MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: DAVID BOWIE - YOUNG AMERICANS 40th ANNIVERSARY 45

It's forty years?  Seriously, that thump was the sound of my jaw dropping and hitting the desk.  Young Americans still sounds as funky and modern as the day it came out, and here gets honoured with a 7-inch picture disc, the latest in the on-going anniversary releases of Bowie 45's.  As before, it's a wonderful picture, an out-take of the later ChangesOneBowie photo shoot.  On the B-side, we get a somewhat rare track, It's Gonna Be Me, which was an out-take from the Young Americans album session, a version found on the 2007 reissue, with strings added.  Collectors will already have it, which bugs me, because why not include something collectors don't have, since they are the primary audience for this.  I gripe.

As for Young Americans, this was a sea change for Bowie.  He was on the road, touring his latest sci-fi rock epic, Diamond Dogs, an album based largely on George Orwell's 1984.  It was a huge, ambitious tour, but part-way through, he became enamored with a totally different sound, the sleek soul music that was happening on radio and in clubs across the U.S., especially the Philly Soul of The O'Jays, The Spinners, Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell, etc.  In the middle of the tour, the big Diamond Dogs sets were gone, new soulful players were introduced, and the set list changed to include the early Young Americans, cover versions and a whole new Bowie.  The difference between the Diamond Dogs and Young Americans albums was night and day, the end of the Ziggy era and glam rock, the start of a smoother, more musically-experimental side that kept advancing right through to Scary Monsters.  At the same time, it was his most popular period, resulting in the #1 single Fame, and he would return to those sounds for his other commercial success, Let's Dance.

Oh, another somewhat rare version graces the A side.  It's the single edit, what often got played on the radio back in 1975, shortened down from the five minute album cut.  Only this one is a 2007 remix of the edit, done by producer Tony Visconti, for you completists.  But the whole point is these are just nice to have, the whole series looks great.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: LED ZEPPELIN - PHYSICAL GRAFFITI

The reason you don't find a lot of out-takes from Zeppelin albums was because of Physical Graffiti. The 1975 double album came about because the album sessions produced a bit too much for one album, so the group emptied its files and came up with another seven works-in-progress from past sessions, bringing this up to a double-vinyl collection. That's why you find the cut Houses of the Holy here, rather than on the previous album of the same name, and Bron-Yr-Aur, an acoustic sibling to Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp from Led Zep III way back in 1970.


It's also why the bonus tracks on all these Zeppelin reissues have been so dull. Instead of unreleased gems, we have been getting ho-hum early mixes and minor alternate versions of cuts. They may help the biggest fans and scholars understand the recording process of the group, and find some of the building blocks that led to the final versions, but in the end, you'll just go back to the regular albums for your listening pleasure. To my ears, the big bonus is the excellent remastering job overseen by Page, everything sounding so full and current.


Physical Graffiti also benefits from a broad range of styles and interests of the band, thanks to its collection from various sources. There are the usual blues belters, but some softer acoustic material as well, Trampled Under Foot shows a funky side, and there's the grand Kashmir, the best Eastern-influenced track in the group's repertoire. Plant really gets to stretch with all the different styles, and the album stands as the favourite for many discerning Zep fans.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE MAVERICKS - MONO

It looks like The Mavericks reunion is holding strong, with a second strong album coming out since they reformed in 2012.  It's too bad original member Rob Reynolds isn't around anymore, fired late last year over his on-going opiate addiction, but as anyone who saw the group's shows knows, he was doing virtually nothing on stage, playing an inaudible acoustic guitar instead of the usual bass.  As the group said, they feel bad he's not able to enjoy the reunion, because it does seem like a lot of fun for them all.  Certainly this new album, Mono, feels that way.

The Mavericks always make the old stuff sound great and new, and manage to find a grand mix of styles.  What Am I Supposed To Do Without You is a pop-soul number, something new for them, but Raol Malo has the pipes for anything.  Of course, we also get the traditional mix of styles, from the 50's swing of Stories We Could Tell to the Latin pulse of What You Do To Me to the pretty fireside ballad Let It Rain (On Me) to the classic R n' B of The Only Question Is.  Although he never plays it up or gets goofy, Malo does remind me of Elvis sometimes.  He doesn't imitate him, he just can do it all, and has a voice that always makes a song seem great.  The retro vibe is played up throughout, and I love it.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE METERS - FIRE ON THE BAYOU

There's an unbeatable team on this 1975 classic.  The Meters are simply one of the best bands ever, New Orleans or anywhere, masters of tight funk.  Here they are produced by the master himself, Allen Toussaint, with horn arrangements from Wardell Quezergue.  It's being re-issued in a series called Funk Classics, in garish and fun orange and red splattered vinyl.

The thing is, it's not all funk.  Oh my yes, they can do that, but here it's more under control, tastes of it but not full-on.  Instead, The Meters were making a more commercial album, and it's a showcase of all their abilities.  There's the sweet soul of You're A Friend Of Mine, the Jungle Book fun of They All Ask'd About You, the Latin grooves of Lair, and even some fine jazzy, George Benson guitar in Middle of the Road.

In all that mix, The Meters also advanced the new sound of New Orleans, something still reverberating around the city and the globe.  Singing about their neighbourhoods, all the great traditions, using the accents and attitudes, and capturing some of the old rhythms and second-line sounds, they found a new groove in songs such as Mardi Gras Mambo and Talkin' 'Bout New Orleans.  This band could do no wrong.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: SAMANTHA MARTIN & DELTA SUGAR - SEND THE NIGHTINGALE

Whoa, and hello! Here's a voice that comes along once in a generation, and only on a blue moon. Out of Toronto, Martin could be doing big rock songs, over-singing and being called the new Janis Joplin, and thankfully, she is not. Instead, she's been building a roots/blues/gospel sound and team with Delta Sugar. They sound like a million bucks, but are only a small group. In addition to Martin's leads and acoustic guitar, there are the harmonies of Sherie Marshall and Stacie Tabb, electric guitar from MIkey McCallum, and organ from Jimmy Hill. Any percussion is stomps and claps from the group, and that is it, but it packs more punch than a stage full of amps and guitar heroes.


If there's a time and vibe as inspiration, I'd say it's the rural gospel/soul of The Staple Singers. All those elements are there, from the echoes of field hollers to the country streak that goes through all southern soul. The organ sanctifies when it comes in, the electric guitar makes it modern (well, latter 20th century), and the harmonies intensify. There's call-and-response, hurt and suffering. And while the focus will be on Martin as the front woman, this really is a team effort and powerful blend. Even the all-original material is seamless, never dropping the ball on the right lyric, tone and emotion. This is a group that just gets it, gets it all.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: TINSLEY ELLIS - TOUGH LOVE

I always like blues with some soul mixed in, and Ellis stakes out a fine blend between the two.  The Atlanta guitar whiz mixes it up too, with slow heartbreak (In From The Cold) or smooth grooves (Seven Years). Through it all, Ellis flames up the proceeding with sharp and fluid guitar lines.

Midnight Ride is a particular gem, with a good-time rhythm being cooked up by the band, and Ellis playing two distinct solo lines throughout, dueling with himself.  Give It Away sees him switch to dobro, coaxing some hurt out of those rattling strings, with a mellow feel.  With a voice that manages to be both gruff and friendly, and a big variety of sounds over the ten original cuts, Ellis gives you lots to chew on, and never settles into blues repetition.

MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - EASY SKANKING IN BOSTON '78

The Marley live concert vaults have certainly been mined several times over the past few years.  Every time there's another deluxe set or anniversary edition, every time a few months slips by without some new product to keep the fire hot, out comes another 70's concert.  Since most of these are from either the U.S. or Europe, where the required recording gear was available, the set lists tend to be similar.  You get the hits, the latest albums highlights, pretty much the legend of Bob Marley, as per the Legend album.

Yes, there's a burn-out factor now that I've acquired about ten different takes on Jamming, and thirteen on No Woman, No Cry.  However, we're not dealing with a bunch of hired guns behind Marley; The Wailers and The I-Threes were a real band, taking cues from the leader but ready to improvise and find new soul within the songs on any night.  Now that we've all had the luxury of examples of several tours over several years, it's obvious how tight this unit was when needed on the well-known hits, and how easily they could turn things around if a groove got going they liked.  This is pretty amazing, considering the copius amounts of ganja being smoked off and on-stage.

This show does start with some lesser-known cuts, at least for the standard hits fan:  Slave Driver, Burnin' + Lootin', Them Belly Full and The Heathen warm things up for all.  Then comes a relaxed and reworked version of I Shot The Sheriff, Marley playing around rather than sticking to the studio cut.  No Woman, No Cry sets the stage for the final assault, the big party of Lively Up Yourself, Jamming, Get Up, Stand Up and Exodus.  I did hear some technical glitches that have been fixed up, some equipment hum has been filtered out as much as possible, but it's still there, and may signify the best quality tapes from Marley have now been used up.  I'm sure they will find something else to release though, the Marley family has let out more music than the Hendrix estate, and seem to have no problem keeping up a constant pace.