"...Blues With A Feeling..."
Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 03/09/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Aping the success of Sony's similarly packaged 5CD box sets, WEA is releasing over FORTY x 5CD "Original Album Series" mini box sets of their own. Issued in the UK and Europe only, the artists featured stretch from rhythm 'n' blues icons of the 1950s (Ray Charles and Clyde McPhatter with The Drifters) all the way through to Metal And Indie bands of the 2000s (Dokken and Echo & The Bunnymen). For those interested, I've compiled a full listing of titles in the series in the 'comment' section attached to this review (some are superb, some are not).
Here's the fine-detail for THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND set - released Monday 1 March 2010 in the UK on Elektra/Rhino 8122 79834 0, "Original Album Series" 5CD box set breaks down as follows (all are Stereo mixes):
Disc 1 is "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band" their 11-track debut album released December 1965 on Elektra EKS 7294 in the USA (38:09 minutes)
Disc 2 is "East-West" their 9-track 2nd album released October 1966 on Elektra EKS 7315 in the USA (44:57 minutes)
Disc 3 is "The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw" their 9-track 3rd album released January 1968 on Elektra EKS 74015 in the USA (45:45 minutes)
Disc 4 is "In My Own Dream" their 7-track 4th album released August 1968 on Elektra EKS 74025 in the USA (34:30 minutes)
Disc 5 is "Keep On Moving" their 12-track 5th album released October 1969 on Elektra EKS 74053 in the USA (42:11 minutes)
ARTWORK/PACKAGING:
The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork (the gatefolds are unfortunately not reproduced). Also each front sleeve is now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code - Green for Disc 1, Light Blue for 2, Orange for 3, Dark Blue for 4 and Brown for 5. It would have been more appropriate to have the original label colour configurations - maybe even the Elektra inner bags (like they did on the Doors albums in the Complete Studio Recordings box set), but alas... The track list is on the left of the CD label - with the recording/band member credits on the right (as there's no booklet nor site to download details from - this is at least some compensation for the complete lack of readable material).
It has to be said that the outer card box is lightweight and therefore disappointingly flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues). Having said that, the card sleeves still look cool once out of the box and it's nice to see the original artwork used - which in these cases - are very sweet to look at (it really makes such a big difference on the Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Drifters and Clyde McPhatter rear sleeves too - beautiful original album artwork). As you can see from the timings, there are no bonus tracks.
SOUND:
Some CD sites selling these sets seemed to have automatically 'presumed' that each is "digitally remastered", but it categorically does NOT state that on the outer box or any of the card sleeves or discs - and rather too conveniently - neither website for Rhino USA or UK has any info on the series at all. But as these albums have been remastered before, it's obvious from the great sound that's what you're getting here - the music is bluesy and ballsy - really full and warm (unlike the Little Feat, Bread, Los Lobos, Chris Rea and Rickie Lee Jones sets which are just 80's discs repackaged - see my Little Feat box set review with regard to this). Also - the first two albums feature Mike Bloomfield on lead and slide guitar with Elvin Bishop contributing guitar on all bar the last one [Buzzy Feiten stepped into his place].
If you want a slice of Sixties Blues-Rock, then you can't go much wrong with these albums (although for me the quality really tapers off on Disc 5). Fans who already own these treasured LPs on previous CD incarnations may balk at acquiring this box set just to have those dinky little card sleeves, but once you see them, you may not be able to resist! Others however should just dive in and enjoy...
I just wish some of the other boxes were as good (presentation and soundwise) as this..."
Not much new here
S. Moore | Redwood City, CA United States | 03/16/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you are a Butterfield fan, there is nothing new here...no booklet, no bonus tracks, even the "box" is made of thin cardboard. I was surprised at how narrow & flimsy it is. I don't believe these albums have been remastered...just the original good-to-great sound, nothing more. I'm sure that the record company would want to market them as "remastered" if they indeed were. If you don't have the complete 5-CD Elektra output by Butterfield, then this can be a cheap way to own them all, depending on who you buy them from. If you only own 1 or 2 CD's, then definetly pick this baby up!"
