Iain Matthews Appreciation Thread--solo, album by album + track by track (pg. 18)*

Review by Jim Worbois

Once you get past the fact that the Ian Matthews of Matthews' Southern Comfort and Fairport Convention is now into power-pop, this isn't a bad record. The style isn't far removed from what the Romantics or the Kinks (or Peter Noone, for that matter) were doing about the same time. With that in mind, the cover of Prince's "When You Were Mine" doesn't sound as odd as it might seem.

 

track 1) Walk Away
(Surkamp)

Stepping up with some nice new Wave right off...

 

track 2) Blue Shirt
(Shelton/Matthews)

Don't expect your country folk rocky Iain Matthews here...if you don't, some pretty good Wave and pretty cool.

 

track 3) Holding Out For Rain
(Surkamp/Matthews)

A nice slow burner. Yeah. Different. Patti Smith inspired? Maybe. Unexpected. Yes. Indeed.

 

track 4) Throw A Line
(Shelton/Matthews)

Don't expect to hear Iain of "Valley Hi"... Wavy beat, get used to it!

 

track 5) S.O.S.
(Matthews)

HiFi was an experiment in a new direction and adventure for Iain that actually works...thought provoking for sure.
Not that I complained when in the late 80's and from then on in the 90's Iain settled into a
comfortable "who cares about what's goin' on in the mainstream Iain" once again,
and made consistently stunning music right up to today.

 

track 6) Desire
(Shelton/Mattthews)

A nice New Wave vibe with an old timey rockin' beat that I love.

 

track 7) Time After Time
(Surkamp)




Hi-Fi was a short lived, early 80s band featuring former Pavlov's Dog vocalist David Surkamp and Fairport Convention/Matthew Southern Comfort and top 20 singles artist Ian Matthews. And as is often the case with a band featuring two apparent disparate talents, the project came about in a haze of mutual disillusionment. But with boundless energy, just enough material and 3 guitars in the ranks (Bruce Hazen is on third guitar), Hi-Fi had a musical statement to make.

The band originally cut a 5 track live EP under the title of 'Hi-Fi Demonstration Record', and later recorded an album 'Moods for Mallards' as well as a Christmas single, plus some belated Surkamp tracks added here as a bonus. The 20 tracks and DVD are a de facto summary of a band who had jettisoned their collective baggage to kick out the jams with a post punk/new wave energy that brought out the best of both Surkamp and Matthews

'The Complete Collection!' is a triumph of interesting up tempo arrangements, lashings of guitar riffs, Surkamp's uniquely imposing vibrato and Ian Matthews's prominent role in the band. This is especially evident on the accompanying 5 track DVD with telling interviews that humorously poke fun at the fact that both David and Ian had no interest in the other's music, but undoubtedly sparked when playing together.

There's an undoubted tension born of different personalities, but it fuels a rip roaring session that would have been lost to the world but for this excellent new release.

All in all, 'The Complete Collection!' is an excellent compilation, and although some of the music is very much of its time, there's plenty of sparkling band interplay. For every synth embedded moment and new wave nuance there is a strong song based band performance to compensate, as exemplified by a cover of Prince's 'When You Were Mine', which is predicated on a programmed synth line, chiming guitars and angst ridden vocals.

Curiously this track and the equally impressive 'Throw Me A Line' finds Surkamp's edgy vocals pre-dating Arcade Fire by a couple of decades.

Most of the material sounds fresh, exciting and just about on right side of the gritty power pop.

Opening with a bristling guitar instrumental 'Savage', the band head straight into the big hitting 'Heart Of Mine', which is arguably the best Surkamp/Matthews collaboration. David counts in a funky groove which makes great use of three part harmonies and a magnificent wall of guitar sound with spiky solos.

'I Can't Fade Away' also appears on the DVD and is a new wave piece with chopped chords and a Tyla Gang feel, and is very much of its time.

'9 O'clock' sounds a bit like Tom Petty as David fills the track with his effortless vibrato over the three guitars. Best of all is a cooking version of John Martyn's 'Man In The Station' with its big opening guitar riff and as the band jams out on a brilliant arrangement, Ian takes the lead and the guitars spar thrillingly.

David's 'Walk Away' is also a veritable lost nugget, and is superbly showcased on the DVD. There's also a change of mood and pace with the brooding feel of another DK/IM co-write 'Holding Out For Rain', the hi-energy 'Throw Me A Line', and Ian's minimalist 'SOS', which combines a news snippet, electronic handclaps, a processed voice and a constant synth pulse. It all works superbly well as a collage before Surkamp's vibrato rises again on the catchy hook of 'Knocking On Your Door'

There's a real energetic feel to the sessions that on occasions makes some songs special and at other times rescues a few lost causes with unquestioned commitment. This is especially so on the sleazy Ian Hunter style vocals of 'Desire'.

And buried in the middle of 5 bonus tracks is the quite magnificent 'She May Call You Up Tonight'. With its booming chorus and essential band interplay - all superbly captured on the DVD - it's hard to believe this was an outtake. The 20 track compilation finishes with a cover of 'Louie Louie', complete with a robotic rap by guest Curtis Grey and an unlikely but totally convincing big choral finish.

'The Complete Collection!' has an inherent irreverent feel and boundless energy that borders on optimism. And if the good times didn't last, then at least this compilation is the very best reminder of a great musical project.

*****

Review by Pete Feenstra
Get Ready to ROCK! Review of CD album by Hi-Fi called The Complete Collection featuring Ian Matthews and David Surkamp

 

track 9) When You Were Mine

Rock!

 

track 6) Knocking On Your Door

Yes, I missed one! So this is really #6, you do the math on the rest, but rockin' track.

 

track 10) Alcohol!
(Surkamp)

High octane rocker. Love it.

 

OK...it's late, don't shoot me. One more.

track 3) Holding Out For Rain
(Surkamp/Matthews)

A power pop New Wave.
Yes really track FIVE! A a good one.



A1 Walk AwayWritten-By – Surkamp*
A2 Blue ShirtWritten-By – Shelton*, Matthews*
A3 Holding Out For RainWritten-By – Surkamp*, Matthews*
A4 Throw A LineWritten-By – Shelton*, Matthews*
A5 S.O.S.Written-By – Matthews*
B1 Knocking On Your DoorWritten-By – Surkamp*, Rayburn*
B2 DesireWritten-By – Shelton*, Matthews*
B3 Time After TimeWritten-By – Surkamp*
B4 When You Were MineWritten-By – Prince
B5 AlcoholWritten-By – Surkamp*
Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – First American Records, Inc.
• Distributed By – First American Records, Inc.
• Phonographic Copyright (p) – First American Records, Inc.
• Copyright (c) – First American Records, Inc.

Credits

• Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals – Garey Shelton
• Design [Jacket] – Art Chantry
• Drums – Bob Briley
• Engineer – Joe Hadlock, Tim Killeen
• Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Synthesizer [Prophet V], Backing Vocals – Bruce Hazen
• Photography By – Jackie Renn
• Producer – Ian Matthews*
• Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – David Surkamp
• Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals – Ian Matthews*

 

How'd you like that little side road excursion. Nice.

There are more tracks in the complete compilation...if you can find it!

 

There are a number of rarities that i can't find plays for on youtube,
nor do I have them. Some rather intriguing....

Iain Matthews With Julian Dawson
Songs from the Red Couch – Live (1996)



With Nick Vernier Band
Woodstock (2009) Brinker Media

With Egbert Derix

Afterwords (2010) Matrix
In the Now (2012) Verve, Fledg’ling(UK),Omnivore(US)
That is to Say (2012) DVD
The Making of in the Now (2013) Documentary

With Nick Vernier Band and Emitt Rhodes
Time Will Show The Wiser (2010) Brinker Media

With Ad van der Veen
Ride the times (Turtle, 2010)

 

I believe I've hit the end of what I have...
well, I do have some pretty fine concert boots but those won't fly here.



This doesn't mean we have to stop here tho'...lease add more of what you have in
your treasured Iain Matthews collections, any memorabilia, any Iain Matthews concerts that you attended.

I know I am not finished by any means and will keep sharing here, as I listen to Iain,
often times once or twice a week.

 

Same Old Man (live, acoustic)...aren't we all!
Iain can play that guitar!






Share any live vids that you run across to share.

 

Alone Again Blues-at McCabe's
One of my favorite Iain tunes.

Pure...

 

Iain & Egbert...such a fine pairing

Man In A Station...classic John Martyn done to perfection.

 

Iain...and Andy

 

Albums I Wish Existed
Friday, 7 June 2019

Albums I Wish Existed: Iain Matthews - Later On (1973)




Track listing

01 Touch Her If You Can (Matthews Southern Comfort out-take 1969)
02 Yankee Lady (Matthews Southern Comfort out-take 1969)
03 Belle (Matthews Southern Comfort out-take 1969)
04 Later On (Matthews Southern Comfort out-take 1969)
05 I Believe In You (Matthews Southern Comfort out-take 1969)
06 Not Much At All (Matthews Southern Comfort radio session 1970)
07 Baby Ruth (Matthews Southern Comfort radio session 1970)
08 Hearts (Matthews Southern Comfort radio session 1970)
09 Christine's Tune (Iain Matthews demo 1972)
10 Seeds And Stems (Plainsong radio session 1973)
11 Spanish Guitar (Plainsong radio session 1973)
12 Tigers Will Survive (Plainsong radio session 1973)

 

Two of my all time favorite artists...Gene Clark & Iain.
The Gene Clark No Other Band

Iain does such a righteous version..

 

One of my favorite Plainsong tracks that never made it on Plainsongs LP.
From the demos for their second album that never was.

All Around My Grandmother's Floor...Andy is so great. What a fine trio--Iain, Andy & David.

 

Acoustic Sessions, with Iain Matthews:



Former Fairport Convention vocalist Iain Matthews talks about learning to play the guitar and plays a song,
"In Paradise," from his latest solo album, The Art of Obscurity.