Four on the Floor – Queen, Cats in Space, Beth Hart, Amanda Marshall.

Queen – One.     9/10.

Why review an album that’s 50 years old, well simply as it has been picked apart and lovingly restored, the instruments are so subtly different the tones on the drums, guitars, vocals, just about everything is so improved, it’s part of a vast box set, and yes its expensive, in the old days I would have panicked as to how I was going to pay for it, now I have Apple music, I simply click the button and I have it.

So why not a perfect score simply as they have restored a track that was supposed to be on the album “Mad the Swine” it was released at the time of Innuendo as a b side and that’s what it feels like I’m afraid a little too similar to other songs on the album, is it any good, I like it but it does pop up unexpectedly in the running order. So, what do you get in this box set well its quite comprehensive.

Disc 1 – The album and extra track, its like a warm hug, I can’t wait until they do the second album, you can hear every little thing that was recorded.

Disc 2 - The De Lane Lea demo’s, the originals I’ve heard them before just not in this depth of clarity (dodgy tapes back in the day).

Disc 3 – Trident Backing tracks 13 tracks in various stages of construction and banter, if you are a fan, you will love this.

Disc 4 - Various backing tracks and instrumental versions, my least favourite disc, but still good from a historical point of view.

Disc 5 – Live at the BBC – this I have had for a number of years, as it was released in 1989 (I think) this has 11 tracks as opposed to the original 8.

Disc 6 – this where I thought there might be some rare stuff, sadly not, its mainly taken from live at the Rainbow video but the last 4 tracks haven’t been released before including Hangman one of the oldest Queen songs which I had on a few bootlegs usually of crap quality, it was nice to finally hear a good quality version of it, although its safe to see why it was never recorded for an album, then a couple of tracks from their first gig at Imperial College London.

Is it worth it, most definitely and if I had the disposable cash to hand, I would buy it in a heartbeat however because of the quality it is very expensive (but worth it).

Cats in Space – Time Machine.     7/10

This is a great album , to be honest I haven’t had it as long as the others and it’s a slightly complicated piece of work, its like City Boy (The Band)  mixed with Styx, it’s all  a bit too clever and sometimes it comes across as musical theatre, that’s not a bad thing its just hard to put your finger on it, the writing, singing and playing is all superb ( I would like to hear the guitars being a bit louder in the mix) the more I play it the more I like it, I have had it since since Monday (the 28^th) and I have played it 6 times, every time it’s played something else jumps out in the mix, they have played close to us twice recently, unfortunately life gets in the way, but they are top of the list to go and see, if you like classic well written well played and ultimately well sang songs this is the band for you, maybe start with a couple of the earlier albums that aren’t as dense (musically speaking) one of the best British bands out there at the moment.

Beth Hart – You still got me.     7/10.

This lady never does a bad album , however the first two tracks are the weakest of this bunch, both with special guests (Slash & Eric Gale) they both add nothing to the tracks in my humble opinion, its when she’s let off the leash by herself and her band that’s when it gets slinky, lots of different styles and just damn good music, I know her singing in vibrato puts some people off, but she uses her voice to devasting effect on this album, I avoided her last album as it was a tribute to Led Zeppelin, I’m simply not a fan of the band, I might go back and try it, is this her best album no, but its not a bad album, start with her “War in my Mind” album and work all the way through her back catalogue you won’t be disappointed.

Amanda Marshall – Heavy Lifting.     7/10.

Again a lady who should have been massive but a shit manager and record label and the lady wanting to do things her own way, well its taken a while for her to come back, 22 years after her last album she is finally back, I discovered this quite by accident and I was over the moon to discover it, the one issue I have with it is its obviously a break up album as the songs clearly indicate that, that doesn’t make it a bad album (because its not) it does come across as slightly bitter, I suppose she’s entitled to, it’s a great starting point and its closer to her debut album style wise (which is totally awesome) not her more polished “modern” albums, if you find them they are all worth it, and again the more I play this the more I get into the groove, and it is a great groove album, I would love to see her live one more time as a headline act not as a support.

So, that’s the albums on rotation this week, not a bad album among them, just maybe as good as some of their previous albums its all good, play and kick back and watch the world keep spinning, until the next time…………………………. Toodles!