Customer Reviews

Later That Same Year

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This June 2008 Expanded And Remastered CD (Beat Goes On BGOCD807 in the UK) features the 3rd and last album for Ian Matthews short-lived but superb folk-rock group MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT.

THE ALBUM breaks down as follows (55:48 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 11 are the British track listing for the album "Later That Same Year" released in the UK in November 1970 on MCA Records MKPS 2015. It was recorded at Morgan Studios in London and produced by IAN MATTHEWS. "Later That Same Year" was belatedly released in the USA (as was the "Woodstock" single) on Decca DL 75264 in April 1971 and had a different 11-track run. If you want to sequence the US LP version from this CD it runs as follows:
Side 1: 12, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Side 2: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
[Note: Track 4 on Side 1 of the UK LP - "Jonah"- was left off the US LP]

BONUS TRACKS
Tracks 12 and 15 are "Woodstock" and "Scion" - their biggest hit single. Although she famously didn't attend the August 1969 3-day concert, Joni Mitchell wrote "Woodstock" about the event, which she initially gave to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. They put out a rocking version of it on their 2nd album from early 1970 "Déjà Vu" which Ian heard and loved. However, Matthews slowed the song down and softened the feel considerably - and in doing so - he somehow captured the positive vibe of the time. "Woodstock" was first released in July 1970 in the UK on Uni Records UNS 521 with "Scion" as its B-side (both tracks were non-album at the time). Constant BBC Radio 1 airplay it eventually saw it crawl to Number 1 in September 1970. Rather stupidly MCA didn't include it on the UK LP so "Later That Same Year" didn't even crack the Top 50 album chart - even with a Number 1 single buzzing around it. The US single on Decca 32774 was issued in April 1971 with "Ballad Of Obray Ramsey" as its B-side (see note below) where it reached number 23 on the charts.

Tracks 13 and 14 are also non-album songs. Track 13 "The Struggle" was the B-side to "Colorado Springs Eternal" a single lifted from their debut album "Matthews Southern Comfort"; the 45 was issued January 1970 in the UK on Uni Records UNS 513 and is said to feature Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention on Guitar.
Track 14 "Parting" was the B-side to "Ballad Of Obray Ramsey" another single but this time lifted off their 2nd LP "Second Spring"; the 45 was issued May 1970 in the UK on Uni Records UNS 521.
I'd have to say that a downside for US fans is the exclusion of "Ballad Of Obray Ramsey" the USA B-side to "Woodstock" - but it is available on another BGO release which gathers up the first and second albums in their entirety onto 1 CD - "Matthews Southern Comfort" and "Second Spring" on BGOCD 313 from 2004.

The original tapes have been remastered by ANDREW THOMPSON at SOUND PERFORMANCE and the transfer is stunningly clean and clear - a really great job done - especially after having to do with budget-label dull-sounding CDs until now. The 8-page booklet has informative and affectionate liner notes by noted compiler DAVID WELLS and there's a classy card wrap on the outside (a sort of visual trademark for BGO releases in the last few years).

I've always thought that "Later That Same Year" was their best album. There's three superb Matthews originals - "And Me", "My Lady" and "Road To Ronderlin". Even better (and a source of consternation within the band) are the three goodies from guitarist CARL BARNWELL - especially the gorgeous "Sylvie" (lyrics above), which practically defines their mellow and laid back sound. Other notables are the last track on Side 1 "And When She Smiles" and the opening track of Side 2 "Mare, Take Me Home" which were both written by Alan C Anderson ("Big" Al) of the US band THE WILDWEEDS who had a lone album appear in early 1970 in the US on Vanguard VSD 6552. He later joined NRBQ and is still active in writing country songs to this day. The Carole King cover "To Love" (off her "Writer" LP) is a jaunty opener while their version of Neil Young's "Tell Me Why" is as lovely as his "After The Gold Rush" original.

So there you have it - a really good album, a beautiful remaster and it's all properly presented too.

For those who love their Seventies mellow and melodious - this superb little CD is heartily recommended.

In another review of this CD by a Mr.Ratcheson, he mentions that the mastering was not very good here because of "tons of tape dropouts". With respect to Mr.Ratcheson, I think he should have explained exactly what a tape dropout is. My guess is that the average person wouldn't know. I didn't know myself, but I had just purchased this CD before seeing his review, and I was expecting to hear moments of silence, or something like that, throughout a lot of the songs. However, this was not the case. I listened to the entire CD and it sounded great to me. Therefore, I'm still not sure what a tape dropout is. I did learn one thing from his review that I never knew. I wasn't aware that the American version of the original LP was not the entire album. The song "Jonah" apparently was cut from this LP, and "Woodstock" was included instead. On this CD, we get the original album in its' entirety with "Woodstock" and three others added as bonus tracks. I would like to thank Mr.Ratcheson for that information.

BUYER BEWARE. The SHM version of this album does NOT include Woodstock or the other bonus tracks. It only has the 11 original album tracks. Very disappointing.

5 Stars for the album, 1 star for the awful mastering. BGO usually does better work then this. There are a TON of tape drop outs. I hope the actual master tapes of this classic album aren't this damaged......

This may be the first time in history that the German Line label's 90's edition sounded better then a later remaster....The Line does not have the drop outs, & the Line also has more definition & top end in the music.

In my experience Line hasn't usually produced good sounding cd's; one of the worst sounding cd's I've ever heard was Line's release of Matthews' Discreet Repeat greatest hits, & I've replaced all my Ian/Iain Matthews Line releases with the BGO's as they've been released. Up until this one, the BGO's were always a huge upgrade. 1 caveat: the sound quality varies wildly from track to track; a few are acceptable, though none have great sound.

On the positive side, we finally get the entire album restored (Jonah replacing Woodstock which is tacked on here as a "bonus track".

This is by far the best of the 3 MSC albums. Highlights include To Love, And Me, the cover of Neil Young's Tell Me Why, My Lady & Road To Ronderlin. Also includes their only US hit, Woodstock.

Since I spent money on this, I'm keeping it AND the superior Line edition. If I had been able to audition the BGO before purchase, I probably would have kept the Line edition only, even though this has 4 more songs.

Iain mentioned on his Yahoo group in reply to my concern that he had nothing to do with this release.

Listen to "And Me," "Woodstock," and "Tell Me Why." Beautiful! I am so glad this album is finally available again -- downloadable. I bought the LP many years ago and loved it. Great to hear it again.

As a singer and interpreter they don't come much better than Matthews. Maybe at times his voice is too beautiful - but it is beautiful. And most of the songs on the album are mighty fine. Moments, like Woodstock, are sublime. It's like CSNY - but I like these guys much better. The playing is also superb. One reviewer complains about the remastering. And I am definitely with him - though it may well be that the original mix is just terrible. There's no bottom end - the bass and drums sound like they had been recorded across the street. What a pity. This material deserves much better. So five stars for playing, singing etc. and around zero for the engineering. Hopefully one day someone will get to the original tapes and do them justice.

Hello

i have not listened to this album, but would like to take the opportunity to explain what a tape dropout is. it is basically a moment where there is a loss of treble frequencies, usually only in one channel (either left or right). these occur over time with master tapes and sometimes can be corrected, sometimes cannot. with careful editing, they can sometimes be eliminated or made to be less extreme. they are not blatantly noticeable to most listeners. The Beach Boys' HOLLAND album has a large section of noticeable dropouts which has been on every pressing of the album.

I am a big Classic Rock fan. I like the Stones, The Who, you name it. Well, my dad put this CD in his player an it sounded good. The Joni Mitchel song "Woodstock" is the best version I ever heard. The Blues Rock song "To Love" is a great song. Other songs are great too. That was years ago. Then I was looking though my Who, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin CD box and I found my copy of Later That Same Year. I put it in my compact CD player and it brought back some memories. Well, this is a classic rock fan signing off.

This is (IMO) the best 'Matthews' Southern Comfort' LP, which is why is is mystifying that it is the only one never seemingly re-issued on CD. I do have a well-worn vinyl copy, and I'll download the MP3s just as soon as the facility is extended outside the USA.

Used copies are selling for $100 .. so why is the publisher sleeping through it all?