quickly: The newly singer Billy C. Farlow and pedal steel sprouting FM rock radio guitarist Bobby Black-tearing up stations were all over it, the house with swinging rockers like playing every track of the 'Ain't Nothing Shaking" and "Rock Paul Rothchild-produced, That Boogie," weepers "Mama Hated Elektra LP and the small Diesels" and "Wine, Do Yer Stuff," coterie of writers dabbling and covers of rock-and-roll classics in the new field of rock like "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and "Good criticism, save for a few, Rockin."' lt's all a big blast, good- largely raved about the time music personified, expertly newness of what the Los played, and, unlike a lot of other Angeles quartet was doing. contemporaneous back-to-the-roots With the release of an music that now sounds precious and edited version of "Lieht My overly earnest, it holds up today due Fire" in May, The Doors to its utter unpretentiousness. were well on their way to Jaff Tamarkln major stardom, Rhlno's 50th anniversary package is Clear Blue Sky stunning-its three CDs, Clear Blue Sky ESorERrc vinyl album and liner notes (by David Fricke) housed in Second Hand a hardcover 12" x 12" book- Death May Be Your Santa Claus style Jacket, The musical ESOTERIC content, however, doesn't During the British-prog offer anything particularly new: The by the impressive energy of the the expansive, six-disc super deluxe boom of the early'70s, first two of three CDs feature the band and the timeless message of box set, which boasts new 5.1 mixes, as label executives album's 11 tracks in their original the songs. The best moments are the 1992 documentary The Making scurried to discover stereo and mono mixes, albeit both the mid-range-full stage shots of of Sgt. Pepper, the original mono the next Yes or King " newly remastered, while the third the band playing "Who Are You?" edition, in-depth liner notes and an Crimson, hundreds of comprises the group's of t-clrculated and "My Generation"-especially array of alternate takes (34 of which bizarre bands snatched March Z 1962 gig at San Francisco's when the 60-year-old Daltrey sings, are previously unreleased). The latter their elusive shot at rock Matrix, which is a classic in its own "Hope I die before I get old," without category is most crucial: Highlights glory. Most fizzled out right. The vinyl, featuring the mono a trace of irony. That said, Daltrey include the bluesier fourth take on after one or two albums, mix of the album, sounds bold and and Townshend still have the energy non-album single "Strawberry Fields forming an obscure treasure trove for deep-let's just say if you still have of men half their age. When they tear Forever," Ringo pounding the shit out crate diggers and eBay swappers. your worn-out original, then this might into "Won't Get Fooled Again," the of his kit on an instrumental warm-up Luckily, Esoteric Recordings continue be a good time to replace it. Most years fall away and it feels like 1970 of "Good Morning Good Morning' and to dig up these long-buried gems important, The Doors remains a again, J. Poet George Harrison intimately coaching for reissue, and two of their latest seminal album in every way. ls it dated? the dilruba player via vocal sounds in offerings-Clear Blue Sky's lone, Sure, somewhat. But it's still impossible The Beatles a run-through of "Within You Without self-titled 1970 LP and Second to hear without remembering how Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club You." lt's essential listening. Hand's 1971 oddity, Death May Be shockingly brilliant it was, even in those Band 50th Anniversary Edition Ryan Reed Your Santa Claus-may prove to be endlessly intoxicating days. J6tr ramerk,n APPLE CORPS. LIMiTED/CAPITOL/UME pleasant surprises even for the most For decades, Beatles CommanderOodyand His seasoned progjunkie. Recorded by TheWho fans have raged in the Lost Planet Airmen a hard-hitting trio of i8 year olds, Live at the lsle of Wight eternal debate of stereo Live From Ebbetts Field, Denver, Clear Blue Sky (housed in one of Festival 2004 EAGLE RocK versus mono. And CO, Aue.11 1973 nocx eerr Yes cover artist Roger Dean's most The Who's performance both sides bring solid You don't usually see bewitching sleeves) is amateurish in on the lsle of Wight in ammunition to the fight: The original words like revolutionary execution but majestic in ambition- 1970, fllmed by director mono versions were band-sanctioned or rebellious applied to nailing that rare sweet spot between Murray Lerner and later and more even-keeled, without the Commander Cody and psychedelia, proto-metal and released as a home bizarre panning issues that make the His Lost Planet Airmen, symphonic grandeur. "Sweet Leaf" video, was a high point in the band's stereo version so distracting. But by yet this was a band that defied just (no relation to the Black Sabbath early career. Thirty-four years later, virtue of the medium, stereo brings about every convention during its track) mingles bong-blasted tremolo the two surviving members of the more color and range, revealing all-too-brief run. While many others guitar with boogie-rock rhythms group returned to the festival for the more character in the voices and were dabbling in neo-country-rock and rippling fuzz solos; elsewhere, two-hour performance captured on instruments. Well, consider the during the late '60s/early '70s, this the group dabbles in spacey synth this DVD. The set is a collection of dilemma resolved-at least with octet didn't attempt to gloss up doodles (the face-melting "l'm Comin' the band's hits, opening with "l Can't the 50th anniversary edition of Sgt. the form. The ingredients of their Home"), atmospheric drones ("My Explain" and closing with a sedate Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. particular stew included the rawer Heaven") and Jethro Tull-ish jazz flute version of "Magic Bus." Guitarist Giles Martin (son of iconic Beatles honky-tonk of the late 40s and '50s, ("Birdcatcher"). While Clear Blue Simon Townshend, bassist Pino producer George Martin) and Abbey steaming boogie-woogie (powered Sky's wide-ranging attack feels like Palladino, drummer Zak Starkey and Road engineer Sam Okell arrive at a by namesake planlst George the work of earnest lads with big keyboardist John "Rabblt" Bundrick happy sonic medium with their stereo 'Commander Cody" Frayne), real- imaginations, Second Hand mostly are a monster support band, but remix-fixing many a hole, one might deal rockabilly, Cajun and Western just sound like nutcases. Santa Claus director Matt Askem keeps the say. Take the title-track: lnstead of swing, truck-driving songs and a is their second and final LP-and what focus on the two principles. You're nonsensically hard-panning the band taste of the blues and R&8. lt was all a weird fucking curtain call. Balancing closer to Roger Daltrey and Pete into the right channel, they push presented with honest reverence but a Zappa-esque absurdity with ELP- Townshend here than you could ever Paul McCartney's gritty rock shout sans the waV-too-serious poker face style virtuosity, the band veers from be in a concert setting, but extreme dead-center, flanked by barbed- that so many other bands applied the symphonic keyboard density close ups of Daltrey's sweaty face wire guitars in both speakers. The to roadhouse-revival music at the (the mellotron-stuffed "Hangin' on and Townshend's fingernails as he producers also added bold flourishes time. This set, a 21-track live gig from an Eyelid') to Krautrock electronics plays a shredding solo don't make throughout, like Ringo Starr's Colorado, was recorded more than ("Take to the Skies") to post- the performance any more exciting. booming tom-tom reverb on "With a a year after Cody and crew had a psychedelic silliness ("Cyclops"). The energy flags a bit during a three- Little Help From My Friends" and John Top-10 single with "Hot Rod Lincoln" That wild unpredictability makes the song acoustic segment, about half Lennon's boosted acoustic guitar (which, refreshingly, isn't even played album worth exploring-not just for way through the two-hour show but on "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." here). lt also finds the crew-among proggers but for any irreverent rock most of the time you're transported Hardcore obsessives should seek out whom were guitar great Bill Kirchen, fan. Ryan Reed.