Can You Hear Me Ok is another lost gem from the 1970s to be unearthed, dusted off and repackaged for our modern ears by Prof Stoned, a retired sound engineer dedicated to making rare music available again.
This is the Professor’s second release of the early albums of singer songwriter John Howard, who we have written about several times due to his intriguing tale of moving from performer, to A&R man to releasing new music decades later as a fiercely independent artist.
His first was an excellent spruce up of Howard’s 1975 debut Kid in a Big World last year.
This time around the subject matter is a little different, as while it was due to be released in 1976, it was shelved by Howard’s label CBS after its lead single I Got My Lady failed to get airplay from Radio 1, which was far more important back then in the industry.
It did eventually get a CD release on RPM in 2006 and a vinyl release followed in 2018 on You Are The Cosmos.
Now for its 50th anniversary it has been released again with Prof Stone’s smart remaster, and featuring the original ten tracks plus six bonus cuts recorded during the 1970s. This includes You Take My Breath Away and Stay (Something Good), which were produced by Trevor Horn in 1977 and a live version of I Got My Lady, recorded on TV in 1975.
How does it sound? Great in a word. Howard’s voice is perfect as usual and the orchestral arrangements by Pip Williams and Gerry Shury wonderful. Listening to Frightened Now for example you wonder how this was not a single?
Two people in the morning with its Beatles-esque horn is another gem, as is You’re Mine Tonight, with some lovely Billy Joel style piano accompaniment, and sweeping strings. It is a shame CBS didn’t give this fine collection a chance at the time.
By Joe Lepper
Related Posts
