The Dream Syndicate : The Lost Tapes 1985 - 1988

The Dream Syndicate is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1981 to 1989, and reunited since 2012. The band is associated with neo-psychedelia and the Paisley Underground music movement; of the bands in that movement, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Dream Syndicate "rocked with the highest degree of unbridled passion and conviction."

150-gram vinyl in gatefold sleeve; limited to 500 copies. This is The Dream Syndicate's lost album, recorded in Los Angeles between their third and fourth official albums and featuring Chris Cacavas of Green on Red. This album is the missing link between their Americana sound and the Velvets spirit of The Days of Wine and Roses (1982). Studio recordings with excellent sound quality, remastered for vinyl. Includes inner sleeve liner notes by Steve Wynn and Dennis Duck. A mandatory record for all lovers of the Paisley Underground sound and Americana.

So-called because it mostly consists of sessions and takes recorded in between Out of the Grey and Ghost Stories, 3½ makes for an entertaining coda for the dedicated Dream Syndicate fan and has some points of interest for the general listener. While Precoda is understandably missed, Cutler was no slouch as a replacement guitarist, and the recordings here generally have a good, rootsy feeling to them. Most were recorded during mid-1987 with Vitus Matare manning the boards and Green on Red mainstay Chris Cacavas guesting on keyboards and vocals. Cutler throws in some okay feedback squeals and blasts, while Cacavas adds a further barrelhouse/bar band jam touch to the material, especially on the cover of Rodney Crowell's "I Ain't Living Long Like This.

Though never commercially successful, the band met with considerable acclaim, especially for its songwriting and guitar playing. Bandleader Steve Wynn reformed the band in 2012, and a fifth studio album was announced in February 2017.

These songs, many of which appear nowhere else in the DS catalog), are first-rate Steve Wynn compositions with momentum, hooks, and memorable lyrics equal to anything on Ghost Stories or Out of the Grey.
A couple did wind up on Wynn solo CDs (Killing Time, Here on Earth as Well) but if you are a DS devotee, there's enough new here to make this collection a stone cold treasure. The Best Years of My Life and It Hits You Again are especially juicy cuts, classic Syndicate sound.

The live version of When You Smile is great too, quite different from the feedback-drenched original - even slower at beginning and end, with the three-note riff played in a cheeky, defiant manner, typically approximate pitch from Steve on some notes, but overall very tight and raw at the same time.

In short, this is the sound of a hot band playing classic songs with juicy guitar work and lyrics of a quality seldom seen since the 1960s. What more do you need?

 TRACKS

01. Here On Earth As Well     2:56

02. I Ain't Living Long Like This

    Written-By – Rodney Crowell  4:24

03. Killing Time     4:06

04. Lucky

    Written-By – Dennis Duck, Mark Walton, Paul B. Cutler  6:31

05. Weathered And Torn     3:06

06. The Best Years Of My Life     5:43

07. Running From The Memory     3:18

08. When You Smile     4:05

09. It Hits You Again     3:28

10. Blood Money     5:40

Credits

Art Direction – Brigid Pearson

Bass, Vocals – Mark Walton

Drums – Dennis Duck

Guitar, Vocals – Paul B. Cutler, Steve Wynn

Mastered By – John Golden

Photography By – Karen Cantor

Piano, Organ, Vocals – Chris Cacavas (tracks: 2 to 7)

Producer – Elliot Mazer (tracks: 8), Paul B. Cutler (tracks: 1), The Dream Syndicate, Vitus Matare (tracks: 2 to 7)

Written-By – Steve Wynn (tracks: 1, 3 to 10)

Notes

Tracks 1, 10 recorded in Hollywood, April 1985

Tracks 2 through 7 recorded at Lyceum Studios (Mar Vista), August 1987

Track 8 recorded live at Raji's, January 1988

Track 9 recorded in Hollywood, August 1985

BLOOD MONEY LYRICS

Had to make a trade... wouldn't take it on faith

top of the line... beg, borrow, steal and a fast escape

something bout a house of bricks... solitude and a pint of gin

wait till the bricks are dry, and start all over again

played for a fool... what can I say? no regrets

something about finishing school... something that you ain't learned yet

blood! blood money!

blood! blood money!

Rich man drives a Lincoln... lives way uptown

says that he's been thinking... so he lays his money down

I got a big ol truck... tape deck, speakers in the back

take a walk after last call... and work it out on a sneak attack-tack yeah

MP3 Size: 101 MB

FLAC Size: 309 MB

Them: The Story Of Them Featuring Van Morrison (The Decca Anthology 1964-1966) (EU version) 1997

Them were a Northern Irish rock band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career. The original five member band consisted of Morrison, Alan Henderson, Ronnie Milling, Billy Harrison and Eric Wrixon. The group was marketed in the United States as part of the British Invasion.

Them scored two UK hits in 1965 with "Baby, Please Don't Go" (UK No. 10) and "Here Comes the Night" (UK No. 2; Ireland No. 2). The latter song and "Mystic Eyes" were Top 40 hits in the US.
Morrison quit the band in 1966 and went on to a successful career as a solo artist. Despite their relatively few hit singles, the Belfast group had considerable influence on other bands, such as the Doors.

 Them's first recording session took place in London on 5 July 1964. "Turn on Your Love Light" and "Gloria" were recorded during this session as were both sides of their first single, "Don't Start Crying Now" and "One Two Brown Eyes" as well as "Groovin'", "Philosophy" and Bo Diddley's "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover". This session was remarkable in its employment of two drums tracks, which can be clearly heard in the stereo mixes of "Gloria" and "One Two Brown Eyes".

Their next single, Big Joe Williams's "Baby, Please Don't Go" substituted Andy White on drums, Phil Coulter on second keyboard, and added Jimmy Page on rhythm guitar. Lead guitar was the work of Billy Harrison. It was released in November with "Gloria" as its B-side. In December 1964, Them made their television debut, joining The Rolling Stones, on Ready Steady Go! Their manager, Phil Solomon got the track used as the show's signature tune and within two weeks it was at No. 19 on the UK Singles Chart, eventually peaking at No. 10.

Morrison recalled his days with Them with some bitterness, noting that the heart of the original group was torn out by image-conscious record company politics, and that sessionmen (including Jimmy Page) often played on recordings. In addition to hits, Them released a couple of fine albums and several flop singles that mixed Morrison compositions with R&B and soul covers, as well as a few songs written for them by producers like Bert Berns (who penned "Here Comes the Night").

After Morrison left the group, Them splintered into the Belfast Gypsies, who released an album that (except for the vocals) approximated Them's early records, and a psychedelic outfit that kept the name Them, releasing four LPs with little resemblance to the tough sounds of their mid-'60s heyday.

Them

The Story Of Them Featuring Van Morrison (The Decca Anthology 1964-1966) (EU version)

Year: 1997

Country: Germany

Record Label: Deram

Catalogue #: 844 813-2

Tracks: 

Disc 1

01. The Story of Them, Pts. 1 & 2  7:21

02. Don't Start Crying Now  2:06

03. Gloria  2:38

04. Philosophy  2:38

05. One Two Brown Eyes  2:35

06. Baby Please Don't Go  2:42

07. Here Comes the Night  2:48

08. All for Myself  2:49

09. One More Time (single version - mono)  2:49

10. Little Girl  2:49

11. I Gave My Love a Diamond  3:04

12. Go on Home Baby  2:34

13. My Little Baby  2:03

14. Mystic Eyes  2:44

15. Don't Look Back  3:23

16. You And I Could be As One 2:51

17. I Like It Like That  3:19

18. I'm Gonna Dress in Black (version 1)  3:31

19. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66  2:25

20. Just a Little Bit  2:22

21. You Just Can't Win  2:22

22. Bright Lights, Big City  2:32

23. Baby What You Want Me to Do  3:30

24. I'm Gonna Dress in Black (version 2)  3:36

25. One More Time  (stereo)  2:47

Duration : 74:20

CD 1. MP3 Size: 205 MB
CD 1. Flac  Size: 544 MB

Disc 2

01. How Long Baby [Single Version]  3:40

02. (It Won't Hurt) Half As Much  3:03

03. Something You Got  2:32

04. Call My Name  2:21

05. Turn On Your Lovelight  2:21

06. I Put A Spell On You  2:38

07. I Got A Woman  3:14

08. Out Of Sight  2:23

09. It's All Over Now Baby Blue  3:50

10. Bad Or Good  2:10

11. Hello Josephine  2:06

12. Don't You Know  2:25

13. Hey Girl  3:04

14. Bring 'Em On In (UK Album Version)  3:16

15. Times Gettin' Tougher Than Tough  2:16

16. Stormy Monday  2:43

17. Friday's Child  3:29

18. Richard Cory (Version 1)  2:45

19. My Lonely Sad Eyes  2:31

20. I Can Only Give You Everything  2:42

21. Could You, Would You  3:10

22. Bring 'Em On In (Mono Version)  3:44

23. Richard Cory (Version 2)  3:50

24. Call My Name (Single Version)  2:20

Duration : 68:34

CD 2. MP3 Size: 192 MB
CD 2. Flac  Size: 490 MB