REFUGEES: A CHARISMA RECORDS ANTHOLOGY 1969-1978

It is now the turn of the Famous Charisma label to benefit of its own 3-disc anthology, but unfortunately just EMI had decided for the Harvest boxset A Breath Of Fresh air, they decided to do it themselves rather than through Universal with Island, Vertigo and Decca . This means that the lovely cardboard clamshell mini-Lp formula or the latter three labels has now transformed into an ugly fatboy double jewel case of the former Harvest, thus rendering immediately less attractive the present boxset. Although coming with the lovely Mad Hatter centre label artwork on the top, the package is much less cute than a clamshell, and it is not a stoned and drunk label-founder Tony Stratton-Smith picture on the reverse that will change much. The booklet in itself is generally done with the usual great care, presenting all artist featured here, beit once or four times.

Musically speaking, this boxset is no less excellent because of the artistes signed to the label were just as interesting as for the other labels that have been "anthologized" so far, but here, the period featured is much longer, stretching until 78 (as opposed to 72 or 73 for others), and for some strange reasons some artistes have been shunned as well? I'm thinking of Atacama, a Chilean group having recorded two albums in the label's glory years, or Doggerel Bank but most likely these are not the only case of voluntary omissions, since they could've easily shortened the life spectrum and take the third disc into these oft- forgotten releases. So that's a sad occasion lost to remind us of forgotten and obscure stuff in favour of better-known artistes ? thinking of VdGG and Hamill present here three or four times each. Most (over half, anyway) of the tracks chosen are coming from then- released samplers or single version of songs instead of the album versions. One of the reasons why I buy these boxsets is that it allows for variety when I have friends over, I don't have to worry about having to change discs every two or three tunes?.. however here again, this is relatively shot, because they felt obliged to include, not one but two Monthy Python sketches, which seems a real bad "faute de gout"?. Nevermind whether you enjoy Python's humour (I don't particularly, but that's only me), but placing the dumb and repetitive Spam Song is a compilationer's beginner mistake. If you really must include such a stinker, place it in last position so you can pop the disc out.

As for the rest of the tracks, there are some small surprises: the Lindisfarne tracks chosen are much proggier than the usual roll-out-the-barrel pub folk songs, or total unknown to progheads Topo Bill, Cliff T Ward or Hot Thumb O'Riley. This is why the above-mentioned Atacama and Doggerel Bank would've fitted fine in this fairly folky ensemble. Some more surprises on the first two discs: the excellent choice of Davison's Every Which Way or Capability Brown. However the third disc stretches beyond 74 including Solsburry Hill and even including some (great) Brand X tracks and diverse Hawkwind offshoots? I dare say this difference changes from comparable boxsets time span?

This now the sixth or seventh label (depending whether Philips/Polygram is out or not and) being anthologized with probably Virgin, Neon and Dawn still to come, but I'd say that this is probably the weaker boxset so far for the all the reasons I evoked above (not just the aesthetics). So it is the first of these boxset that will not get the usual four-star rating.

Much of the music contained on this 3 disc set would surely earn 4-5 stars from yours truly. However, given that this release is a set of its own, I feel obliged to review it on its own merits.

What we have here is some of the worst digital mastering one is likely to encounter. While the credits state that fresh transfers were done, some of the tracks on Disc 1 clearly seem to originate from previous digital sources. For example, when Genesis hit their turn with "Looking For Someone," it appears to be butchered with the same no-noising problem for which the Trespass "Definitive Edition Remaster" is now fairly legendary. I do suspect most tracks here were from fresh transfers where necessary, possible or desired, but regardless ... everything is mastered in a manner where you'd never know how good some of these albums sounded. Tinny, shrill frequencies abound, and some tracks sound excessively dehissed to the point of rendering things downright lifeless. Dynamically it's fine, but the EQ moves and no-noising just ruin the party. Listening on headphones I almost thought somebody had to be kidding.

The extensive book is wonderfully detailed. Probably worth it for the Charisma completist. Just don't think for a second that this kind of modern digital butchery will give you any indication of what great music was brought to the world by Charisma.