CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND “The Dust Blows Forward - An Anthology”
****
2cd - 1999 - Rhino / Reprise / Warner Bros. (Warner Archives R2-75863) 73’
47” + 76’00”
Whereas French & Fahey’s “Grow fins” 5cd box set ((cf. Ultrazine 99.3; the
second 2lp equivalent has finally been released, leaving just one to go?
hopefully it comes a bit quicker)) was a for-fans-only-collection of
rarities, this 2cd set is quite the opposite. It’s an almost-okay
introduction to one of the most compelling artists ever: That Krazy Blueskat
Who Makes The Ape In You Drunk With Joy And The Genius In You Happy With
Mirth And Instinctive Understanding. And beautifully packaged as it is
(incl. a lavish 60-page cd-format booklet with great pixx and even a
pseudonym list), it’s an ideal gift too, even though it is actually
full-price. There’s even a few rarities here (e.g. a first official release
of the nicely nice “Little scratch”, the Jack Nitzsche Orchestra’s “Hard
working man” from the soundtrack of “Blue Collar”, and the disappointing
instrumental “Light reflected off the oceands of the moon” off ‘82’s “Ice
cream for crow” 12” ep)... although most of the tracks were taken from the
albums (all of them, including the one with Zappa & the Mothers, “Bongo
Fury” - though the Captain’s other Zappa contributions “Willie the pimp”
and the lesser-known but very excellent first version of “The torture never
stops” were not included).
*
Personally, however, I’m not so happy with the selection as a whole, but
this being a Rhino product - check out their “Est. 1978” sticker, they
really mean it - I’m not surprised either. For instance, I can not
understand at all why quite a few of ol’ Rundshart’s best tracks were NOT
included: 1967’s mighty “Zig zag wanderer” (one of my all-time sixties
favourites, together with Dutronc’s “Le responsable”), 1968’s ***** “Trust
us” & “Gimme dat harp boy”, 1970’s “I love you, big dummy”, 1974’s “I got
love on my mind” & “Observatory crest”, 1979’s “Love lies”, 1980’s “Sherrif
of Hong Kong”, 1982’s “The host the ghost the most holy-o” - or any of the
versions of “Run paint run run”. (Deus-freaks should also note that “The
blimp” was not included either.) Ahhh... tastes differ, no doubt (I for
one, do NOT AT ALL care less for the Captain’s more mellow and “commercial”
1974 albums), but a third cd might have been in place too... Anyhoo: hear
hear! And read read <http://rhino.com/features/liners/75863lin.html>! Then
go listen to some Howlin’ Wolf, of course!
Snaporaz
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