the excellence of those albums.Her gritty bass lines,funky grooves and insightful lyrics makes her an iconoclast;no one else has successfully integrated fusion,pop,R&B,and rock into such a seamless sound.The reason she defies comparison is because she has created her own genre(Prince,in his heyday,is the only other artist I can think of who was daring enough to reinvent his music like this).Evolution and Lovely,Lovely are two of the standouts on a pristine set,but I enjoyed every note on every joint! It is a joy is hear true musicianship in an era where tonal clones dominate the airwaves;yet it is sad that true genius is not given tribute(like Ice T., Me'Shell could easily lament that "radio suckers won't play me." It doesn't matter,as long as she maintains her artistry I'll always be a fan ,"burning beneath the sun".



5. It's always a good sign when a piece of art is equally loved and loathed. It means the artist has done something special.
   
   Many people want the same thing over and over again. They want comfort. Not to be disturbed or challenged. They want what's conventional. Well, there's plenty of that out there for them.
   
   Me'Shell is not a "smooth jazz" artist. She is a fearless genius in a sea of mediocrity. A genuine artist. This is not easy listening. It's not background music, designed to be atmospheric filler underneath banal conversation. It could never be played on today's radio and Thank God.
   
   This album is masterful. It's an adventure. A leap ahead of anything she's done before - precisely because it's hard to predict where she's going next. And what she's done before was already extraordinary.
   
   In a just world, this album would get the recognition and exposure it deserves. I'm grateful that it found me. I'll be listening to it years from now. I'm thankful to Me'Shell. Once again, she's courageously created something for those of us who just can't stomach more of the same.

No comments about Woodstock.

5 comments about Men Without Women.

1. I'm finally picking this GREAT albumn up on CD after wearing out my original LP. Why it was never a big hit is beyond me, because each song still stands up, even after 25+ years. Taken as a whole it's near perfect from start to finish.
   I saw the band at Meriweather Post Pavilion in '83 and despite the place only being 1/2 full it was the most dynamic live performance that I have ever seen (and I've seen every rock band worth seeing in the last 30 years). Danelli and Beauvoir were the tightest, most pounding rhythm section God ever put on earth.......just like the review from the Kabuki Theater, the whole ampitheater shook. Little Steven was in his finest vocal form, from his snarling best on "Lyin' In A Bed of Fire" to rare warmth on "Angel Eyes". It is the only concert of the 100+ I've been to that despite seats being available the entire audience stood for the whole show. I still get goose bumps thinking about it. Steven might have been a sideman to the "Boss", but he put even Springsteen's show in its place, no mean feat.
   All I can say is buy this CD before it goes out of print. It will be some of the best money you ever spend.



2. steve van zant finally got out of the shadows with this long awaited slol debut.after all his great songs and arranging with southside johnny it was worth the wait.this cd really rocks,gets soulful and is as great as anything bruce springsteen has ever put out. buy it don't hesitate.



3. You've all heard of Steve Van Zandt, co-founder of the E Street Band and (nearly) lead guitarist with that band along with Bruce Springsteen from 1973 to 1984. OK...so you've all heard and seen the video for the song penned by Little Steven, "Sun city" and recorded by a bunch of politically active musicians under the monniker of Artists United Against Apartheid back in 1985?...OK, then you've all seen Steve Van Zandt as Silvio Dante on the HBO series the Sopranos?...OK...
   
   Well, before most all of that and just before he left the fabled E Street Band, Miami Steve Van Zandt cut a record called "Men Without Women" which, when released in December 1982, went straight off of the charts in no time and was totally forgotten about...by everyone...except...Except by those of us who dug the Jersey Shore sound, popularized by Bruce as well as by Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. Re-issued as a single album compact disc in the early 1990's on the fabled Razor & Tie label (this one which happily is still in print) and later re-issued as a two-fer on the fabulous U.K. label BGO (Beat Goes On...also still in print), you can hear again or listen to for the first time, all of the steamy soul, all of the great horn charts, all of Steve's strained Keith Richards-like vocals and those killer Stones-influenced riffs that make this a truly special album that stands up well and sounds fresh over 25 years after its' release. At the time, the only professional music writer I can recall who was talking the album up was Dave Marsh. Marsh wrote a very favorable review of "Men Without Women" in a December 1982 issue Rolling Stone and also a full page feature review in the short lived but quite informative "Record" magazine that had a brief but illustrious publication run from 1980-1984(?).
   
   Van Zandt's song writing on this record is superb, further mining themes and subjects that he wrote about on the classic 1978 Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes' album "Hearts of Stone". And there's only a hint of his political leanings that would later dominate most all of his later songs. No, this solo debut record by Little Steven deals with breakups, failed relationships, street deals as well as compromises, growin' up, and the loss of familiar things and places that were meaningful to the singer and his girlfriend(s) in younger years. Lots of good love gone bad stories are here. Van Zandt's chief limitation was his singing, but even that is overshadowed by the heartfelt delivery both he and his "Disciples" give on all 10 songs here. If you can wrap your ears around Steve's vocals, you will be rewarded with a fierce soul-influenced rock album that stands up to many of the more acknowledged best rock albums of the 1980's. Plus, if you spring for the two-fer on BGO, you get Stevie's 1984 record "Voice of America", which is as rocking as "Men Without Women" but takes on decidedly more contemporary and a few timeless (at the time) political themes to cover.
   
   All in all, "Men Without Women" ia a great listen for those who like the Jersey shore pub rock & soul style a la Stone Pony, but I also recommend this record to anyone just wanting to kick off their shoes and dance or to listen to while cruising down the highway! Get spring going with this neat re-issue, or if you're still afraid of the water, just download the song "Under the Gun" from "Men Without Women" and see if you can tell who was doing the Rolling Stones better than the Rolling Stones in 1982! Steve's pointing his finger right at you with these songs so get your blue-eyed soul and rock groove fix right here already! A solid 4 Stars.



4. I mean come on, how much better could it be, the best damn name for a
   band ever, and pure sweet "Jersey" garage band music. I bought the
   album in 82 on the strength of Van Zandt, and the name of the band he
   had put togeather and led through the difficult subject he chose to
   "debut". Let me light another menthol cigarette before I continue. This
   is Jersey, from the refineries of the Jersey City to the truck gardens
   in the south, from the old Texaco refineries outside of Philly, to the old
   Iron Pier in Atlantic City. Someone hand me a cheese Steak, extra
   onions. Not a clunker in the line up. It is the type of CD that you
   put on when you can't figure out what to listen to. Little Steven and
   the Disciples of Soul will bring you right around. Then we get to the
   moniker of the band, I ask you, yes you sitting in front of your computer
   is not that the best name for a band. When I travel, "Men Without Women"
   is usually among the music I take along. I am flabergasted at the
   number of people who haven't heard the word of Little Steven and the
   Disciples of Soul. Even the people who have never heard of the band
   are intrigued by the title. Most of those who take the time to listen
   to just "Angle Eyes" are converted. When they find out its a "Jersey
   Band" most are suprised, because they have a pre-concived notion that
   all music from New Jersey sounds like the E-Street Band, that strong,
   proud, reved up I-95 music. With Little Steven, you get the grit of
   Philly that grinds the music smooth. If you haven't heard of this band
   or their music, I would suggest you run, not walk to the nearest music
   store, (or on line outlet such as CDnow) and purchase this CD. Unless
   you have no SOUL you will get it.



5. I fell in love with the single, "Forever," the first time I heard it and thought the album was even better. I played this record so much, I just assumed everyone else was into it, too. It wasn't like anything else on the radio, which is probably why it barely cracked the charts. Still, it has terrific songs ("Princess of Little Italy" is a gem), lots of musical muscle, lots of heart, and lots of brains, too. There's some great songwriting on this record, some great imagery. Don't buy it because you like Springsteen. Don't buy it because you like "The Sopranos." Buy it because it's great.

5 comments about Steppenwolf the Second.

1. This album displayed the diversity and ambition of a very distinctive band definitely of their time. I was captivated by the medley on the second side that I seem to recall John Kay saying in an interview at the time was intended to trace the history of rock and roll up to that point, starting with the blues origins, accelerating with Leslie speaker aural tricks and funky Beatles 'Taxman' style guitar. In fact, when I heard Abbey Road the next year I was struck by the fact that the album was structured almost exactly like this one - first side being standalone songs, then two standalone songs at the beginning of Side 2 followed by a suite that follows on to the ending. I don't know if any of the Beatles had heard this album when they assembled their masterpiece but I think it's at least an interesting coincidence that the albums are so similar in that way. I still think the Beatles left Steppenwolf and just about everyone else at the time in the dust but nevertheless I give Steppenwolf credit for their ambition. Before this album I had only heard a few tracks such as their hits, "Born to be Wild" and "Magic Carpet Ride". Those were tremendous songs but when I heard this album I concluded that they were more than a band that just churned out hit singles.



2. I have bought this cd twice!, had 2 LP versions WORN OUT!, and I can remember being 7 and driving around D.C in U.Ds '70 Gold Ford Fairlane, like it was yesterday. Of course he rolled that;{along with other nature gifts}, then HAD to get his famous *Orange* VW wagon.. The music still is
   so good, the memories so sweet!. *28* was my first crush song!... Just buy it Comrades...Only 1 thing last longer than music....Memories!
   Merry Christmas to ALL....... Goodnight



3. Though their debut was a smash this was always a better album and the album to own if you don't already. Not many bands has anti-drug songs in the 60s other than Paul Revere and the Raiders or Iron Butterfly that come to mind.
   John Kay claims his band even stayed clear of pot. "Don't Step on the Grass Sam" should be the anti-drug anthem of the world. My Father had this on LP and it changed the way I think and feel and love about music. I first listened to this album at age 13 and at 31 I am still listening to this as well as everything else in the 60s. I got it on CD a while back and enjoyed it again even though it was not remastered and had tape fuzz. It is still worth owning on CD remastered or not. I mean where are you going to find an LP of this in prime shape anyway. Pass this on to generation to generation. It was one of my Dads favorite albums and one of my favorite also.



4. Well folks, whenever I hear this album, I remember the first time I heard it while in the US Army Signal Brigade out in Thailand during late 1968. Everyone out there loved this album, and I will bet that anyone out there now who was out there then would embrace this album without any doubt now. All the songs are well crafted in both the music and lyrics. The guitar work is purely hard rock -and these guys knew just how to play it right. Overall, there isn't one song on this album that I did not like - in fact, I still play the CD version in my car - my wife likes it too!
   
   So get out there and check it out. Really good stuff by a band that should all get together again in the line-up that made this album.



5. I purchased this album in the early sixties and loved it then, but I love this CD even more. Thanks.

5 comments about Shakedown Street.

1. I associate Shakedown Street with a love interest I had in college, whose favorite song on this album was "Fire on the Mountain." Her favorite song then became one of my favorite Dead songs and years later it's still a favorite. (Funny how those things happen.) Shakedown Street (1978) is the the Grateful Dead's tenth studio album, and is Definitive Dead--essential to any serious rock collection. It is a fusion of rock, funk, blues, reggae, country, and improvisational jam. Produced by Lowell George of Little Feat, the album has a funky Little Feat groove. The album features Garcia and Weir on vocals and guitars, Lesh on bass and vocals, Keith Godchaux on vocals and keyboards, Donna Jean Godchaux on vocals, and Kreutzmann and Hart on percussion. I first experienced this album on vinyl. The remastered CD is worth the upgrade from vinyl, featuring the following setlist:
   
   1. Good Lovin'
   2. France
   3. Shakedown Street
   4. Srengetti
   5. Fire On The Mountain
   6. I Need A Miracle
   7. From The Heart Of Me
   8. Stagger Lee
   9. All New Minglewood Blues
   10. If I Had The World To Give
   
   11. Good Lovin' (studio outtake featuring Lowell George on vocals)
   12. Ollin Arageed (recorded live in Cairo, Egypt, September 16, 1978)
   13. Fire On The Mountain (recorded live in Cairo, September 16, 1978)
   14. Stagger Lee (recorded live in Cairo, Egypt on September 15, 1978)
   15. All New Minglewood (recorded live in New Jersey on November 24, 1978)
   
   G. Merritt



2. This purchase was to replace an old, long-lost copy. I've always liked their studio-produced stuff, much to the chagrin of some more serious aficionados. Every once in a while it's nice to hear a nice crisp rendition than to have to pore over tons of bootlegs to find just the one.



3. I've always had great affection for this album. Their cover of "Good Lovin'" is absolutely irresistible. This album is likely to appear to non-Dead fans to, as it is funkier and tighter than most.



4. Released in 1978, this was the Grateful Dead's tenth studio album and 14th overall. Oringally, it had 10 songs and was just under 39 minutes long. With the bonus tracks, it comes out to 74 minutes.
   
   On the first CD release of this album, the sound quality was mediocre. All of these remastered Grateful Dead CD's have excellent sound. They are recorded in HDCD (24 bit instead of the standard 16) so they sound better than normal CD's. And if you have a CD player that has the HDCD decoder, they sound stunning.
   
   All of the remastered Grateful Dead CD's have bonus material to bring the total playing time up to close to 80 minutes. The bonus material has been very good on some CD's (like Blues for Allah) to disappointing on others (American Beauty).
   
   Except for Ollin Arageed, the bonus material on Shakedown Street is not very good. Ollin Arageed is the best thing on the CD, and one of the best and more unusual tracks by the Grateful Dead. The other tracks are a version Good Lovin' with Lowell George on vocals (which isn't as good as Bob Wier's inspired version), and then a bunch of live songs. The live material is nothing special, just rambling versions of some of the studio songs. Even the 13 minute Fire On the Mountain is nothing special. I have heard much better live versions of this song.
   
   As for the original Shakedown Street was produced by Lowell George of Little Feat (about a year before he died). It kind of goes back to the days of American Beauty and Workingman's Dead (but with more of a seventies flavor). Rumor has it that the Dead were looking for a hit and conformed the music to the sounds of the time. Some say there is a bit of disco flavor in this. But, I don't agree.
   
   Just like most Grateful Dead albums, there are some great songs on this CD (a rollicking version of the Little Rascal's Good Lovin', Shakedown Street, I Need a Miracle, Fire on the Mountain) with a bunch of mediocre songs. Even the great American Beauty album was not consistant throughout.
   
   This is a three to four star CD. I tilt to 3 stars because the bonus material isn't very good.



5. This is an okay record. Basic the band wanted to record another album before their Egypt performances in 1978. So they went into the band's new studio and began recording before they even had enough new songs and unfortunatly, it shows. This album has a much more plays it straight feel than others. This might have had something to do with Terrapin Station's somewhat over the top production. Dispite all this, there's some nice stuff on here. The Good Lovin' that opens this album is quite good. France I've come to like okay although that's probably because it was never played live and thus is kind of a rarity. The best things about this Shakedown Street is the cool little Jerry string bending overdubs and the fact that it's one of the few times I've heard all the vocals onkey. Serengetti is fun but short. Fire On The Mountain turns out in a nice version. I Need A Miracle is a straight up rocker that's actually pretty basic for the Dead. Once again, one of the problems some of the band members had with Terrapin was that it didn't rock out enough. Donna's From The Heart Of Me has a cool hook. Both Stagger Lee and All New Minglewood Blues are no great shakes. From The Heart Of Me was a tune written to be romantic and it's okay. It was only played live three times. Of all the bonus stuff, the best is Ollin Arageed.

3 comments about Definitive Collection.

1. It is easy to be confused by Stevie Wonder compilations. In the nineties, a double CD was released in America titled Song review, while a single CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. More recently, a single CD was released in America titled Definitive collection, so (conversely) a double CD was released in Britain with the same title and artwork. This British double CD is much better than the earlier American double CD titled Song review, which had fewer tracks and missed out some important songs. Indeed, this is the best compilation of Stevie's music that I've seen. Even on two CD's, it is not possible to include every Stevie Wonder recording worth hearing, but all the big hits in Britain and America are here.
   
   You probably have your own favorites. I particularly like You are the sunshine of my life, For once in my life, Yester-me yester-you yesterday, Living for the city, I just called to say I love you, Sir Duke, A place in the sun, Lately and Happy birthday. Other classics (also excellent) include Superstition, I wish, Isn't she lovely, Ebony and ivory (with Paul McCartney), Never had a dream come true, Uptight and so many others.
   
   If you only want one collection of Stevie Wonder music, this is by far the best. If you want to build a collection of his music, this is a great starting point.



2. but this set is actually a Solid Overview of One of the Greatest Creative Forces the Music World has Ever Heard.this Set traces His Career from the 60's through the 90's.you see the Diversity in his creative Process.you hear the Musical Growth of His work over time which is the path that leads to Greatness.a Must have especially if you are new to Stevie's Work.



3. The title of this one really says it all: The DEFINITIVE Collection. And since there has been a number of Wonder compilations issued thru the years, that truly is a bold yet worthwile statement. One must accept the fact that there'll probably never be a perfectly flawless disc(s) of this sort featuring Stevie's very best music - that would take more than 2 CD's and, inevitably, always include the dreaded "I Just Called To Say I Love You". So this, honestly, is as good as it'll ever get.

   I've wracked my brain since I got this collection earlier this year and can only come up with two songs I find amiss from it; "Until You Come Back To Me" (in my opinion, superior to Aretha's later hit version of it) and the mighty "Superwoman" - three if you count the 1982 Top 5 U.S. hit "That Girl", which isn't very good although it was a big hit. The European origins of this collection might explain That Girl's exclusion from it though.

   That said, if you happen to be looking for some of the best Pop/Soul music of the '60s and '70s (before disco and, in Stevie's case, sickenly sentimental smothness came along and ruined everything), a lot of it is right here. Enjoy.

5 comments about Unicorn.

1. I never knew ANYTHING about Tyrannosaurus Rex before i picked up this CD this week. Unless i'm experiencing something like a sonic equivalent of "love at first sign", a simple inflatuation, I have to say that this album UNICORN has completely charmed and captivated me. This doesnt happen much to me. If someone really LOVES something, it's because they see something of themselves in it. Somehow, from this psychedelic folk album that is all but unknown in the USA, i've heard melodies, that existed in my mind for incarnations.Once you hear the strange poetic images, and the evocative sounds, you'll be convinced Marc Bolan channeled these delicate tunes from Rivendale during the second age of MIDDLE EARTH, or from the last days of Atlantis. I bought BEARD OF STARS also, but for me UNICORN outranks it. First off, both members from the UNICORN version of Tyrannosaurus Rex had tragic lives. Marc and Steve were both dead by the time they were 30. So, as with Nick Drake, Tim Buckley or Phil Ochs, a sad poetic mystique surrounds people that never made it past their youth. Maybe some people own a vision of beauty so transcendent and otherworldly, that the world removes them, and takes them back to that etheric plane they belong to. These were guys not given to sticking to the rules, and writing comprehensible, big-money big-money POP. Well, I mean, sure T REX was money making pop, but except for that quavering, unique voice, its hard to make the connection between this album and the T REX sound. IF anything, this album is as much about POETRY as it is MUSIC. (The last 6 minutes of UNICORN is a spoken word poem.) Here's poetry floating just beyond the grasp of the intellect. The music at first seems to lack the lush, "thick" 60s psychedelic folk ideal. This is just stripped down acoustic guitar(s), matched to wierd percussion like tabla, bongos, maracas, and nice tripped out production. The maracas dance from one speaker to the other, and thick vocal overdubs appear and disappear. It's cool, dude. Sometimes a Tamboura hums....or is that harmonium? Who knows? The sound can be at times as indistinct and incomprehesible as the lyrics. The new edition offers you Marc's lyrics printed out, but dont expect THAT to be of help deciphering his meaning. It's best to allow yourself to be transported by the album to another, more hopeful, more colorful age. Discribing the individual songs would ruin your first listen...it'd be a spoiler, believe me. Just look forward to strange,ineffable combinations of Bolan's wavering, vibrato tenor over the cool countermelodies of Steve Took, along with Steve's direct, succinct percussion that's SO EFFECTIVE. I don't hear a lot of guitar overdubbing, altho one song has Tony Visconti (their famous producer) playing some pounding piano. This reissue is very well done. Since so many of the songs are VERY short, its nice to have extra takes from the vault, and a couple of singles, including one that starts the movement towards the electric sound T REX mastered a couple of years later. I recommend this album to ANYONE who likes MADCAP LAUGHS by Syd Barrett, INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, FOLKJOKEOPUS by Roy Harper, or Tim Buckley's surreal period. (More because of the unusual voice, mixed with strange lyrics, than the sound, which isnt as heavey as the BUCKLEY LPs.)



2. Unicorn was the third of four albums by Tyrannosaurus Rex and the last with Steve Peregrine Took. Released in May 1969, it followed the failure of their third single, Pewtor Suitor, in January. This had followed in the mould of the first two singles and albums by largely replicating the acoustic sound the band created onstage over the last year or so. The same could be said of the B-side, Warlord of The Royal Crocodiles, recorded near the start of the sessions for the album in December 1968.
   
   Given that the duo had released two albums within the last twelve months, all written by Marc Bolan, the quality of the songs on Unicorn was remarkably strong, showing his considerable development as a writer, lyrically and musically, and fully utilising the flexible creativity of his musical partner Steve Took. Not anyway given to self-doubt, Marc Bolan must have been particularly confident at the outset of the sessions, and was therefore severely challenged by the commercial failure of Pewtor Suitor.
   
   He met the challenge during the sessions, which lasted until 2nd February 1969, by experimenting with more instruments and multi-track overdubs, with the help of regular producer Tony Visconti and engineers Malcolm Toft and Rob Cabel, to create a much more complex panoply of chromatic sounds that incorporated Spectorish reverb and percussion. If not exactly a Wall Of Sound, they brilliantly complemented the beautiful idiosyncrasy of the songs. Marc added harmonium, lip organ and fonofidels to his repertoire, while Steve additionally supplied bass guitar, piano, drumkit and pixiepipe. Tony Visconti added some piano to Catblack. The result was a worthy 16-track successor to My People and Prophets and reversed their commercial decline by making a very healthy showing in the album charts.
   
   The bonus tracks begin with Pewtor Suitor (in stereo) and show the way forward with the next single, not taken from Unicorn but freshly recorded in April 1969: King Of The Rumbling Spires/Do You Remember. This represented a quantum leap with electric guitars, Woolworth's organ and full drums in evidence. The remaining tracks are early takes of the songs from Unicorn and an early version of Do You Remember featuring as far as I know the only lead vocal that Steve Took recorded with Tyrannosaurus Rex. His enunciation is clearer than Marc's and allays a worry I have had for 35 years about one of the words in the lyric when he sings "Her face was like a coat to me".



3. Marc Bolan and Steve Took produced 'Unicorn' as their third and final album together in May of 1969. Bolan's next release, 'A Beard Of Stars' would feature Micky Finn in Took's place. Finn would also occupy a place in Bolan's more notorious backing band, T-Rex, as they electrified their schtick with 1971's 'Electric Warrior'. Steve Took's contribution to this release, widely regarded as Bolan's finest acoustic piece, can hardly be underestimated. Though Bolan's Donovan Leich-like vocal mannerisms, compelling acoustic guitar playing, and composing talents are unquestionably center stage in Tyrannosaurus Rex, Took's vocals, bass guitar, and piano contributions are creative and indispensible to the finished product.
   
   And what a product it is. While most people first became aware of Bolan's talents with the success of his glam-rock persona and single releases under the banner of T-Rex, this strange but gripping work stands as a minor masterpiece. The strangeness, and certainly the explanation for its stealth existance over the decades, traces back to the lyrical content of the compositions. Bolan brings a Tolkien-like consciousness to the whole affair, presenting a fantasy world of images featuring chariots, kegs of dew, silent scriptures, a shell of foam, bluebells in hearts, sky-blue teeth, starbrowed brothers, a chalcedony bed, a muse on life's lawn, a thunderbolt suit, and Silver Satyrs, just to name a few. While at once seemingly a Dada-redeux, one can't help but to suspect that, in Bolan's mind, perhaps all of this has some underlying meaning. He sings as though he does, though the delivery of these perplexing lyrics is similarly strained. He frequently slurs or warbles the lyrics in that unmistakable, faltering Donovan Leitch style, making them difficult to understand in more ways than one. Of course the lyrics produce an atmosphere of mystery and a dragons and dungeons, Camelot, and Nostradomas mystique as well, and that is very much in character with the sonic texture of the songs. There are at times strange sound effects, such as the sounds of birds, and perchance gnomes serving as bookends for the halting 'Pon a Hill', or the curious sounds accompanying the marching melody in 'She Was Born To Be My Unicorn'. Despite the strangeness, none of this is at all offensive. In fact, one must suspect that this was the feel Bolan and Took were reaching for, as it permeates each and every track.
   
   What you won't be able to get away from on 'Unicorn' are the often breathtaking, wonderfully complex and varied melodies the duo produce. My favorites are the memorably mystic sound of 'Warlord of the Royal Crocodiles', the fun and catchy ' The Misty Coast of Albany', and the first three bonus tracks, the bright and lively 'Pewter Suitor', and 'King of the Rumbling Spires' and 'Do You Remember', both of which feature fuzzy, pumping electric guitars and bass, bringing to mind the sound Bolan was moving towards for 'Electric Warrior' in 1971. The first five tracks on 'Unicorn' feature highly engaging melodies, which become even more engaging with each listen. The lyrics are at times stunning as well, such as "Just like a prancer, a gypsy dancer..." from 'The Seal of Seasons'. The weaker tracks, and that is certainly a relative term, and only perceived as such because they are less memorable and distinguished than the others, would be 'Stones For Avalon', 'The Pilgrim's Tale', and 'Romany Soup'. On the latter track, UK DJ John Peel delivers a several minute spoken-word introduction that is every bit as mysterious as each and every song on 'Unicorn'.
   
   On the upside, if there is anything you don't like on 'Unicorn', it is likely to pass quickly. As Bolan doesn't allow himself to be restrained lyrically, he doesn't aim to present any of his compositions in a Top 40, AM radio format. The shortest track is 'Pon a Hill' at 1:14, and the longest 'Romany Soup' at 5:39, but several minutes of that consists of Peel's soliloquy. Five songs from the original vinyl album run under two minutes, and again, don't expect verses/chorus/bridge/chorus/verses/chorus. There's organization, but each track has a mind of its own.
   
   So what we have here is pure art-rock. Many of the songs possess captivating melodies, exquisite musicianship, and the type of experimentation, sincerity, and thoughtfulness that was suppose to epitomize music of the 1960's, but so often didn't. While the overall feel of the album is optimistic and light, some slower, darker, sad and even brooding fare can be found on tracks such as 'Like a White Star...' and 'Evening of Damask'. 'Unicorn' was originally released with 16 tracks, but this remaster adds three new tracks (#17-19), alternates of each new track, and alternate versions of nine songs from the original sixteen. Most of these versions are more stripped-down, especially of sound effects, but otherwise pretty similar to the originals. The imported package comes nicely illustrated with lyrics (yeah!), informative liner notes, numerous photographs and displays of other memorabilia, and if you have a use for it, an outer cardboard sleeve. It's the real ticket, and a handsome find for a lover of the best in 1960's music.



4. Tyrannosaurus Rex, after releasing two charming but at times monotonous albums "My People Were Fair" and "Prophets Seers And Sages", perfected their sound on "Unicorn", creating a work which remains singularly unique in just about all genres of music to this day. Some T.Rex fans infatuated with Bolan's later electric glam image remain completely turned off by his earlier acoustic Tolkein-influenced work, but for those with an open ear "Unicorn" reveals just as many catchy, hummable tunes
   as "Electric Warrior" and "The Slider" combined, recorded with an all-acoustic wall of sound production that has to be heard to be believed.
   
   Lyrically, the Tolkein fantasy influence remained strong but Bolan's sense of wordplay was reaching Shakespearian heights--if this sounds exaggerated, simply read the lyric sheet and marvel at lines such as "the skull of jade was pearl inlaid, the silks skin-spun, repelled the sun" or "Nijinsky hind is a wisp of our world through the heart's eye, a likeness in flesh of the magic contained in a pearl's shell..", all sung in a magnificent soft-focus slur that sounds at first listen like an utterly foreign tongue.
   
   The fabled Spector-ish production values utilize just about every acoustic instrument imaginable, including guitars, pianos, organs, bongoes, talking drums, pixiephone, gong, drums, bass,
   claves, fonofiddle and harmonica, treated at times with vast amounts of reverb ("Chariots Of Silk", "Catblack") for a grand,
   ethereal sound; a song like "She Was Born To Be My Unicorn" almost seems to float with a liquid momentum. Most importantly, however, every track is melodically rich, with eminently hummable verses and uplifting choruses that can sound royally majestic ("Chariots Of Silk"), poignantly lilting ("Seal Of Seasons") or foreboding ("Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles") with ease, dispelling the occassional monotony that had plagued the first two releases. With its combination of accessible song craftsmanship and highly quirky vocals and production, "Unicorn" allows Bolan's personality to burn through with a grace and heart-melting passion which makes it one of the most underrated and overlooked masterpieces in rock, albeit with a strong cult following (its #12 UK chart placing was also the highest the duo would achieve).
   
   Long, long overdue for a proper remastering treatment, this edition finally addresses that imbalance with restored artwork, lyrics, remastered sound and fifteen bonus tracks including non-LP singles from the period. While the sound is perfect--far superior to any previous CD versions bar the "Best Of Tyrannosaurus Rex" comp from a few years back--the artwork is not entirely complete, as the original gatefold with its lovely drawing depicting two unicorn heads is absent. The bonus tracks are highly welcome, with some veering pretty close to the released versions (some, such as "Throat Of Winter" and "Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles, sound like slightly stripped-down early takes) while others offer fascinating deviations, such as Took's vocal turn on the single b-side "Do You Remember". Overall, the CD is highly essential, probably the first CD version of the album truly worth purchasing, as Tyrannosaurus Rex get the deluxe treatment they have always deserved.



5. About bloody time ..Unicorn is given its due..remastered with extras.Marc in the Yellow Vest never sounded so good !! I remember begging a girl in class Five ,1972 to swap me Faces NODS LP with sexy Poster FOR Zonophone Unicorn,,,I was SO Happy ..My Mother not so..she never got Chariots of Silk !! ..Unicorn is Marc at his best Tyrannosaurus..Steve Took nee Porter, so amazing..so Steve..Bless You....it transports you back in time.. wonder why its taken 36 years to give us the full treatment..In 1972 us Rex Children would have killed for an outtake...Thanks Universal and Barden/Paytress for your usual Bolan Gems..Pete Sanders should release a Book of all the BEST Bolan photos..Pete, you captured Marc at his Most Beautiful/ness...long before the drugs and Charles Sharr Murray stabbed Marc in every orifice known to NME.
   .Wow it was the 70s...
   From A Chariots of Silk to Romany Soup ...Marc and Steve take you on a Journey...a blessed trip...two beautful people taken before their time ..dazzle dawn man...you make us smile..just slip it on the cd..breathe .relax..and take a trip to the Misty Coast Of Albany..and Thank The Gods who gave us Steve Porter /Mark Feld/The Bolan Childe ...

5 comments about Band Of Gypsys.

1. Hello!
   
   Machine Gun alone is a reason for buying this CD. It is well worth the price of admission!



2. Band of Gypsys was released in the US in 2 CD versions - the first was released in 1995 as the 25th anniversary CD (Capitol 96414 jewel case or the mini-vinyl card version Capitol DPRO 79534). Both contain the same CD as issued under the Alan Douglas control of the Hendrix Estate. In 1997, after the Hendrix family took control of the estate, Experience Hendrix released the Experience Hendrix/Capitol CD release (72434 -93446). The mixes used are the same but they appear to have been remastered from different stereo tapes.
   
   The 25th Anniversary CD issue was sourced from a copy of the master tape, not the original Eddie Kramer-mixed stereo master tape. The original master tape had been marked "Do Not Use" by EMI-Capitol Records (possibly because it was deteriorating while the copy was in good condition), so the copy-master was used for any versions on vinyl after the initial green label Capitol version and the 25th Anniversary edition CD. They sound like it - obvious bass and vocal distortion abounds (especially in Who Knows), along with very slight treble phase shift.
   
   The new version by EH/Eddie Kramer uses the "Do Not Use" tape (the original stereo master) and sounds much better than the Douglas version. The bass is excellent now and the treble and vocals are much clearer. The uneven fade up of the original Bill Graham introduction has been changed to a drop-in, and Eddie Kramer mentioned in an interview with Michael Fremer in Stereophile that some tape splices were retrimmed. A minor caveat is the appearance of occasional soft crackling noises on the new release (e.g. at about 5 and 11 secs into Machine Gun in the left channel). I seem to remember these on the original 1970 Capitol (green label) vinyl (STAO 472 - released in April 1970), and bought several copies thinking - wrongly as it turns out - that they were pressing faults. These noises weren't present on the Australian Polydor vinyl release (2406-002), nor later Capitol (purple or red label) pressings. The copy-master, therefore, appears to have been used for most versions of Band of Gypsys beyond the original US issue, despite its inferior sound. I guess the crackling noises on the original Capitol vinyl release and the EH/Capitol release are sounds caused by the original master tape deteriorating.



3. This is one of the most important rock/soulful CD's you can have in your collection. It's like a beautiful and intense painting that you have to engage with. A rock mantra. For all guitar players to enjoy.



4. Growing up, I loved Jimi Hendrix's Experience. I had never tried his Band of Gypsies vinyl back in the day. I bought this on sale to add to the Hendrix collection and I'm not sure if it will stay. This album is the first after his breakup with them and it's a live recording from 1969.
   
   Some say it's the beginning of the end, I cannot say that. It's good, solid blues, but I prefer hearing Hendrix rocking.
   
   This is a six song collection, that is almost 46 minutes long. You get a lot of live jamming on this CD, which is mostly worth hearing. Vocals on "Who Knows" just annoy me; however, "Machine Gun" is excellent--good strong playing and one of my favorites of all his work.
   
   I don't regret hearing this CD, but I think I'd rather remember Jimi rocking with the Experience than bluesing with the Gypsies.
   
   Rebecca Kyle, May 2008



5. I yield to no man when it comes to admiring Jimi Hendrix - indeed, watching and listening to him perform in a tiny club, way back in '67, was one of the highlights of my life. It was transformational. That said, let's be honest about Band of Gypsies - it's a mess. Of course, the failures of Hendrix transcend the triumphs of mortals, but still.
   
   Hendrix freely admitted that he was no great singer, and his limitations have never been more evident. Even Buddy Miles, who was better, sounds awful. Perhaps the live concert environment meant they couldn't hear themselves. Indeed, this album would have been much better had there been no vocals at all. The jams, naturally, smoke like a southbound train, Hendrix is in great form. But play the CD again and imagine how much better it would sound purely instrumental.
   
   Swapping out Mitch Mitchell for Buddy Miles was like trading in a Rolls Royce for a Yugo, Miles is particularly unexceptional here. The bass contribution by Billy Cox could have been handled just as well by a table lamp. Most egregious of all is the material itself. From a song-writing point of view there is little to cheer, particularly when it comes to lyrics. This would be more palatable if the singing were expert; unfortunately, the awkward vocals Hendrix delivers draw attention to the inadequacies of the lyrics.
   
   Of course it's worth owning and listening to, but, for a variety of reasons, it is just not up to the standards of the 3 "Experience" albums.

5 comments about Another Days Blues.

1. This is an exceptional recording. Trower's guitar playing here is better than ever...more nuanced, more dynamic and its clear that the lyrical nature of his approach has deepened over the years. This is not a rock record, but it is most definitely a first class Robin Trower record...Davey Pattinson is a terrific singer and stands tall in the tradition of classic british blues vocalists like James Dewar and Paul Rodgers. The rhythm section is also great. The record features some fine songwriting, even finer tunefulness and an excellent intimate performance atmosphere. Robin Trower and his mates are aging quite gracefully.



2. I enjoyed the 'r and b' vibe of Bridge of Sighs and Twice Removed... as well as his live stuff, but this cd, picked up on a whim, is now my favourite of all the Trower albums I've heard. It's full of great blues songs and playing---simple but soulful and tasteful phrasing, a good variety of distorted tones, even some slightly wonky bending for spice. Singing from the 3 vocalists, including the old man himself, is excellent---great to hear him as good (or better?) than ever.



3. First, let's be clear... This is blues album, you won't find any Secret Place, Little Bit O Sympathy, Bridge of Sighs, or Hannah here, just the Blues. This album was previously released with Robin singing all the lead vocals (and doing a rather good job overall)as "Someday Blues", but there is no question that Davey Pattison is a better singer. All the guitar and drum parts are exactly the same on both albums only the vocal has been changed. And it's still a pretty good blues album, with a couple good original blues, and some good covers. Robin still gets is some great licks and this material makes a nice addition to his live shows. But it is the Blues, and nothing but the blues, so help me God.



4. Huge Trower fan and I was really disappointed when he put this all-blues album. I recently decided to give it another listen and it is really enjoyable. These aren't all blues "standard" type songs like "Crossroads". There are some songwriting twists which are unmistakenly genuine Robin Trower. The guitar volume is turned down a bit but he still uses some effects and the songwriting is great. His playing rocks on this CD which surprised me. Davey Pattison is also much better when he sings the blues I found. This exact CD was also put out on "Someday Blues" with only Robin singing which is a really strange move.



5. I love Robin but I have to tell you this was a most disappointing effort. Nothing on this CD reveals the magic that Robin can create. He just recycles old tired blues lines that you've heard a million times. He has so many better albums you can skip this one. Note that no album (even his live ones) recreate how good he is live. If he's ever in your town, go see him!

5 comments about Asylum Choir II.

1. leon and marc are both fantastic musicians get this disk it is true blue american rock blues country ....AWSOME



2. As an aging hippie, this album brings back sooo many memories. The songs are also extremely relevant today since so many of Leon's early works were protest songs over the Vietnam war.
   The CD itself doesn't have the best sound quality - hasn't been enhanced at all - but it is as good or better than the old vinyl album.
   If you want to get an old hippie on his/her feet dancing, put on this CD and crank up the sound all the way.



3. A classic blues album you would never think it was made in the seventies. Leon Rissel was with "Mad dogs and Englishman" and hasn't altered his style at all. excellent!!!!



4. If you have never heard Asylum Choir II and you are a student of classic rock n roll then you HAVE to get it on CD. So many underground classics are on this CD like Straight Brother, the risque Salty Candy, Sweet Home Chicago, Learn How To Boogie, etc.
   
   The CD has 5 bonus tracks that are questionable as to why those 5 were included (not the best choices in my opinion). But, the CD is excellent and unlike other artists of the era the songs are not dated.
   
   This is a must have for all who love rock n roll.



5. 
   Asylum Choir II is a wonderful recording.
   I've been through at least 3 vinyl LP's of this
   since it came out and was thrilled when it got to CD!
   Some of the words are a bit dated but the music is FUNKY
   and ROCKIN' and Leon is in top form (Ray Charles on acid).
   
   Also, this is one of my favorite PRODUCED albums ever.
   The sound seperation and "stereo play" of the different
   instruments and vocals is incredible and will DRAW you
   in closer. This great CD should be studied for ANY serious
   student of record production!
   
   I also like the first recording of the Asylum Choir
   named "Look In..." and would have gladly bought that CD
   too but for SOME REASON they decided to pick SOME of the
   better tracks of "Look In..." and use then as BONUS TRACKS
   for this release. Missing are "Indian Style" and the
   incredible "Thieves In The Choir" and a few others that
   NEED TO BE HEARD! Why they were ommited is just crazy!