UMC [Release date 21.09.18]

It’s always frustrating when a ‘definitive’ box set promo amounts to a couple of discs of largely alternative versions, demos, and live recordings.  In other words, a handful of album tracks and, in this case, a selection of the 75 unreleased recordings that make this package worthy of the ‘deluxe’ branding.

The set is subtitled The Complete Capital Masters, so the ‘meat’ of the release is Gentry’s six studio albums for the label – released between 1968 and 1971 – and her 1968 collaboration album with Glen Campbell all remastered from the original tapes.  The ‘extras’ include her ‘lost’, unreleased, jazz album, outtakes, demos, rarities, and an 8th disc of live performances from her late sixties BBC TV series.

On top of that, for your £70, you get an 84 page booklet, 8 postcards, and a facsimile of her original handwritten ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ lyrics.

I’ll confess that while the latter song is probably in my list of all-time favourites, and I probably did see some of her TV series (if for no other reason than Pan’s People regularly guested), I know relatively little of her wider recording career.  ‘Country’ just wasn’t a genre that excited me in my formative years.

Although it’s interesting, looking back, to learn Gentry was one of first female musicians to write, produce and publish her own music, to produce her own stage shows via her own production company, and the first female singer songwriter to be given her own BBC TV series.

And, while I’m becoming increasingly sceptical of some ‘remastering’, one thing’s for certain – ‘Ode To Billie Joe’ has never sounded sweeter than it does here.  And as regards the ‘extras’ available on the promo discs, they’re what you might expect – a mixed bag.  The breadth of styles covered is surprising, as is the quality of her singing (Karen Carpenter springing to mind on a number of occasions).

So while I won’t be putting my birthday money together for the box set (bonus tracks rarely offer value for money for those with only a casual interest), her remastered studio output – released as a part of the budget ‘original masters’ series would be a far more tempting proposition.  ***1/2

Review by Pete Whalley

---

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

---

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

---

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

---

---

Popular (last 10 days)

---