BOOGIE WITH CANNED HEAT: 1968 BLUE LABEL LIBERTY A2/B1

	£		26
	$		34

BOOGIE WITH CANNED HEAT   Canned Heat's second long-player, Boogie With Canned Heat (1968), pretty well sums up the bona fide blend of amplified late-'60s electric rhythm and blues, with an expressed emphasis on loose and limber boogie-woogie. The quintet — consisting of Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson (guitar/vocals), Larry "The Mole" Taylor (bass), Henry "Sunflower" Vestine (guitar), Aldolfo "Fido" Dela Parra (drums), and Bob "The Bear" Hite (vocals) — follow up their debut effort with another batch of authentic interpretations, augmented by their own exceptional instrumentation. One development is their incorporation of strong original compositions. "On the Road Again" — which became the combo's first, and arguably, most significant hit — as well as the Albert King inspired anti-speed anthem, "Amphetamine Annie," were not only programmed on the then-burgeoning underground FM radio waves, but also on the more adventuresome AM Top 40 stations. Their love of authentic R&B informs "World in a Jug," the dark "Turpentine Blues," and Hite's update of Tommy McClennan's "Whiskey Headed Woman." The Creole anthem "Marie Laveau" is nothing like the more familiar cut by Bobby Bare, although similarities in content are most likely derived from a common source. The side, as rendered here, is arguably most notable for the driving interaction between guitarists Wilson and Vestine as they wail and moan over Hite's imposing leads. Saving the best for last, the Heat are at the height of their prowess during the lengthy audio biography on "Fried Hockey Boogie." Each member is introduced by Hite and given a chance to solo before they kick out the jams, culminating in Hite's crescendo of " ... Don't forget to boogie!" In 1999 the French label, Magic Records, issued an expanded edition of Boogie With Canned Heat supplemented by half-a-dozen sides, such as the 45 RPM edits of "On the Road Again," "Boogie Music" and "Goin' Up the Country." Also included are the once difficult-to-locate 45-only "One Kind Favor," as well as the seasonal offering "Christmas Blues" and "The Chipmunk Song" — with guest shots from none other than Alvin, Simon, Theodore, and David Seville of the one and only Chipmunks. For enthusiasts as well as listeners curious about the oft-overlooked combo, this is an essential, if not compulsory platter.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Evil Woman; My Crime; On the Road Again; World in a Jug; Turpentine Moan; Whiskey Headed Woman No. 2.

Side 2: Amphetamine Annie; An Owl Song; Marie Laveau; Fried Hockey Boogie.

Label: Liberty - original blue format.

Label Conditions: Both look great: very clean with only very light and faint spindle marks and no wear around the hole area.

Cat Number: LLS 83103E.

Mode: Mono

Warps: None at all

Weight of this Record: 147 grams.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Scarce especially as a first pressing in such good condition.

Original Year of Release: 1968

Matrix Nos: LBL 83103 A/2 420 1, LBL 83103 B/1 420 1 

Musicians: Bob Hite – vocals; Alan Wilson – Slide Guitar, vocals, Harmonica; Henry Vestine – Lead guitar; Larry Taylor – Bass; Fito de la Parra – drums.

Sleeve Grade and Format: A single format with front lamination that wraps around the spine edge on to the back for approx quarter-of-an inch. Printed and made in England.

Lamination & Front: Excellent. Some small surface creases, but the front remains vibrant. The laminate is not lifting except around 3 or 4 small handling creases on the open edge and again on the top left corner (see pic). The glossiness of the colourful artwork just has to be seen. Slight feathering to the open edge and all corners

Sleeve Back:  The end of the laminate has a little grubbiness which is hardly unusual but this being the only noteworthy clue to age and only blemish on what is an undamaged back. Any marks or handling traces barely register and the lack of any real ringwear with such a solid thick record inside for 40 odd years is simply astonishing.

Top Edge: No real wear. Straight, four small laminate creases along the length.

Bottom Edge: As above.

Open Edge: Clean and mostly sharp with minimal trace of wear and very slight feathering at the extremities.

Spine and Text: Solid, straight with 9 small laminate creases. All text is perfectly readable with only 2 small cracks in the laminate.

Corners: All intact: top right - very small crumple, bottom right - as before with associated laminate crease, bottom left - very small crumple, top left - crease across corner. See pic.

Sleeve Summary: A great example of this classic late 60’s, 42 year old sleeve.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX. Side One: Very clean with 4/5 hairlines but no scratches. Side Two: Again, clean with several hairlines commensurate with handling. Altogether clean, shiny, intensely black and heavily pressed.

Album Played For Grading: Yes. (Equipment: Linn Sondek LP12, Linn Ekos arm, Linn K9 moving coil cartridge, tracking at 1 gram into a Cambridge Audio Azur 340A amp and out to a pair of Bose speakers with a Super Woofer)

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This vintage Liberty blues classic matches its visual grading with nothing to fault bar a few faint and brief clicks. This LP has strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. A supreme hi-fi recording and this record excels - ‘On the Road Again’ is simply breathtaking with the deepest sound you could wish to hear. Any other surface sounds barely registered and no other pops or clicks were noted.  Both channels are clean and sharp, nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this classic record which can be strongly recommended.

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