CD REVIEWS: DION -A TANK FULL OF BLUES (2011), YO FRANKIE! (1989), HEROES -GIANTS OF EARLY GUITAR ROCK (2008)

(Note: I'm reviewing these in the order I bought and listened to them.)

I was just old enough to be aware of Dion and the Belmonts in the late 50's but by the time I was old enough to start really getting into pop music it was the early 60's and The Beatles and pop music itself was about to explode so I never really paid any attention to Dion Dimucci for the next fifty years when I heard I Was Born To Cry on a budget sampler from Ace Records (UK) (probably the greatest reissue label in the world) and thought to myself  -wow what a voice- and promptly went back hunting for new Ace Blues reissues. Some time later I learned that Dion had released three Blues albums. I tried one, liked it, bought the next and one thing led to another and I began to discover that Dion hadn't faded away after the early 60's. Actually I knew he hadn't and that he'd had a late 60's hit with Abraham, Martin and John in the singer/songwriter/folkie vein. But this time I dug a bit deeper.

I tried an Ace compilation of his gospel material (Dion is profoundly Christian) but the message was more important than the music which didn't appeal to little ole atheist me. A compilation of his 70's material had a little more appeal (70's: From Acoustic To The Wall Of Sound) but by then I'd moved on to another mini-fad. 

Two or three years later and two weeks ago the third of his Blues albums came up in Amazon's recommendations so I listened to samples and bought the CD.

This was a back to the basic approach, a bass player, a drummer-percussionist, and himself on vocals and all guitars. Dion had always been associated primarily with singing but he's always played guitar and is actually very competent. He's also always been a songwriter and he wrote or co-wrote all but the one cover on this album. I think the reason I didn't buy this at the time I bought his other Blues CDs was because I mistakenly thought it was acoustic. It isn't. It's electric, it's raw and Dion's voice is as strong as it ever was. It would be easy to use the phrase at his peak but that would be misleading because he's actually as good as he's ever been. And as a white Blues singer, he may have peers but not many of them.

To be technical, this isn't strictly a blues album, maybe blues-rock, but it really straddles genres. The final track -A Bronx Poem- is spoken, stream of consciousness, flowing one thought, one word into the next, almost rap, heartfelt and surprisingly effective.

And once again, one thing led to another. I looked him up on All-Music Guide (AMG) one of the best, if not the best, online sources about music. One album caught my attention, I listened to samples, bought it.

This latter day (1989) album is definitely up my street in that it's straight forward AOR. It's superbly produced by multi-instrumentalist Dave Edmunds (except for one track produced by Bryan Adams who was so enthused by the prospect of collaborating with Dion that he not only produced, wrote it, sung, played on it, he also brought in k.d. lang on backing vocals). Guest artists also include Lou Reed and Paul Simon who are open in their admiration for the man. Dion himself wrote or co-wrote seven of the ten tracks. You can tell the quality of an artist by the quality of those who want to be associated with him. (Dion has also shared a bill and a stage with Bruce Springsteen who has openly sung the man's praises.)

The songs themselves are generally pretty good. The seemingly braggadocio strut of King Of The New York Streets has a sting in the tail. Written On The Subway Wall has a Mark Knopfler guitar sound (Edmunds). And The Night Stood Still has echoes of Springsteen. Not all the songs are as strong but the overall standard is pretty high. If this isn't one of the best albums of the 80's, it's still a pretty good one. Kudos to Ace Records (UK) for re-releasing it. AMG informs me that it only made 130 in the Billboard charts. It deserved a much wider audience.

Then Amazon recommended to me an album very different to the two above.

This is a tribute to his peers of the late 50's, the foundations on which rock'n'roll is built. They are people he knew, whom he shared bills with. Here he revisits some of their greatest songs to magnificent effect. Dave Marsh the veteran rock music writer who told Dion while on air that he believed three of his albums of the 21st century were the best he's ever made. This, for which he supplies the liner notes, is one of them and it's impossible to disagree. He sings songs by Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis, by Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, Eddie Cochran and Del Shannon. He jammed on guitar in hotel rooms with several of them. 

Somehow, while mostly sticking to the original arrangements, he makes them vital again, not modern exactly, but refreshed by adding his own subtle twists, and, of course, one of the greatest voices of popular music.

Now in his early seventies, Dion has been writing, singing, playing music for over 50 years and unlike any other rock star I can think of is still creatively viable as he makes some of the best music of his long career. He's got old, he's not got stale. 

Still the cool tough Italian kid from the Bronx.

MUSIC: REDISCOVERIES

Well, not so much rediscovery as uncovery. You see I'd put them somewhere and forgotten where I'd put them and they weren't in the obvious places. Most of the time this didn't both me except when I was flicking through Itunes and I'd notice that they weren't on the very long list of music I'd copied from my CDs (and downloaded, but that's not really relevant here). I suspected that they were buried in boxes deep in the depths of our garage. 

Then Susan decided that we had to empty my study. This is actually the third and smallest bedroom which contains: a bed with all my Amazon selling stock in boxes on top of it; three sets of bookcases containing (yes, obviously) books, graphic novels, DVDs, and CDs. One long but low 3-shelf bookcase was half hidden by the bed, completely obscuring the bottom shelf and that is where I found the following three massive box sets by The Grateful Dead (two) and Sandy Denny (one, in case you weren't sure).

And they are big and beautiful.

This is a gorgeous 5-disc 85 track collection with a fabulous booklet containing an introduction by Richard Thompson, an extended warts and all biography, comments by fellow musicians and friends, plus full track details. Apart from the fact that it doesn't include my favourite song ever (understandable: see my favourite 100 songs), it's as perfect a compilation as you could wish to hope for. Emphasis on compilation. I've recently learned that next year will see a 19-disc box set containing everything that Sandy ever recorded and will retail for around £140.00 from Amazon. I don't intend to buy it but don't be surprised if I do.

And these two hunky boxes, about as thick as a brick but bigger, contain all the band's major label albums and span nearly a quarter of a century. They also contain massive booklets with dozens of photos. Golden Road begins with a 2-cd of studio and live recordings before they became The Grateful Dead and are mostly unreleased. The rest of the albums have all been remastered and extended, sometimes almost doubling in length. Their running time averages (at a conservative estimate) around 75 minutes per disc and there are 12 discs in each box making a total running time of 30 hours for the two. A number of the albums are live but as the Dead were primarily a live band, many of their songs were never recorded in the studio. Each album comes in a replica sleeve with a new introduction by a variety of people from cult actors to sound engineers.

Together, the box sets are an amazing piece work with all the experimental stuff, jamming, mix of folk/blues/rock/country/bluegrass, long guitar solos and not totally boring drum & percussion solos. Even more amazing is that this is the tip of their recorded output. Also available on their own label are dozens of live albums in multi-disc sets and there are usually three or more every year. I've got about eight and that's my lot.

But I've said that before.

BOOKS, CD: RECENT SHORT AMAZON REVIEWS

Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection (Audio CD)

The Jimi Hendrix Starter Pack -a 5 star review.

 

This isn't all the Jimi Hendrix you'll need but it is the best place to start listening. If you don't like this then you just won't like anything else he's done. Hard to believe but there are some people who don't like Jimi Hendrix but then they probably don't like rock and blues electric guitar anyway  

40 years after his death and he is still the most amazing blues and rock guitarist who ever lived and his influence is still being felt and all that in a tragically cut short four year career. Anything before Are You Experienced was basically his apprenticeship when he was learning his craft. After that he exploded.

As an introduction to Hendrix this can't be beaten, though it can be argued that various alternate takes of famous tracks which, while attractive to the hardcore fan, do the official versions (i.e. those that appeared on his albums) a disservice. I certainly prefer the original All Along The Watchtower to the alternate take which appears here. That said, CD1 can't be faulted as a comprehensive selection of his studio work. 

CD2 is a sampler of the many live recordings which have been released since his death. There's no doubt that Hendrix was brilliant live. Rougher is undeniable and understandable as his studio material was meticulously put together. There are only two live versions of tracks on the first CD and, like the rest, are noticeably longer with a whole lot more energy. Hendrix was as good live as he was in the studio, just in a different way.

After this, the only way to go is to his official studio albums and after that dive in to the plethora of live albums. Me, I rather like the compilation Blues which, surprise, focuses on his bluesier side. Me, I'd like a Blues vol.2 but sadly there's no sign of one.

I must mention the brief but fine liner notes and reasonably detailed track listing.

So, here you are: an excellent introduction to one of the greatest rock artists of all time. How can you resist? 

 

Deadtown by Nancy Holzner (Paperback)

Sparky! A 4-star review.

Other reviewers have given an adequate plot summary, so I'll spare you that. Well, not you, the Amazon readers. You get the synopsis. A mutant virus has turned thousands of Bostonians into zombies -just not the cannibalistic kind of George Romero- so other supernatural creatures have come out of the woodwork, including our heroine.

To be honest, this isn't that much different from all the other paranormal adventures/romances going around. It's set firmly in the genre of attractive and powerful female in the modern world plus supernatural entities, handsome men who may be heroes/villains/romantic interest candidates, etc. No different, just that little bit better which makes it a good read. The author is currently at work on a sequel and I'll be in line when it's finally published. Read this and I'm sure you will too.

 Darwinia  by Robert Charles Wilson (Paperback)

  A E Van Vogt for the 21st century, a 4-star review.

If that means nothing to you, let me explain. Van Vogt was part of the Golden Age of Science Fiction, a term that tends to refer to the 1940's and 1950's which was essentially a period in which modern SF as we know it was born. Writers who emerged then include the greats such as Asimov, Heinlein, and Sturgeon. And A E Van Vogt. Van Vogt was known for his mind-boggling concepts and galaxy-spanning stories and this is where Wilson resembles him. Except that Wilson writes very well, has characters who act like believable human beings, and his stories make sense.

Start to read Darwinia and you think: aha! this is a parallel world novel. When actually it's nothing so simple and what it's actually about is one of those mind-boggling concepts which, unlike old VV, makes sense and really does boggle the mind. This is the third novel of Wilson's I've read and I have three more on a table next to me. While they do vary in degrees of satisfaction, I've enjoyed every one and eagerly anticipate the next book of his I'm going to read.

Mr Wilson, you're terrific. 

CD THE HOLLIES GREATEST HITS

As part of my intermittent rediscovery of my youth, from my adolescence and beyond, I bought this CD.

And it's back to 1963 and I'm listening to their first hit (Aint that) just like me which was quickly followed by Searchin' and then by their biggest hit of the three Stay which broke the Top Ten. All three were somewhat raw and unpolished but they had a lot of energy and the sound of a band almost but not quite finding their sound. They nailed it the next year with Just One Look and Here I Go Again when they established themselves as one of Britain's top bands. Never innovative but always distinctive thanks to Allan Clarke's lead vocals and his harmonies with Graham Nash (whose arrangement of their version of Blowin In The Wind -1968-  is a horrendous abortion) and generally possessing a good nose for a great song, sometimes one of their own, they became one of the mainstays of the British charts for nearly a decade, but after 1972, and with the exception of 1874's The Air That I Breathe, they were pretty much a spent force and made a living on the back of their illustrious past.

Ah, but listening to these early tracks brings back my schooldays and the enthusiasm for the emerging rock music which I shared with the other kids in my class, the heated but amicable arguments over the varying merits of our favourite artists. I never actually bought a record by The Hollies, though I always liked them, and it's a pleasant surprise how fresh and energetic many of these songs still sound. Some, as I'm listening, sound better to me than they did at the time and one, which was a particular favourite of mine -King Midas In Reverse- sounds worse. Another, Bruce Springsteen's Sandy (24th July Asbury Park), which I've never heard before is really good and all kudos to them for spotting the nascent talents of the Boss back in 1974.

While they are still touring and recording with two original members of the band still in place (technically it's only as he didn't join until late 63), without the prescence of the retired Allan Clarke I can't see them as anything else but a tribute band. 

Ah, but in their day, they were one of the best.

MUSIC: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

 (Adapted from a review of Crystal Days, the 4-disc box set.)

I've became a fan of McCulloch and Co in the very early 80's when they were recommended to me by a guy at a Science Fiction convention (remember the face, forget the name) -this was no means unusual, we talk about anything and everything at SF cons, not just SF. I tipped my toe in the water by buying their 12inch EP which was just great that I set about buying the rest of their stuff which came out, at least for a few years. Some time after meeting Susan I sold all my vinyl albums as they took up too much room in our tiny flat.

Not long after I started at Sunderland City library which its large Sound & Vision Dept, I started borrowing CDs and copying them to my pc hard disk. One of the happened to be the above box set which, at the time, was around £40 and well outside my budget. Then, just recently, I read a review of Crocodiles (their first album) remastered with extra tracks which stated that this series of releases supplanted the box set. What follows is my slightly edited Amazon review.

There's no question that there is some considerable overlap, particularly with the first four albums which I think are the band's best. I'm not going into every last little detail but suffice it to say that the best tracks (or versions of them) from the four are well represented on the first two discs. However, the remastered editions of these albums contain, obviously, all the original tracks plus a number of live/alternate cuts and b-sides which are often different from those on the box set. CD3 of the set covers highlights of the successive studio albums. CD4 is a superb collection of live cuts.

Now while the remasters have new liner notes by Max Bell, the box set has a substantial booklet.

There are pros and cons about which to go for. For someone who just wants one collection of E&TB, and although there are several best of's, I'd recommended this lavish box set. But it doesn't tell the full story. Ian McCulloch used to rant on about Ocean Rain being the best rock album ever. He's wrong, of course, but not that far wrong and it should be in every rock fan's collection. Buy the box set and you miss a number of great songs and the same can be said of the first three albums.

I recommend you do what I did. Get the box set (which, at its current price, is a bargain  - it's aroudnn £16.00 and despite having a digital copy, I'm still thinking of buying it), revel in it for a while, and then go back and buy the remastered extended versions of the first four albums, plus maybe a later live set for a bit  of variety. (I picked up Live in Liverpool, 2002, which is nice but nowhere near the live disc on the box set.) But whatever you do, even if it's just buying Ocean Rain, you win.

Post Script.

A few weeks ago I wrote about my favourite albums ever. If I were to do that now, having had time to listen to the albums again, Ocean Rain would replace Crocodiles as one of them with that album being the alternative choice. This is their musical peak and nothing else they recorded after came remotely near it.

Incidentally, the reason I like this band so much is the great songs with their distinctive lyrics, the musicianship (especially the brilliant guitar), Ian McCulloch's mournful echo of a voice, and the general aura of alienation -art college rock at its best.

MUSIC: THE LEVELLERS

There are bands and singers that you know you like but never get round to buying any of their records. Until you do and then you wonder why you didn't do it long ago. The Levellers are one such. I've just picked up One Way Of Life: The Best of the Levellers and (short title) Headlights, a live album and they are both fucking great.

What I like about the band is their sheer intensity, and the far-left political and social committment inherent in almost all of their songs. Lyrically they stand firmly in the long tradition of British left-wing folk music. Their interpretation of it is, however, firmly in the rock camp (albeit sometimes veering in the direction of folk-rock) with added fiddle. Everything is played and sung with utmost sincerity and, as I said, intensity to produce stomping intelligent anthemic rock/folk-rock, whatever. The live album is playing as I'm typing this and I keeping getting urge to jump up and punch my fist in the air as I wordlessly roar approval. Which is quite inappropriate for a 61 year old retired librarian, but there you go, that's the effect they have on me.

They might do that to you if you give them a try.

CD: THE ESSENTIAL BYRDS (Columbia, 2003)

I'm not reprinting every review I put up on Amazon UK by any means, but I particularly like this one. This has had minor revisions.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Pretty essential, 22 Aug 2009

I'm a big fan of Columbia's Essential series as it allows a music fan to build up a collection of classic rock at, if you shop carefully, a really very modest price. Sure, there are always going to be quibbles about someone's brilliant track X being missing but that is an inevitable part of any compilation. They are never going to satisfy everyone unless it's a massive 4-disc set and then it'll be hugely expensive and more than most people either want or need. There is, however, a way round that which I'll go into in a moment.

Now, The Byrds, essentially a folk group who decided they wanted to be the Beatles and more or less accidentally invented electric folk or, as it's also known, folk-rock. They started out well with a blend of Dylan, folk, Searchers-style jangly guitars, and unique harmonies mainly courtesy of Crosby and McGuinn. Then they got better and Crosby leaving didn't hurt one bit, not with Gram Parsons on the horizon to add a touch of country to the mix (thereby predating alt.country) and an openness to other influences; McGuinn's improving songwriting didn't hurt either. By the end of disc 2 on this set they'd never been better and that's probably a good place to leave them.

So what have you got: a portrait of an evolving band improving vocally and instrumentally as they go, a bucket-load of great songs which become more varied in tone as the band progresses through the 60's, and all in all two hours of some of the best 60's rock. Essential? Definitely.

Now to create your own definitively essential compilation, follow these instructions. Download (as I did) at least 'Lady Friend' (or others as recommended by reviewer Steve* according to taste and I don't doubt his is impeccable) as an Amazon MP3 to your Itunes, change the info to have the same title as this collection. Et voila! Your Completely Definitively Essential Byrds.

In the meantime this one will do very nicely.

*This refers to the only other review of the CD by 'Steve' who complains about various omissions in an otherwise favourable review.