September 4, 2003

GREAT EYE IN THE SKY

Despite all his hard rock credentials, Joe Lynn Turner is an all-rounder, and those who doubt the singer’s ability to embrace progressive realms should go no further than THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT September and October concerts. Yes, while America catches up with Joe’s upcoming “JLT” album and the second studio outing from the HUGHES-TURNER PROJECT, the veteran vocalist will be warbling alongside the very same man whose work is heard on “Abbey Road” and “Dark Side Of The Moon”. “I Robot” or “Cask Of Amontilado”, anyone?

ALL SHEEP OF THE FAMILY

The FAMILY aficionados have all the reasons in the world to be happy – or unhappy, that really depends. Following an amazing Roger Chapman’s box set “Family And Friends’ (the tracklisting’s here), out is a fine line of the band’s re-issues as well as something completely new for a fuller killer effect: a vintage live recording. The problem could be that each album is augmented with tasty bonus material, which means one should either get rid of the previous remastered CDs released in 2000, or get drooling greening with envy. What’s up for grabs? Here are those added tracks:

“A Song For Me”
– No Mule’s Fool
– Good Friend Of Mine
– Drowned In Wine (live)
– The Cat And The Rat (live)
– Wheels (live)
– A Song For Me (live)
“Anyway”
– Strange Band (alt. live version)
– Part Of The Load (live)
– Lives And Ladies (live)
“Fearless”
– In My Own Time
– Seasons
– Between Blue And Me (live)
– Sing ’em The Way I Feel (live)
“Bandstand”
– The Rockin Rs
– No Mule’s Fool (live)
– Good News – Bad News (live)
– Weavers Answer (live)
“It’s Only A Movie”
– Hometown
– Holding The Compass (live)
– Weavers Answer (live)
– Dim (live)
– Procession / No Mule’s Fool (live)

As for the concert recording, “Family Live” is out for the first time ever – previously there were only BBC performances – and captures the Chapman-Whitney-Wetton>-Palmer-Townsend line-up in winter of 1973 on stage of London’s “Rainbow”:

1. Good News – Bad News 2. Spanish Tide 3. Part Of The Load 4. Drowned In Wine 5. Holding The Compass 6. Between Blue And Me 7. Children 8. In My Own Time 9. Take Your Partners 10. Weavers Answer

BACK TO THE BASE

Theirs is a long long long history – having started when the beat was the king, THE HOLLIES moved along nicely, through late ’60s psychedelia to the ’70s straight rock even when the band lost such a luminary as Graham Nash to CSN&Y. This year marks the ensemble’s 40th anniversary, and for the fans to have a glorious celebration no better present than the box set. Entitled “Long Road Home”, the 6 CD collection comprises both classic tracks and rarities as well as previously unreleased tracks, with the last disc gathering live cuts. Now they’re heavy, soul brothers!

THOSE FLIGHTS TONIGHT

Perhaps, the most underrated of all the West Coast psychedelic purveyors, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE have, nevertheless, always had quite a steady following who for many years hoped to see their heroes’ records properly re-issued one wonderful day. And this day has finally come – not only these gems are re-released in all the due glory, but there’s also a smattering of rare material adding value to each of the CDs. Take a pilot seat, and off we go!

”Takes Off”
– High Flyin’ Bird
– It’s Alright
– Go To Her (version 1)
– Let Me In (alt. unedited version)
– Chauffeur Blues (alt. version)
– And I Like It (alt. version)
– Blues From An Airplane (instr. take 10)
”Surrealistic Pillow”
– In The Morning
– J.P.P. Mc Step B. Blues
– Go To Her
– Somebody to Love (mono single version)
– White Rabbit (mono single version)
– Come Back Baby
”After Bathing At Baxter’s”
– The Ballad Of You & Me & Pooneil (live – long version)
– Martha (mono single version)
– Two Heads (alt. Version)
– Title Unknown (Marty Balin acoustic demo)
– Young Girl Sunday Blues (early instr. version)
”Crown Of Creation”
– Ribumbabap Rubadubaoumoum
– Would You Like A Snack
– Share A Little Joke (single version)
– The Saga Of Sydney Spacepig

September 4, 2003