It’s one of the genuine injustices in the field of rock that the talents of Iain Matthews remain underestimated for over half a century after the singer jumped the FAIRPORT CONVENTION ship to venture into solo waters – either under his own name or with SOUTHERN COMFORT and PLAINSONG as well as, much later, HI-FI which the veteran formed with PAVLOV'S DOG‘s David Surkamp. Such early Matthews’ albums as "If You Saw Thro' My Eyes" and "Tigers Will Survive" – released at the time when Iain had only one “i” in his name – are classic examples of the English artist’s skills as a composer, performer and interpreter, and it’s these records, and related recordings, that are at the core of a box set scheduled to appear on December 6th.
Tellingly titled “Thro’ My Eyes: The Vertigo Years 1970-1974” and comprising five CDs which house no less than 37 previously unreleased numbers, it’s a comprehensive collection that adds a lot of concert material to the context. Worth of mention is Matthews’ 1971 set from New York’s “The Bitter End” club where, accompanied by Richard Thompson among others, Iain delivers an interesting take on “Genesis Hall” – a piece he never seemed to lay down in the studio – and a few other rarities, plus contemporary radio sessions and a 2003 live version of his first solo platter. A solid-gold anthology.
CD 1:
If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes:
1. Desert Inn
2. Hearts
3. Never Ending
4. Reno Nevada
5. Little Known
6. Hinge (Part One)
7. Hinge (Part Two)
8. Southern Wind
9. It Came Without Warning
10. You Couldn’t Lose
11. Morgan The Pirate
12 Thro’ My Eyes
Live At The Bitter End: *
13. Never Ending
14. Hope You Know
15. Please Be My Friend
16. Genesis Hall
17. Souling Song
18. Woodstock
19. Right Before My Eyes
20. Reno Nevada
21. Close The Door Lightly When You Go
22. Road To Ronderlin
CD 2:
Tigers Will Survive:
1. Never Again
2. Close The Door Lightly When You Go
3. House Un-American Blues Activity Dream
4. Morning Song
5. The Only Dancer
6. Tigers Will Survive
7. Midnight On The Water
8. Right Before My Eyes
9. Da Doo Ron Ron
10. Hope You Know
11. Please Be My Friend
Radio Session, April 1971:
12. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
13. Not Much At All
14. Hearts
15. Baby Ruth
16. Home *
Radio Session, May 1971:
17. There’s A Woody Guthrie Song
18. Thro’ My Eyes *
19. Never Ending
20. Desert Inn *
21. Close The Door Lightly When You Go *
CD 3:
Journeys From Gospel Oak:
1. Knowing The Game
2. Polly
3. Things You Gave Me
4. Mobile Blue
5. Tribute To Hank Williams
6. Met Her On A Plane
7. Bride 1945
8. Franklin Avenue
9. Do Right Woman
10. Sing Me Back Home
bonus tracks:
11. Devil In Disguise (album outtake)
12. Met Her On A Plane (7” strings version)
13. Knowing The Game (2006 re-recording)
14. Polly (2006 re-recording)
15. Franklin Avenue (2006 re- recording)
16. Tribute To Hank Williams (2006 re-recording)
17. Devil In Disguise (2006 re-recording)
Acoustic In Paris – Live At La Pomme D’Eve: *
18. Knowing The Game
19. Franklin Avenue
20. Tribute To Hank Williams
CD 4:
If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes – Live:
1. Desert Inn
2. Hearts
3. Never Ending
4. Reno Nevada
5. Little Known
6. Hinge (Part One)
7. Hinge (Part Two)
8. Southern Wind
9. It Came Without Warning
10. You Couldn’t Lose
11. Morgan The Pirate
12. Thro’ My Eyes
Excerpts From The Notebook Series:
13. Reno Nevada
14. Thro’ My Eyes *
15. Desert Inn
16. House Un-American Blues Activity Dream
17. Tribute To Hank Williams
18. Midnight On The Water
19. Knowing The Game
20. Reno Nevada
CD 5:
Vertigo Years Live 1971-2022: *
1. Close The Door Lightly When You Go
2. Desert Inn
3. Hope You Know
4. Please Be My Friend
5. Midnight On The Water
6. Tigers Will Survive
7. Tigers Will Survive
8. Thro’ My Eyes
9. Bride 1945
10. Knowing The Game
11. Tribute to Hank Williams
12. Never Ending
13. You Couldn’t Lose
14. Thro’ My Eyes
15. Reno Nevada
16. Thro’ My Eyes
17. Reno Nevada
18. Franklin Avenue
19. House Un-American Blues Activity Dream
* previously unreleased