Customer Reviews

Shazam

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have purchased both European and Japanese CDs of this classic album before, and they have all had mastering flaws, primarily every one of them was missing the false start beginning to "Don't Make my Baby Blue." This is the first CD version to have the correct master of the complete album. And it is a great album--a pop masterpiece, right up there with Ogden's Nut Gone Flake or any other classic you could name. The Move rank up there with the greatest British bands of all time (as do the Small Faces). It's a perennial shame that they remain so under-appreciated in the States.

One of my favorite Move albums (the other being "Message from the Country"), "Shazam" gets the remastering treatment this time form the original master tapes which were misplace d in A&M's vaults. This is a very good remaster but not without its flaws.

We do get the original album sequenced with the inbetween spoken bits missing on a previous edition (although it was restored to the West Side "Movements" Anthology version 10 years ago). Clarity is improved with extremely good detail. However, Salvo has chosen to master this at a louder volume than is necessary (I can control my volume knob just fine thank you)which results in digital clipping on a few tracks. Most folks won't notice this but audiophiles might. Also, No Noise has been applied which eliminates the tape hiss but also eliminates the natural ambience of the room and leaving some digital artifacts that will annoy audiophiles. It's not as bad as Peter Mew's use of No Noise on "Message from the Country" (usually No Noise has a characteristic feel--1)no tape hiss 2) it sounds like the music lacks depth and/or someone threw a blanket over your speaker and is 3) compensated for by increasing the treble in an unnatural degree)but is is noticeable (on some tracks more than others).

Although flawed this is the best version I've heard of the album (aside from maybe an original pressing)on CD. We also get the single tracks "A Certain Something", "This Time Tomorrow" (no it's not the Ray Davies/Kinks song)plus demos for both tracks, an alternate mix of "Blackberry Way" in stereo (and despite the label claim that it has "Blackberry Way" it doesn't have the original mono mix which was their #1 hit in the UK)as well as "Wild Tiger Woman" in a stereo remix and the full length version of "Omnibus" (which had been trimmed for single release).

The sleeve notes are, as with all the Salvo reissues, excellent with rare photos and information on the recording of the album.

I dislike the use of sleeves for CDs (particularly if they don't come with a plastic or rice paper slip for the CD as it prevents it from being scratched)but this cardboard sleeve does have some nice additional pix inside (but, again, it won't protect your CD).

There are also two digital downloads available from the Salvo website with alternate mixes for "Omnibus" and "Wild Tiger Woman" which features the password so you can gain access to the site.

"Shazam" isn't perfect but is much improved (even if No Noise was used on the release and the mastering IS louder--it's not as loud as some recent discs)because we have the original master tape being used for the first time plus bonus tracks and two digital downloads. Recommended.

I just got my copy of "Shazam" today and boy am I impressed! This fantastic re-issue is long overdue, but then again maybe had it been re-issued earlier it wouldn't have been as great as this one. Afterall, the master tapes were just recovered from the A&M tape archive! Repertoire Records can take their 1998 release and stick it where the sun dosen't shine (the label is known for re-issuing band's back catalogs without approval). The sound quality is top notch on this one, sounds like the original vinyl so cranking "Hello Suzie" has never sounded better! I can't wait until I get my CD player installed in my car so I can blast this one around town. The bonus tracks are a great addition. A favorite of mine is "Something" (titled "A Certain Something" on this CD). The stereo mix of this track blows the original mono mix away (which I had on my vinyl copy of "The Best Of The Move"). I actually perfer the original mix of "Wild Tiger Woman" a bit more though. Yes, it was slightly murky in sound but it was nice and thick. This new stereo mix makes it a wee bit thin...just a wee bit though...not enough for me to dislike it. Bottom line, if you're a Move fan (and you must be if you're reading this), this purchase is a no-brainer! Place your order now...oh yeah...be sure to get the newly remastered debut too! Happy listening!

Like the first Move album on Salvo, they actually found the tapes for this!

Tracks 1 through 6 are the original "Shazam" album, complete with the original chats and breakdowns that were on the original vinyl album. Crisp and clean sounding.

The amazing bonus tracks:
7. This Time Tomorrow - original mono 45 B side
8. (A Certain) Something - first-time stereo mix
9. Curly - "alternate mix" - first-time stereo mix
10. Wild Tiger Woman - first-time stereo mix
(Wow---the original single was murky...this is crisp and clean and bright and a touch longer too)
11. Omnibus - first-time stereo mix - full 4:11 length version
12. (That Certain) Something - mono demo version
13. This Time Tomorrow - mono demo version
14. Blackberry Way - "alternate mix" - first-time stereo mix
(Not the cleanest mix, but stereo, just the same)

Considering that all prior Move CD reissues of this material have used second and third generation tapes, this reissue turns all those others into frisbies.

Absolutely worthwhile getting.

The Move was formed in 1965 in Birmingham,England by Carl Wayne b.1943, Roy Wood b.1946, Bev Bevan b.1944,
Trevor Burton b.1949 and Chris "Ace" Kefford b.1946. After their debut in 1967 that produced 4 big English hits like "Night Of Fear" and "Walk On The Water", they came out with "Shazam" in 1969. Gone from the group at the start of recording the album were Ace (too much acid), and Trevor Burton who quit during the sessions because he thought the Move was getting too soft. Rick Price from Sight and Sound would take over for Trevor. "Shazam" is a record of 6 songs, 3 by Roy Wood and 3 terrific covers. Here are the highlights:

"Hello Susie" - Hard rockin' lead off tune. Top 10 hit for the band Amen Corner in July of '69. Great drum fills by Bev Bevan and one of Roy's loudest vocal performances.

"Beautiful Daughter" - One of my all-time favorite Roy Wood compositions! Has the "Elenore Rigby" feel. Just a great song! Move trivia: Tony Visconti played Bass on this song.

"Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited" - Carl's spoken word introduction adds just the right touch, on their new version of this wacky song! Bach's "Ode To Joy" in the middle refrain is an excellent touch. Great Bass by Rick Price.

"Fields Of People" Song by American band The Ars Nova. The Move extended this piece to 10:54. Loved this track the first time i heard it back in 1979. Roy plays a mean Sitar at about the 6:30 mark. Bev and Rick keep the beat nicely. Carl seems too be enjoying hiomself in this song. Prog-Rock at it's finest.

"Don't Make My Baby Blue" - Mann and Weil tune, love the interplay with real people in these recordings, here they interview the taxi driver who disses pop music of the day because he was getting a might old. Great riffs by Rick and Roy. One of the HEAVY'S! I'm going to have hear the Frankie Laine version.

"The Last Thing On My Mind" - A Tom Paxton cover. Gentle wah-wah guitar by Roy. Another fine vocal performance by Carl. Bev and Rick shine on the Drums and Bass. "Shazam" is just a great record all the around. And the sound to my ears on this new remaster is tremendous. I can hear things i've never heard before in the older CD releases.

Bonus Tracks:

"This Time Tomorrow" - This should of been a big hit. Great guitar by Roy on the fade. Rick Price top notch vocals. (He was a good vocalist).

"A Certain Something" - Good orchestral arrangment by Tony Visconti. Carl's vocal not like his "Shazam" songs, a little more restrained.

"Curly" (Alternate Mix) - Not a song you would play in front of bikers! The song was a top 15 hit, one of the reasons Trevor left the band. Roy at his most fun loving.

"Wild Tiger Woman" (Stereo Mix) - Great rockin' tune. The late Nicky Hopkins played piano on this. Bev i think is doing the "Wild, Wild, Wild" on background vocals. Should of been a big hit in the day!

"Ominibus" (Full length version) - The Move doing what they do best. Roy Wood wah-wah guitar at the end is special. Bass by Trevor here.

"That Certain Something" (demo) - A differnt sounding song than the on above. More of a blues feel here. No orchestra in this version. Great guitar by trevor. Bass by Richard Tandy.

"This Time Tomorrow" (demo) - Carl handles lead vocals here. Still love Rick Price's version best. Very stripped down version here.

"Blackberry Way" (Alternate Mix) - Roy's #1 record with The Move. Here some added lyrics. Get the original on their Box Set. Featured Richard tandy On Harpsichord.

The Move would be Looking On to 1970 and Jeff Lynne would join the group from the Idle Race. Carl would leave the band and go solo and become a t.v. star.

R.I.P. - Carl Wayne 1943-2004.

If you are one who cares about genre, Shazaam may be one of the first power pop albums.

The Move here take heavy but melodic guitars and apply the Mozart like beauty of the Beatles. They also make the classical element the fab four brought to rock and make this more consious. Listen to the fat cello on "Beatuiful Daughter," and how the spare but distinct sound of the instrument creates the song's backbone.

Many of the musicans here formed ELO, but the Move's arrangements are not nearly as big and this is less overtly classical than the Electric Light was.

Still, for fine orchestral pop with rock ambition, you can't find better than this underrated band.

The Move's second album enjoys new life with this release from the UK collector label, Salvo Records. Like their debut lp "Move" this disc is avaliable in two distinct versions, the 1997 release on Germany's fine Repertoire Records, and this 2007 Salvo offering. The differences. First off, the run time is shorter here, 68 minutes, versus the maxed out 77 plus minute German piece. Secondly, Salvo actually obtained the original master tapes. The difference in sound quality is once again a point of contention. Audiophiles have pointed out the superiority of the German mastering verus their British counterparts. Perhaps its just me, but I think both sound wonderful. I think the releases compliment each other rather than compete against one another. I am grateful that Salvo has made "Shazam" available with a full 8 bonus tracks, available at such a reasonable price when obtained from drop shippers. The pluses here, previously unreleased demo versions of "That Certain Something" and " "This Time Tomorrow." Also to be found here are a new full length version of "Omnibus" alternate mixes of "Curly" and the smash (in the UK) single "Blackberry Way" as well as a stereo mix of "Wild Tiger Woman." A possible minus, the absence of the original mix of "Blackberry Way." It is available on Salvo's 4cd box "Anthology." The album proper is here, as previously mentioned remastered from the original master reels. Noise reduction has been employed, yes, but is it used to the point of distraction or even distinction by those of us with less than absolute audiophile ears, I say a resound "no." At the quite reasonable price my advice is as with their debut album purchase this cd to compliment not compete with the German mastering. If the sound quality bothers you, again bash my review and make your point clear. I do not pretend to have "perfectionist" auditory senses, and am rather a collector of fine British psych rock. Anyone would be hard pressed to call this album anything less. To be found her are such Move classics as "Hello susie" which songwriter/guitarist Roy Wood originally gifted to the British band Amen Corner. Also found here is a sequel to a cut from the debut album "Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited" at least as worthy of praise as its predecessor. In my mind there are no fillers on this platter. All 6 tracks, mainly extended due to musical growth within the band and especially in Wood's compositional skills and his ever present tasteful, never predictable musicianship. This may well be the Move at the high point. Following the release of "Shazam" Wood was joined by ex-Idel Race guitarist, Jeff Lynne, and only two more Move albums were to follow before the band morphed into Wood's lofty musical ambition, the Electric Light Orchestra, which unfortunately was graced by Wood's presence for only their debut album before musical differences drove Wood to form his band Wizard, which unfortunately failed to catch the fickle public's fancy, while the Lynne led ELO went on to vast fame and fortune. Regardless, "Shazam" is the product of a finely tuned, massively talented incarnation of the Move. This album is full of wonderful arrangements, stretching the musical talents of the group's members, and certainly withstands the test of time, sounding as relevant in 2009 s it did when it first hit record shops in 1970. The disc is accompanied by Salvo's usual outstanding and informative booklet, 12 pages in this case. Give Roy and company their props, purchase this cd and treat yourself to some of the finest progressive British psych rock ever committed to viny.

I was really excited about this reissue, especially after reading the other reviews. As soon as I put on headphones and listened, my heart sank. Much of the album is absolutley smothered in noise reduction. The quiet parts of the album are dead and glassy and there is not a trace of hiss. They spiked the treble in an attempt to retain some of the high end that they stripped away. It sounds really bad. I have seen this remaster descibed as "clearer" and "crisper". It's a farce. They heavily processed the tapes to make them seem cleaner than they really are, and in the process damaged the sound. If not for the remixed bonus tracks, which are a marvel to hear, this reissue would be totally worthless. Also, the alternate mixes of "Curly" and "Blackberry Way" are tacky re-processed stereo and not genuine alternate mixes. Very poor work on the part of Salvo and their hack remastering team.

I bought this on LP way back in the 70s and it has long been a favorite of mine. I especially enjoy "The Last Thing On MY Mind" the wonderful of the Tom Paxton folk tune. The steady, but creative bass lines on this cut are some of the best ever recorded. It is worth the price for this song alone.

This is a great remastered version of this classic disc. And I always thought the original was too short so the added songs really add to this one. The songs are half originals and half covers on the original release but this one adds cool songs like 'wild tiger woman' and others to the mix to make it a even better experience. I never understood why so many bands refuse to give us bonus tracks , at least some releases from europe often try to dig them up which makes it a even better experience. To me the move and elo are the same band in a way and both bands always had talent way above the average band in musicianship of their eras so that makes them a journey into real classy songwriting and playing. Although their next one is more pure rockin , this one is a delight to hear if you love complex and sometimes very british songs. Certainly the move was a early prog rock band and prog rock is a genre that really was outstanding and should be rediscovered. There's room for the primitive music like punk but to me this is the top of the line in some ways.