Needle Time

  Nucleus - Snakehips Etcetera [BEWITH128LP UK 2023 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Vertigo Records in 1975. The Sunday jazz slot gets opened with the energetic flared-fusion grooves, funky basslines and horny blasts from British band Nucleus. Wrapped in a fully detailed reproduction of the original, and quite ridiculous sleeve, this album was mastered by Simon Francis from the original master tapes and cut by Cicely Balston at AIR Studios. This record represents a very seventies-styled British take on the fusion sounds coming out of the US from the likes of Miles Davis & Tony Williams - psychedelic in parts, complex and constantly developing arrangements by highly skilled musicians hold the listener's attention throughout - which is very helpful considering most tracks are quite lengthy. A1 Rat’s Bag A2 Alive And Kicking A3 Rachel’s Tune B1 Snakehips Etcetera B2 Pussyfoot B3 Heyday

  Ian Carr - Belladonna [MRBLP229 UK 2021 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Reproduced in a high quality gatefold package, Mr Bongo Records rereleased the classic 1972 jazz/rock fusion album Belladonna complete with Vertigo swirl inner sleeve and labels.  Miles Showell cut this release half-speed at Abbey Road on a restored Neumann VMS 80 lathe, likely from a digital transfer of the original master tape. The label are not fully open about the source of this release, however nearly all Showell remasters these days are not cut direct from tape. That being said, this pressing does sound fantastic with a wide detailed sound stage and plenty of air for each instrument to shine through.  The Scotsman's trumpet is backed up by an illustrious band of accompanying musicians including Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Roy Babbington on bass, Dave MacRae on Fender Rhodes and also Brian Smith on sax. Often compared to the Miles Davis style of fusion, Belladonna takes things further with p...

  Ian Carr With Nucleus [BEWITH103LP UK 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on Vertigo Records in 1973.  Be With Records are doing fantastic work with their series of Ian Carr & Nucleus albums from the seventies.   The label's marketing hints that this particular release was mastered from the original analogue tapes... and there is no reason to disbelieve them. I hope Be With Records eventually secure the rights to  Snakehips Etcetera  and  In Flagranti Delicto. Labyrinth is very much a pure concept album (that should scare off many non-believers), recorded with funding from the British Arts Council, the whole affair is inspired by the mythical Minotaur (there goes even more of my audience). It is a complicated listen which should be completed in full, this is a very dark menacing record but also full of jazz fusion breaks, some of them funky others not in the least funky. Anybody left..... then this is all for you! A1 Origins A2 Bull D...

  Nucleus - Under The Sun [BEWITH104LP UK 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Originally released on a hard to find vinyl album on Vertigo Records in 1974. Here is another album from Ian Carr's seventies funky-jazz-rock project Nucleus, reissued on one of my favourite labels, Be With Records. The label acquired the original master tapes from the Vertigo vaults which have been superbly remastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Pete Norman. Pressing matters were dealt with the former CBS plant at Record Industry in The Netherlands. This albums cuts a serious funky-jazz groove, performed by eight British musicians at the top of their game, which is all brought to life by the quality of the mastering and pressing.  Enjoy. A1 In Procession A2 The Addison Trip A3 Pastoral Graffiti A4 New Life A5 A Taste Of Sarsaparilla B1 Theme 1 Sarsaparilla B2 Theme 2 Feast Alfresco B3 Theme 3 Rites Of Man

  Nucleus - Alleycat [BEWITH105LP UK 2022 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Last year, I regularly pontificated about the quality of releases & pressings by British obscurity reissue label Be With Records, one of the most popular was Roots by Ian Carr's funk-fusion ensemble, Nucleus. Be With have now dived deeper into the line-up's long unavailable back catelogue and a highlight is this new pressing of their Alleycat album.  Originally released on the Vertigo label in 1975, Alleycat comprises five hard-funk-jazz fusion workouts centered around the fourteen minute title track and the very wonderful eleven minutes of Splat! Enjoy! A1 Phaideaux Corner A2 Alleycat B1 Splat B2 You Can't Be Sure B3 Nosegay

  Ian Carr's Nucleus - Roots [BEWITH102LP UK 2021 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released on Vertigo Records in 1973, Roots was the fifth of twelve studio albums released by British jazz-fusion band Nucleus, fronted by Scottish trumpeter Ian Carr. This will be my last post until the end of the month, so why have I chosen a British psychedelic-prog-jazz-rock-funk obscurity? One reason, the quality of this pressing is amazing. Mastered by Simon Francis Mastering in the UK and then pressed at the old CBS plant in Haarlem, The Netherlands, there is a fabulous attention to detail within these grooves. Each instrument has a clearly defined position in total clarity, vinyl rumble is at a minimum and a respectful dynamic response of around DR12 delivers a genuine enhancement to the listening experience. If only all new remasters and new pressings were delivered with such care, it comes in a thicker card sleeve & poly-lined inner bag. I will certainly be on the lookout for more releases...