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Annisteen Allen, Fujiyama Mama (Rev-Ola Bandstand). While she's largely forgotten even by R&B historians, Annisteen Allen recorded quite a bit in the 1950s, though only one of her singles, "Baby, "I'm Doin' It!," was a big hit. That single -- a risque "answer" record to the Five Royales' "Baby Don't Do It" that made the R&B Top Ten in 1953 -- is here, along with 27 other tracks, mostly or wholly from the early-to-mid-'50s from the sound of things (original release info, unfortunately, is not supplied). Allen's records are emblematic in many ways of both swing jazz's transition to R&B, and R&B's transition from rock'n'roll. Certainly the earliest sides are as much, or maybe even a bit more, swing than R&B -- a logical connection, since Allen had been a singer with Lucky Millinder. She found a yet more impressive groove, however, with later sides with more of a funky backbeat, the best of which, the outlandish "Fujiyama Mama," was famously covered yet more explosively for a rockabilly classic by Wanda Jackson. While nothing else here is quite on par with "Fujiyama Mama," it's fine '50s R&B-cum-rock'n'roll, Allen delivering the songs with a satisfyingly saucy style. Though not quite on the same level as somewhat similar fellow woman early rock pioneers Ruth Brown and LaVern Baker, Allen was almost as good, and the consistent material on this compilation serves as a reminder of how overlooked and underestimated her contributions were. The liner notes are good as well, making it more of a shame that the original release info is missing; that's all this CD would have needed to be definitive.

The Bee Gees, Melbourne 1971 [DVD bootleg] (Wow). In the summer of 1971, the Bee Gees undertook their first tour of Australia since they had left the country nearly five years before to achieve global fame. Their July 15, 1971 concert at Festival Hall in Melbourne was filmed for an Australian television special, and that hour-long black-and-white program is presented on this bootleg DVD in fairly good (though not pristine) condition. For this show, Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, and Maurice Gibb -- Barry and Maurice playing guitar and piano, though Robin just sang -- were backed by a guitarist (Geoff Bridgeford) and drummer, as well as a full orchestra. This helped them create arrangements about as full as those heard on the Bee Gees' late-'60s/early-'70s records, and though the sound wasn't perfect (sometimes the vocals are softer than they should be), it's a pretty good performance that accents their most popular material of the era. Every one of their big 1967-71 hits ("New York Mining Disaster 1941," "To Love Somebody," "Holiday," "Words," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," "I Started a Joke," "Massachusetts," "I've Gotta Get a Message to You," and "Lonely Days") is here, lending the show something of a greatest-hits air. A few other songs from the era are included as well, "I Can't See Nobody" being a highlight, and the blue-eyed-soul tune "Lay It on Me" -- the only one to feature Maurice Gibb on lead vocals -- being the least impressive. Robin Gibb and Barry Gibb are the primary lead singers otherwise, though three-part harmonies are naturally often a feature. The onstage patter and joking isn't very interesting or dynamic, but the performances are good. It's certainly a film that should be issued officially on DVD should the original source be available for a high-quality transfer, as it's a good and representative encapsulation of the sound for which the Bee Gees first became internationally famous.

Bob Dylan, Early Performances: TV Collection 1963-1964 [DVD bootleg] (Solid Gold DVD Express). If you're looking for a collection of pre-1965 Bob Dylan footage, this would seem to have most of it, though it's unfortunately marred by erratic image and sound quality. The first part of the disc presents a nearly-hour-long program broadcast on WBC TV in 1963, with the strikingly banal title of  Folk Songs and More Folk Songs!, on which Dylan does three tunes solo on acoustic guitar in his early folk style: "Blowin' in the Wind," "Man of Constant Sorrow," and "Ballad of Hollis Brown." Those performances are fine, as are those by the other notable folk artists featured on the program: Carolyn Hester, Barbara Dane, the Brothers Four, and (in their early pre-soul, gospel-folk guise) the Staple Singers. Unfortunately, the transfer on this bootleg DVD is afflicted by an annoyingly wavy, wobbly frame, and the sound is a little harsh and distorted; one would guess there must be a higher-grade copy of the program somewhere. Too, everything about the TV special other than the musical performances was contrived. The songs are linked by a corny, folksy on-screen narrator (John Henry Faulk) around a highly specious flashcard history of the United States, and the sets (and the drawings that are part of the links) are cheap and silly even by the standards of the era.

Also contrived, but more palatable, is the 1964 episode of the Canadian TV series Quest that occupies the bulk of the rest of the DVD. Dylan here sings six of compositions from the The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan and The Times They Are A-Changin' albums live on a set that seems to be attempting to simulate a loggers' cabin, complete with actors in lumberjack clothes nodding appreciatively to Bob's music. Filling out the disc are some interesting odds and ends, including his performance of "Only a Pawn in Their Game" at a civil rights rally in Mississippi in 1963 (the same clip used for a scene of his Don't Look Back film) and three songs from the March on Washington in August 1963 (including "Only a Pawn in Their Game," a duet with Joan Baez on "When the Ship Comes In," and a group singalong of "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" in which Dylan participates). A 1964 clip from The Steve Allen Show has a brief interview and a full performance of "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll," though a second, "no-time-code version" of this clip on the DVD on which the time code is blocked out by a blurry gray rectangle makes the time code bar even more distracting than it is in the original. Finally, there's also a 1964 BBC TV clip of "With God on Our Side," though Dylan isn't given the opportunity to complete the song. As historically interesting as this footage is, and as focused as Dylan's performances are, it gives the impression that neither he nor the television programs were too comfortable in figuring out how this music should best be presented in these settings.

Bob Dylan, Dont Look Back 65 Tour Deluxe Edition [DVD] (Docudrama). Dont Look Back, as all Bob Dylan fans know, is an essential document of both the singer-songwriter and the explosive forces of change coursing through the folk and rock scenes of the mid-1960s, capturing the singer on and offstage during his last acoustic tour (of Britain in the spring of 1965). Docudrama's first DVD edition of the film, issued in the early days of the DVD medium, was a fine expansion of the original movie, with extra audiovisual material and commentaries. About seven years later, however, this deluxe two-disc edition added yet more bonus features. Even if you have the previous DVD incarnation, you'll likely want to upgrade, as unlike many such things billed as "deluxe  edition," this actually does add a lot of valuable bonuses.

The first disc is actually the same as the one previously issued in Docudrama's first DVD package of the film, including the original movie, digitally remastered; five uncut audio performances from the tour; commentary by director D.A. Pennebaker and tour road manager Bob Neuwirth (who also features prominently in the documentary itself); and a different version of the famous sequence in which Dylan holds up cue cards while "Subterranean Homesick Blues" plays on the soundtrack. The second disc, however (titled "Bob Dylan 65 Revisited"), offers 65 minutes of previously unavailable outtake footage from the documentary, with an optional commentary track by Pennebaker and Neuwirth. As with most outtake footage, it's easy enough to see why it wasn't used for the principal documentary feature, which concentrated on more dramatic scenes. There's plenty for serious Dylan fans to enjoy in these outtakes, however, starting with some concert footage (some in complete or near-complete versions) that didn't make Dont Look Back itself, in which Dylan performs outstanding early compositions such as "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," "It's All Right Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," "If You Gotta Go, Go Now," and "To Ramona." Also included are backstage sequences in which he works out songs on piano, including an early version of "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" and "I'll Keep It with Mine"; a scene in which a then-unknown Nico makes a fleeting appearance; and a third version (different to the one in either the documentary or the bonus material of the first disc) of Dylan discarding cue cards to the soundtrack of "Subterranean Homesick Blues," this one filmed on a windy rooftop. Several offstage scenes in which we see Dylan being kind and jovial with idolizing fans give the impression that the footage selected for Dont Look Back itself might have made him out to be a little nastier and more hard-edged than he really was. It's a little disappointing that Pennebaker and Neuwirth's commentary track sometimes discusses camera equipment and technique at the expense of making direct observations on the actual action passing before us, but it also contains its share of interesting stories and insights as well.

Also included in the deluxe edition is a reprint of the 168-page 1968 Dont Look Back book, which is essentially a transcript of the "screenplay," such as it was, enhanced by plenty of stills from the movie. There's also a finger-sized mini-book of stills from the alley scene (the version actually used in the documentary) where Dylan holds up cue cards to "Subterranean Homesick Blues"; if you flick through the pages, it will simulate an actual moving sequence. In all, this deluxe edition is a spectacular package, both in content and presentation, that will likely stand as the most comprehensive bundling of material generated by the Dont Look Back project.

Bob Dylan, Dylan Speaks: The Legendary 1965 Press Conference in San Francisco [DVD] (Eagle Media). On December 3, 1965, Bob Dylan gave a nearly hour-long televised press conference in San Francisco. While this program has been excerpted in some documentaries, and quoted from in some publications, relatively few fans were able to view the show in its entirety until its 2006 release on this DVD. Dylan was never the most revealing interview subject, and this question-and-answer session -- black-and-white, and transferred onto this disc in very good quality -- was no exception. It's valuable, however, as the longest such document of any interview situation from his mid-1960s prime, and as an audiovisual illustration of his enigmatically impish way of dealing with the press (and with public acclaim/attention/criticism in general). He fidgets and gives short, taciturn answers to questions that don't interest him or that he finds ridiculous or slightly insulting, particularly ones that probe for meanings to his songs or how/if he sees himself as a generational spokesman. He does seem to loosen up a little over the course of the interview, however, and does sometimes laugh and give friendly responses. Though not all of those responses should be taken as gospel, some interesting observations do emerge, such as his declaration that Manfred Mann are the best interpreters of his songs (when almost everyone must have been expecting him to name the Byrds); his enthusiastic plug for the Sir Douglas Quintet; his admission that he doesn't think of Donovan as a good poet; and his nonchalant recounts of how his newly electrified live concerts are getting both cheers and boos, depending upon where he's playing. Some noted journalists and media figures can be seen in the audience proposing occasional questions, like Rolling Stone co-founder Ralph J. Gleason, concert promoter Bill Graham, and literary giant Allen Ginsberg. There's no music on the DVD, but as it's the best surviving document of Dylan in front of the media, many serious Dylan fans will want to see it at least once.

Jon & Robin, Do It Again! The Best of Jon & Robin (Sundazed). Drawing from 1965-69 singles, their two albums, and three previously unissued tracks, this CD is a solid compilation of Jon & Robin's work that proves they had more to offer than their sole hit, "Do It Again a Little Bit Slower." That song's here, of course, as is their regional smash "Dr. Jon (The Medicine Man)," a beguiling combination of searing fuzz guitar and saucy soul-pop vocal interplay that was also written by Wayne Carson Thompson. Elsewhere, the pair fly all over the mid-to-late-'60s pop-rock map, throwing in a bit of Neil Diamond-styled fluff ("You Got Style," written by hitmaking tunesmiths Jeff Barry and Andy Kim), engaging romantic teen pop (another Thompson number, "Drums"); "Gloria"-styled garage ("Love Me Baby"); very Byrds-like guitar raga-rock ("Thursday Morning"); quality lightweight blue-eyed soul (the Mouse & the Traps cover "Like I Know You Do"); a blatant Joe South knockoff ("Gift of Love"); and even a blatant if pleasing attempt by soul singer Bobby Patterson to rewrite "Do It Again a Little Bit Slower" (the previously unissued "My Heart Beats Faster"). If that's not enough variety for you, there's also "I Want Some More" (yet another Thompson number), which sounds like a raw garage-influenced variation of the Nancy Sinatra-Lee Hazlewood duets. Sure, Jon & Robin were liberal in their copping of other styles and trends; even in some of their photos, they look a bit like bandwagon-jumping weekend mod/hippies. That doesn't mean, however, that they didn't make some good, fun records, with an identifiable, ingratiating brand of teasing vocal blends and banter. That sense of fun, and a high level of pop-rock craftpersonship, comes through well on this anthology, put together by Sundazed with their usual high standards of packaging.

Ronnie Lane, The Passing Show: The Life & Music of Ronnie Lane [DVD] (Eagle Vision). Though Ronnie Lane is still not an overly familiar name to the general rock fan, his life was full of substantial musical achievements and personal drama. This hour-and-a-half documentary is an excellent overview of his career, smoothly integrating choice footage of all his major musical groups (the Small Faces, the Faces, and Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance) with interviews of a wealth of his most important colleagues and friends. Those include Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones of the Faces; producer Glyn Johns; various musicians who played with Lane in his solo career; Eric Clapton; Pete Townshend; two of Lane's ex-wives; and some filmed conversations with Lane himself, including ones in which he was suffering from the multiple sclerosis that made his final two decades quite painful. (Other of Lane's comments are heard as voiceover narrative.) Whether playing mod R&B, psychedelia, early-'70s hard rock, or gypsy-flavored roots music, the point's repeatedly made that Lane, unusually for a rock star of his time, cared more for music and doing his own thing than the materialistic trappings of fame. It's a mindset that got him into some trouble at points, as the extensive portion on his financially disastrous attempt in the '70s to tour as a traveling circus of sorts makes clear. His associates also admit he could be a difficult guy to deal with at times, in part because of the onset of a disease whose symptoms weren't initially recognized. Also on the DVD are relatively inessential bonus features with a few more anecdotes from the interviewees, and a few Lane songs performed by some of the musicians who participated in the documentary.

MFSB, Muthafunkinsonofabitch (Funkadelphia). Precise details as to the origins of these 16 instrumental tracks are thin on the ground. None of them are actually credited to MFSB (although the CD as a whole is), and while a few are noted as having been recorded in 1968, 1969, or 1973, over half the cuts are undated. The liner notes -- which actually only consist of five extended quotes from figures involved with MFSB -- aren't much help, although they do scatter hints that these cuts represent MFSB recording under pseudonyms. So an educated guess would presume that these tracks -- credited to no less than twelve separate artists, including such colorful names as Electric Indian (whose "Keem-O-Sabe," a Top Twenty hit in 1969, is the only well known item here), French Connection, Race Street Chinatown Band, and Brothers of Hope, and such mundane handles as Sam Reed Band -- are in fact MFSB recording under different names in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some celebrated figures are involved in the production and songwriting, including Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Len Barry, but the specifics of their involvement aren't fully spelled out. But while the lack of background information is frustrating, the music itself is pretty cool. This is indeed the sound of Philadelphia soul turning into funk, but rawer and closer to the bone than most of the famous recordings on which MFSB were the backing players (and certainly rawer than MFSB's own hit recordings). All of the instrumental elements of the Philly soul sound are here: tight grooves, funky guitars, neat riffs, and overlays of jazzy vibraphones. It sounds earthier than much famous Philly soul of the era, though, in part because most of the tracks aren't decorated with horns or soothing strings, putting the most cutting ingredients in relief. That's particularly true of some of the guitar work, which sometimes goes into nifty wah-wah, and at others (especially on Hidden Cost's "Bo Did It") even verges on what sounds like Cream/Yardbirds-influenced hard rock lines. It's true that much of this does sound like promising backing tracks waiting for vocal overdubs, and that none of them (except "Keem-O-Sabe") particularly sound like they're instrumental-only hits waiting to happen. Yet this incompleteness is also part of what makes this obscure release interesting, allowing us to dig the root of the Philly sound without the sweeteners in a pretty unadulterated state. Much of it's indeed funky as a, well, mutha, and no doubt it will eventually be plundered by twenty-first century samplers looking for something that few competitors are even aware exist.

Duffy Power, Duffy Power (GSF). For all the many recordings of Duffy Power in the 1960s and the 1970s that eventually found release, his 1973 album on the GSF label (sometimes reported to have come out in 1972) was the only full-length Power LP that came out shortly after the material it contained was recorded. Confusingly, another album titled Duffy Power came out around the same time on the Spark label, though that LP contained tracks recorded in the late 1960s. The Duffy Power album on the GSF label was entirely different, and has received relatively little attention even among his cult followers, in part because so much other Power material was reissued on CD prior to the record finally coming out in the compact disc format in 2007. While the tracks on the GSF album aren't among the best Power cuts, they prove to be surprisingly and satisfyingly worthwhile, finding his trademark eclectic folk-rock-blues blends intact on a set of entirely self-composed songs. Though not as sparsely produced as some of his more effective '60s efforts, or as cracking with R&B excitement as some other of those '60s efforts, it's a pretty gutsy set, though imbued with the likably humble humanity Power invested with almost everything he laid down. He takes on some pretty big subjects -- religion, most notably, on "Song About Jesus" and "Glimpses of God" -- along with his more standard vulnerable, sweetly edgy romantic ruminations ("Holiday" is close to torch-song jazz-blues). Generally Power does sound better the folkier he gets, and the odder, jazzier tunes he uses (as on "Holiday," "The River," and "Love Is Shelter," all of which use effectively dramatic light orchestration) are the highlights. The more rock-oriented tracks, while okay, have a more generic early-'70s British rock feel. The 2007 CD reissue added extensive comments about each song by Power in the liner notes, along with three bonus tracks of almost similar quality that he cut shortly afterward for a follow-up LP that never came out.

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Definitive Performances 1963-1987 [DVD] (Hip-O/Motown). The core of this DVD presents 14 clips (usually from television) of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles in performance, mostly from their 1963-70 prime, though there are a couple from the post-Robinson lineup of the Miracles in 1976, as well as three 1980s solo Smokey numbers. Unlike the DVD retrospectives of fellow Motown stars the Supremes, the Temptations, and Marvin Gaye, however, the disc actually gives equal weight to interviews (with Robinson and fellow Miracles Pete Moore and Bobby Rogers) done especially for the project. These interviews are not all clumped together as part of the main feature, or loaded on as extras; instead, the main feature alternates performance clips with extensive interview segments. This might disappoint some fans looking for musical footage first and foremost. But the formats are effectively integrated, providing a good balance of historical insight and sheer entertainment, and certainly the DVD doesn't stint on content, adding up to about two-and-a-half hours altogether. The nine musical clips of the 1963-70 Miracles include some of their biggest smashes, among them "Shop Around," "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Mickey's Monkey," "Ooo Baby Baby," "The Tracks of My Tears," "Going to a Go-Go," "I Second That Emotion," and "The Tears of a Clown." True, more of these are mimed than most would like, and the Miracles were not quite as visual or fancy-stepping a group as the Temptations (their dynamic segment in the 1964 concert film The T.A.M.I. Show would have made a nice addition). But they're still pleasing to watch, and some of the performances are live, highlighted by a 1963 film of the group working at the Apollo (where they insert some of Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me" into "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"). The 1976 clips (with Billy Griffin as lead singer), meanwhile, are most interesting not for the music (versions of "Do It Baby" and "Love Machine"), but for their outrageous pink stage outfits. The interview portions are quite interesting, as Smokey and his pals reflect on the group's origins, Motown, Robinson's songwriting, and the evolution of several of their classic records. Also included is a special audio section allowing you the option of hearing isolated lead and background vocals for the studio tracks of eight of the '60s Miracles recordings, as well as a 24-page booklet of historical liner notes.

The Rolling Stones, The Complete Ed Sullivan Shows [DVD bootleg] (New Depression Music). After their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in late 1964, Sullivan was quoted as promising the Rolling Stones would never be on his program again. Well, he backtracked quite a bit from that proclamation; he didn't just have them on again, but had them on again five more times over the next five years. This DVD collects all six of their 1964-69 Sullivan appearances, during which they performed 16 songs --none of them twice -- including such classics as "The Last Time," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "19th Nervous Breakdown," "Lady Jane," "Paint It Black," "Ruby Tuesday," "Gimme Shelter," and "Honky Tonk Women." Only two significant points can be made against this bootleg release: the transfers of the videos are obviously not from the best possible original sources (though they're pretty good), and on most of the songs from their final three appearances (September 1966, January 1967, and November 1969), it's obvious that Mick Jagger is singing a live vocal to a studio track. Otherwise, this is classic Rolling Stones, and among the best (and most historically important) footage of the band ever broadcast. These are among some of Jagger's most photogenic performances, and in these years, visually the Stones came off as more of a band in performance than a backing unit for a frontman, even if Jagger is obviously the biggest focus. In a few instances, there are surprising shortcomings in their efforts to replicate the classic studio recordings -- in particular, the attempts to mimic the distorted fuzz of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and "19th Nervous Breakdown" sound a little anemic compared to the singles, and Jagger's vocals seem mixed way too low on "Gimme Shelter" and "Honky Tonk Women." As compensation, you have such interesting moments as the sight of Brian Jones playing sitar on "Paint It Black" and recorder on "Ruby Tuesday," Keith Richards playing (or pretending to play) piano on "Ruby Tuesday," and Jagger oddly switching the line "still I'm gonna miss you" to "girl I'm gonna miss you" throughout "Ruby Tuesday." Most famously, there's the clip of "Let's Spend the Night Together" in which the Stones sing "let's spend some time together" under network pressure, Jagger (whose delivery of this song in particular is outrageously camp) rolling his eyes a couple times during those lines in apparent ridicule.

And that's not all -- you get, as "bonus tracks," different "rehearsal" clips of "Ruby Tuesday" and "Let's Spend the Night Together," with Jagger singing the original lyrics in the former, and vacillating between "time together" and "night together" in the latter. As additional bonus clips, there are the four songs they performed in April 1965 at the New Musical Express Pollwinners' Concert, as well as their fine promo video for "Jumping Jack Flash" (which is not simply mimed to the record, as the audio track's definitely a different, more live-sounding version). There really should be an official release of all of the Rolling Stones' Ed Sullivan appearances taken from the best available sources, as there has been for the Beatles' Sullivan spots. In the absence of such authorized product, however, this is recommended viewing for all Stones enthusiasts.

The Rolling Stones, The Marquee/Montreux Rumble [DVD bootleg] (4Reel Productions). While the sleeve looks almost professional enough to pass for an official release, it's certainly highly uncertain that this DVD is authorized, especially as there's a fat time-code-sized black bar sitting near the bottom of the screen throughout much of it. Nonetheless, this does present a good amount of footage that fans of the early-1970s incarnation of the Rolling Stones will enjoy. First up are a few rehearsal clips filmed in Montreux by German TV on May 21, 1972, including a couple run-throughs of "Tumbling Dice," "Shake Your Hips," and some bluesy jamming. Mick Jagger's vocals aren't miked high enough, but otherwise these are enjoyably relaxed performances in which the band seem to playing for themselves, rather than for the cameras. The core of the disc is a performance filmed for television at the Marquee Club in London on March 26, 1971 (and, unfortunately, with that black rectangular bar near the bottom of the screen at all times). Though this eight-song set has the Mick Taylor lineup of the Stones running through much of their better-known late-'60s/early-'70s material (as well as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"), it's not the most overwhelming concert footage of the band, in part because everyone save Jagger is pretty stationary. Useful extras include their 1971 Top of the Pops spot for "Brown Sugar," a promo film of "Loving Cup" filmed during the Montreux rehearsals, and quite a bit (although hardly fascinating) interview material with Jagger and Bill Wyman that aired on The Dick Cavett Show in August 1972, as well as July 1972 New York performances of "Brown Sugar" and "Street Fighting Man" that aired on the same program. All interesting stuff, though all of it would look better if it was given the higher-quality transfers typical of authorized releases.

The Seekers, 1968 BBC Farewell Spectacular [DVD bootleg] (Majik Rat). In July 1968, the Seekers did an official farewell concert for BBC television. The soundtrack of that concert was issued on CD decades later, and the 50-minute show itself came out on VHS around that time. But as of 2006, the program had not made its way onto DVD, leaving the way for this unauthorized DVD release. Despite the rather amateurish packaging, the transfer itself is pretty good, and probably of just slightly lesser quality than you'd get on an official DVD. While this 18-song television special was well filmed and well performed, it might be a bit of a letdown for Seekers fans who value the group for the pop-folk style for which they were most famous. For it's presented as something of a variety show in which the quartet (sometimes reduced to a trio, a duo, or soloists) sing tunes in several styles, including traditional Australian folk, jazz, rock'n'roll (a cover of "Hello Marylou"), and even a ragtime piano solo spot for Judith Durham ("Maple Leaf Rag"). You'll also have to put up with some obviously carefully scripted and rehearsed between-song comedy routines that are somewhat amusing, but pretty corny. On the other hand, this does have quality non-mimed performances in the closely harmonized pop-folk vein (sometimes with orchestral backing) that was their forte, including their hits "I'll Never Find Another You," "A World of Our Own," "The Carnival Is Over," "Morningtown Ride," and "Georgy Girl" (presented in both a full-length version and a shorter reprise that closes the program).

The Small Faces, Small Faces: 40th Anniversary Edition (Decca). What makes this fortieth anniversary edition of the Small Faces' self-titled 1966 debut album more worthwhile than other CD reissues of the same record -- particularly the 1996 expanded edition on Dream, which offered five bonus tracks? Well, this 2006 upgrade, aside from bearing the obligatory "digitally remastered" sticker, offers eleven bonus tracks. Those include not all five of the bonus tracks from the 1996 expanded edition (those being alternate versions of "What'cha Gonna Do About It," "Come on Children," "Shake," and "E Too D" that showed up in the French EP format, as well as an extended version of "Own Up Time"). They also include all five of the 1965 and 1966 UK A-sides and B-sides from their first four singles that weren't included on the original Small Faces LP, as well as an alternate version of one of those A-sides, "Hey Girl" (source unspecified). Those A-sides and B-sides make great additions, as they all fit in well sound-wise and style-wise with the tracks from the LP. The alternate versions are less essential, but still nifty for the diehard Small Faces fan, which is whom this fortieth anniversary edition is targeted toward, after all. Also, the liner notes are a big improvement over the 1996 expanded edition, this time running to 20 pages of intensely detailed information about the group's early career and recordings by Andy Neill, with lots of photos and memorabilia reproductions. Yes, it's true that the big Small Faces fan is likely to already have all of these 23 tracks somewhere, so much has their catalog been reissued in various formats. This is likely to be unsurpassed, however, as the most thorough (and thoroughly annotated) collection of the material they released through mid-1966, when they were at the most raucous stage of their R&B-soaked mod rock sound. And, extra goodies and ribbons on the packaging aside, this is vital British Invasion music that at its best -- the hits "What'cha Gonna Do About It," "Hey Girl," and "Sha La La La Lee," as well as the flop single "I've Got Mine," the single-worthy pop-rocker "Sorry She's Mine," and the Muddy Waters rave-up "You Need Loving" (which helped inspire Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love") -- is mod rock at its best, though some of the other material here is energetic filler verging on generic R&B jams.

Cat Stevens, In Concert [DVD bootleg] (Wow). If you're in agreement with many critics and fans that the early 1970s was the pinnacle of Cat Stevens' career, you'll be well pleased by this 100-minute DVD, even if it is unauthorized. For the bulk of it's devoted to two lengthy live, color 1971 television performances, both of them presented here in decent quality, though the transfer would no doubt be a bit better if it was an official product. Stevens (playing guitar and, just occasionally, piano) is accompanied only by guitarist Alun Davies and bassist/conga player Larry Steele on these nearly unplugged performances, mostly singing material from his Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat albums. Eight songs are from a June 8, 1971 program on public television in Los Angeles; ten are from a BBC concert on November 27, 1971. There's not as much repetition of specific songs as you might think; only "Moonshadow," "Wild World," "Father and Son," and "Hard-Headed Woman" are done on both shows. And while it's curious that "Peace Train" and "Morning Has Broken" are not performed, Stevens did go into his back catalog on the BBC program for "Maybe You're Right" and, much more unexpectedly, "I Love My Dog." The renditions are sedate, in the classic singer-songwriter style of the era, but they're warm, good-natured, and professional. Also on the DVD are other interesting odds and ends from his early career, including a 1970 clip of "Lady D'Arbanville" on French TV; promo films for "Moonshadow" (with animation), "Father and Son," "Hard-Headed Woman," and "If You Want to Sing Out"; and, in an almost jarring flashback to his pre-singer-songwriter incarnation, a black-and-white clip of Cat miming "Matthew and Son" on BBC's Top of the Pops on January 19, 1967, complete with a Swinging London-type dancing audience.

The Supremes, Reflections: The Definitive Performances 1964-1969 [DVD] (Motown/Universal). As a single-disc DVD compilation of Supremes performances, this is hard to beat. The twenty clips (in both black and white and color), drawn mostly from television shows, include renditions of all but two of their 1960s Top Ten hits. Refreshingly, too, not all of them are lip-synced (though some of them are); a few are wholly live, and others at least have live vocals. No matter what the format, you're curious to view what's next, if for nothing else than to see their never-more-than-once hairstyles and wardrobes. Highlights include particularly "live"-looking and -sounding performances of "The Happening" and "In and Out of Love" in Stockholm in April 1968, and scenes of the group recording "My World Is Empty Without You" in the studio, used in the 1966 TV special Anatomy of Pop. Not everything here is strictly performance; a promo film of "You Keep Me Hangin' On" is mostly devoted to shots of the girls playing ping-pong. To enhance viewability, the clips are sequenced so that the second performances of the two songs presented in two different versions ("Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love") are placed near the end; the "My World Is Empty Without You" clip, likewise, is presented twice, once without the original narration, once (at the DVD's very end) with the original narration. Extras include an option which allows you to watch eight of the mimed clips with a soundtrack that treats the Supremes' vocals so they're heard "a cappella," in isolation from the rest of the elements of the studio recordings; an optional "trivia track" (appearing as subtitles on the screen) which, unlike many such DVD features, actually has quite a bit of interesting information about the group's recordings, appearances, and career for serious fans; and a 20-page booklet of liner notes. Of course, this does not contain all Supremes footage of note; a great deal more exists, including their performance on The T.A.M.I. Show and several additional Ed Sullivan Show appearances, for starters. As the liner notes themselves acknowledge, it would easily be possible to fill up an entire second DVD of quality performances, though this is certainly a good initial wrap-up.

The Zombies, Video Anthology [DVD bootleg] (Wow). The problems plaguing this hour-long DVD are the ones that plague many such unauthorized compilations. The quality of the sound/image/transfers is highly variable and often a little-to-very subpar; most of the clips (most taken from TV programs) are mimed, not live; and there's not all that much material overall (about an hour, including three versions of "She's Not There" and two of "Tell Her No"). Nevertheless, if you are a big Zombies fan, this is the only video of note that had ever surfaced prior to its emergence in 2006 or thereabouts. Though the repetition of their two big hits is a bit of a drag, at least this does include mimed clips of a few of their less-traveled tracks, those being "She's Coming Home," "Summertime" (two versions), and "It's Alright with Me." They also do show singer Colin Blunstone to be a more photogenic, kinetic frontman than is usually remembered, though the limitations of the era's lip-syncing and hokey, staged sets don't allow full appreciation of the band's live performance abilities. Fortunately, there is one live clip, from a 1967 French TV show, that is live, and what's more one of them is a song (the Miracles' "Going to a Go-Go") of which no version had appeared on any Zombies release, the other being another soul cover (of the Isley Brothers' "This Old Heart of Mine") that only exists on official releases as a BBC radio performance. Original compositions, not soul covers, were the Zombies' strengths, but at least that clip does offer something different and unexpected. Also on the DVD are their brief appearances in the 1965 Otto Preminger movie Bunny Lake Is Missing (and their appearance, singing a ditty called "Come on Time" to the tune of their single "Just Out of Reach," in the film's trailer); and an interesting documentary of about a half-hour's length, including interviews with the original members, done in the 1990s from the looks of things. Closing the disc is a mysterious mimed "promo video" for "Time of the Season," though none of the musicians bear any resemblance to any of the group's original members; perhaps that's a TV clip of a "fake" Zombies that formed to exploit the success of "Time of the Season" (which became a hit after the group broke up), though the track listings don't reveal any details.

Various Artists, Folk Is Not a Four Letter Word 2 (Delay 68). The second volume of this series gathers an admirably eclectic variety of rare folk-rock of the late 1960s and 1970s from around the world, and not just from English-speaking countries or English-singing artists. There are some US and UK acts here, to be sure, and most of the tracks are performed in English, but there are also artists from Sweden, Holland, France, and Germany. More often than not, this travels the gentler, folkier, more mystical and haunting side of folk-rock, with a higher percentage of female vocals than many such compilations boast, and with Pentangle and Joni Mitchell in particular (and perhaps some Mary Hopkin and Melanie) often standing out as audible influences. But this really is an eclectic anthology within its chosen genre, with some cuts that also show the influence of progressive rock and psychedelia. Which specific tracks you like the best might depend on your specific tastes, but certainly the Welsh trio Y Triban give Joni Mitchell's "Night in the City" a very effectively unusual (and very Pentangle-ish) arrangement; Elly & Rikkart's Dutch-sung "Heksenkring" is an almost menacingly playful male-female duet; and Paul Parrish's "Dialogue of Wind and Lover" is a fey Donovan-ish near-gem strongly recalling that singer's folk-rock-jazz-raga hybrids, though with shyer vocals. A few of these artists might be familiar to CD-age collectors for having been honored with reissues of their own in the years shortly before this 2006 release (Chuck & Mary Perrin, Jan & Lorraine, Susan Christie), but the substantial majority will likely be unfamiliar even to folk-rock specialists, so rare (and/or unexposed in the English-speaking world) were the original pressings. But it's not a snobbish collection that values rarity for its own sake or excludes artists who aren't usually classified as folk-rockers. Commendably, its scope includes a track by Pentangle themselves (by far the most famous artist on the CD), albeit the non-LP B-side "I Saw an Angel"; a late-'60s effort ("Sunrise") from Alexis Korner, usually thought of as a bluesman; a Christian rock band, 11.59; and a song by a German actress, Sibylle Baier (most known for her role in Wim Wenders' 1974 film Alice in the Cities), that was recorded in the early '70s but not released for decades. True, for the most part this doesn't rival the best folk-rock of the era, and it's unfortunate that not all of the original label and release dates are included in the annotation (though otherwise compiler Andy Votel's liner notes are excellent). But it's a good, adventurous compilation for folk-rock hounds, whether they just want to sample some virtually unknown recordings from the era, or use this as a sampler that might introduce them to artists they want to more fully investigate.

Various Artists, Playboy After Dark [DVD bootleg] (Silvertone). Shortly after this bootleg DVD of 30 rock songs performed on the Playboy After Dark series in the late 1960s and early 1970s came out, Morada Vision came out with an official collection of Playboy After Dark episodes that included a few performances by some of the same artists (Ike & Tina Turner, Canned Heat). Should more episodes of Playboy After Dark be made commercially available, this bootleg will be made redundant. However, the official compilation presents complete episodes that also include comedians and crooners. This bootleg, on the other hand, focuses solely on the rock performances broadcast on the series, including clips not only by the aforementioned Ike & Tina Turner and Canned Heat, but also Deep Purple; Iron Butterfly; Taj Mahal; B.B. King; Linda Ronstadt; the Byrds; the Sir Douglas Quintet; Steppenwolf; the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; the Grateful Dead; Fleetwood Mac; and Country Joe & the Fish. The quality, though not as good as it would be if transferred from the best available sources, is pretty good. And, most importantly, the performances are mostly live, and quite good and interesting for the most part. Highlights include Deep Purple doing their hit "Hush"; the just-post-Gram Parsons-Byrds, with Clarence White on guitar, doing a couple of Dylan covers; Fleetwood Mac's "Rattlesnake Shake"; the Grateful Dead, with Tom Constanten in the lineup, doing "Mountains of the Moon" and "St. Stephen"; Linda Ronstadt, singing less slickly than in her superstar days, offering "Lovesick Blues" and "Long Long Time"; B.B. King presenting his hit "The Thrill Is Gone"; and the Sir Douglas Quintet pumping out "Mendocino" and "She's About a Mover" in fine form. The colorful, campily sexy audience dancing and costumes complement the music well, and if at times they verge on the absurdly dated, that's part of the fun. If you're not so much interested in the Playboy After Dark series itself as you are in the rock music featured in the show, this is a good condensation of highlights, at least until such time as those who control the material might want to put out an official such package themselves.

Various Artists, Songs That Elvis Loved (Chrome Dreams). Elvis Presley covered many songs during his career, and doubtless loved and was heavily influenced by many others that he didn't record. So any single-disc compilation of "songs that Elvis loved" is necessarily selective and incomplete. However, if you are looking for a good (if imperfect) anthology of original versions of many of the most interesting songs the King covered, this 28-song UK collection is very good indeed. For one thing, it focuses upon original versions of songs Presley interpreted from the earliest and best part of his career. So most, though not all, of the original versions of songs Elvis cut on his Sun singles are here -- not just the relatively famous original blues versions of "That's All Right (Mama)" (by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup) and "Mystery Train" (by Junior Parker), but also Dean Martin's "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine," Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky," and Kokomo Arnold's "Milk Cow Blues." Moving beyond the Sun era, while Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" and Lloyd Price's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" are not obscure (though they're very good), you also get lesser-known items like Crudup's "My Baby Left Me," Hank Snow's "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I," and Josh White's "Evil Hearted Man" (which seemed to provide at least part of the inspiration for "Trouble," written for Presley by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller). Also, unlike some other similar compilations, this pays some attention not just to the blues, R&B, and hillbilly Presley loved and sang, but also the pop schmaltz and gospel that he also loved and sang with some frequency, like the Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel," the Ink Spots' "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" (heard here in drastically different interpretations by Al Jolson and the Carter Family). Also interesting are the "originals" of songs Elvis recorded with different lyrics, including Maria Lanza's "Torna a Surriento" and "O Sole Mio" (which became "Surrender" and "It's Now or Never" respectively) and the Shelton Brothers' "Aura Lee" (changed to "Love Me Tender"). Sure, there are many notable absentees from this CD whose inclusion would have made it even better, like Arthur Gunter's "Baby Let's Play House," Bernard Hardison's "Too Much," and Roy Hamilton's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)." But it's a fine package, with informed liner notes by Spencer Leigh about the songs, their origins, and their influence upon Presley.

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