Loving & Free / I've Got the Music in

Kiki never took off in the States like she did in Europe, but these are 2 pronominal albums! I would recommend this set to anyone who loves Singer Songwriters! Really good albums and packaged together, they are a real treat!

I was such a fan of Kiki Di when I was in high school (long ago now) that there is a large element of nostalgia at play here and replacing long gone vinyl (who knew vinyl would have a renaissance!). "I've Got the Music in Me" is certainly the stand out of these albums, but the others are among the best of her career and worth listening to as albums...especially if they bring back memories.

Back in June 2008 – EMI released six Kiki Dee albums (real name Pauline Matthews) onto Remastered Expanded CDs covering her catalogue between 1973 and 1987. Edsel have licensed four of those beautifully transferred titles (vinyl originally on Elton John’s Rocket Records) and doubled them up onto a series of two new 2014 releases - adding on a few more bonuses). The two missing titles are “Angel Eyes” from 1987 on Columbia and an unreleased album called “Cage The Songbird” (see 2008 CDs).With those six EMI CDs long-since deleted and acquiring nasty price tags in the meantime – and with this particular issue featuring a hefty amount of exclusive Elton John/Bernie Taupin involvement – this new 2CD reissue in its card-wrap is both timely and welcome (not to mention beautifully presented). Here are the Loving and Free details...UK released February 2015 (March 2015 in the USA) – “Loving & Free + I’ve Got The Music In Me” is a 2CD Reissue on Edsel/Rhino EDSK 7078 (Barcode 740155707835) and breaks down as follows:Disc 1 “Loving & Free” by KIKI DEE (55:12 minutes)1. Loving & Free2. If It Rains3. Lonnie & Joseph4. Travellin In Style5. You Put Something Better6. Supercool [Side 2]7. Rest My Head8. Amoureuse9. Song For Adam10. Sugar On The FloorTracks 1 to 10 are Kiki Dee’s debut album for Elton John's newly formed Rocket Records "Loving & Free” - originally issued on vinyl in November 1973 on Rocket PIGL 5 in the UK.BONUS TRACKS:11. The Last Good Man In My Life12. Hard Luck Story13. Everyone Should Have Their Way14. Six Days On The RoadTwo 45s came off the “Loving & Free” album at the time - with one other single issued 3 years later as a belated hit. First up was "Lonnie & Josie" b/w "Last Good Man In My Life" - with both tracks written by ELTON JOHN and BERNIE TAUPIN. Released in June 1973 on Rocket PIG 2 - it unfortunately went the same as her earlier singles and didn't chart. The B-side “Last Good Man In My Life” has long been sought after by collectors as a non-album JOHN/TAUPIN track unavailable anywhere else. Apparently it was an outtake from the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" sessions. “Hard Luck Story” b/w “Everyone Should Have Their Way” was a stand-alone UK 7” single released March 1974 on Rocket PIG 10 (it didn’t chart either). The last bonus track turned up on the 2008 EMI CD and was Previously Unreleased at the time – a raucous cover of Dave Dudley's 1963 hit "Six Days On The Road" (and very good it is too).The second 7" single finally hit pay dirt. "Amoureuse" b/w "Rest My Head" (both from the album) hit the UK shops in October 1973 on Rocket PIG 4 just before the album's release in late November. A beautiful song - it was an immediate hit with the public. Written by French singer VERONIQUE SANSON - its plaintive melody had lyrics added to it by the British composer GARY OSBOURNE. "Rest My Head" is a Kiki Dee original. "Amoureuse" peaked at Number 13 in the UK and introduced Kiki's great voice to the public. It really was a career-maker. Elton would put out his own version of his album contribution “Sugar On The Floor” as a B-side to “Island Girl” in September 1975 (DJM Records DJS 610).The title track "Loving and Free" was finally released as a 4-track EP in a Picture Sleeve in September 1976 on Rocket ROKN 515 (sometimes referred to as the "Kiki Dee" EP). It followed on the back of the huge number 1 success of the "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" duet with ELTON earlier in June and July of that year. Its 4 tracks are: "Loving And Free", "Amoureuse", "I've Got The Music In Me" and "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am". Why it wasn't released immediately after "Amoureuse" is anyone's guess?Disc 2 “I’ve Got The Music In Me” by THE KIKI DEE BAND (57:43 minutes):1. I’ve Got The Music In Me2. Someone To Me3. Step By Step4. Water5. Out Of My Head6. Do It Right7. Little Frozen One8. Heart And Soul9. You Need HelpTracks 1 to 9 are the album “I’ve Got The Music In Me” by The Kiki Dee Band – released October 1974 in the UK on Rocket Records PIGL 10BONUS TRACKS:10. Simple Melody11. How Glad I Am12. Peter13. Once A FoolTwo 45s were released around the “I’ve Got The Music In Me” album – August 1974 saw “I’ve Got The Music In Me” b/w “Simple Melody” put out in the UK on Rocket PIG 12. It was a big hit and rose to 19 in the charts in September of that year (broke her on American Radio too). The flipside was non-album (hence a Bonus Track here) while the second single (the stand alone) “How Glad I Am” b/w “Peter” fared less well and didn’t chart (released April 1975 in the UK on Rocket PIG 16).You have to say that the presentation here is top-class. There’s a card wrap for starters that gives the reissue a classy feel – but the 32-page colour booklet is gorgeous. It amalgamates the CHRIS WHITE liner notes that came with the 2008 EMI issues (he sadly passed away in 2014 and Kiki pays him personal tribute in her own notes on Page 3) – adds in a collage of rare 7” picture sleeves from around the world (Japan, Europe etc), produces track-by-track annotation for the first album and lyrics for the second record (only) and of course had credits for the reissue. Although it doesn’t say it in the booklet – these are the Geoff Pesche remasters of 2008 (done at Abbey Road) mastered in 2014 by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering. The Audio Quality is beautiful – so clear and warm. Tracks like “Amoureuse” and “Loving & Free” (with its beautiful guitar work by PAUL KEOGH) now sound astonishing - a treat to hear.“Loving & Free” had its 10 tracks famously produced by ELTON JOHN with his house band of DAVEY JOHNSTONE on Guitars, DEE MURRAY on Bass and NIGEL OLSSEN on Drums featuring on many of the songs. Elton himself provided Keyboards and Backing Vocals on seven out of the album's ten tunes and on the non-album B-side – Tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 on Disc 1). GERRY CONWAY and DAVE MATTACKS of FAIRPORT CONVENTION fame filled in the drums on other tracks with LESLIE DUNCAN of "Love Song" fame providing backing vocals on the superb Kiki original "If It Rains". "Travellin' In Style" is a FREE cover, "Song For Adam" is a JACKSON BROWNE cover introduced to Kiki by Elton, while she gives a very soulful rendition of "You Put Something Better Inside Me", a Gerry Rafferty/Joe Egan written STEALER'S WHEEL song. "Supercool" is the third exclusive JOHN/TAUPIN track - a rocker - though not as good as the better B-side "Last Good Man In My Life". B.J. COLE provides Pedal Steel Guitar on “Rest My Head”The Kiki Dee Band that played on “I’ve Got The Music In Me” consisted of JO PARTRIDGE (Guitar), BIAS BOSHELL (Keyboards), PHIL CURTIS (Bass) and ROGER POPE (Drums). Partridge provided the song “Out Of My Head” while Boshell stumped up a whopping five – “I’ve Got The Music In Me”, “Step By Step”, “Do It Right”, “Heart And Soul” and “You Need Help”. Kiki brought three originals to the table – “Someone To Me”, “Water” and “Little Frozen One”. Of the Non-LP stuff – Kiki also wrote “Simple Melody” and “Peter” while Larry Harrison and Jimmy Williams wrote “How Glad I Am” and “Once A Fool” is a Brian Potter/Dennis Lambert song.Boshell had worked with Folk-Rock cult group Trees on CBS Records, Guitarist Partridge had worked with Colin Scott, Philip Goodhand-Tate and Joan Armatrading while Bassist Curtis had played with Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come, Spirit Of John Morgan and The Steve Gibbon’s band. Roger Pope was with Hookfoot and a regular member of Elton John’s Band. “I’ve Got The Music In Me” features CISSY HOUSTON and MARETHA STEWART on Backing Vocals with MIKE DEACON on Organ and String Arrangements by RICHARD HEWSON. Elton’s long-time Producing associate GUS DUDGEON did the honours at the desk. Musically the album is as strong as “Loving & Free” and hugely polished – songs like the ballads “Little Frozen One”, “Heart And Soul” and of course the title track being stands-outs.A minor downside to this otherwise excellent reissue is that both "Lonnie & Josie" and "Amoureuse" were released in the States on MCA 40095 and 40157 respectively - and as advance radio promos, both singles sported a mono and stereo mix on either side. It's a damn shame that the exclusive "US Mono Mix" of each single wasn't included on here as bonuses when there was plenty of room. Niggles worth mentioning.Other than that this is yet another exemplary Edsel reissue of music that deserves your renewed interest. You could of course argue that you simply buy the 2015 “Original Album Series” 5CD Mini Box Set for KIKI DEE and get five albums for a roughly a ten-spot. But I’d argue in favour of the extras and that amazing presentation (the second title on Edsel EDSK 7079 couples “Kiki Dee” from 1977 and “Stay With me” from 1979 – also with bonuses).“...I will untangle myself...so I can be...loving and free...” Kiki Dee sang in 1973 in earnest. Way to go Pauline...

Back in the 70's, as a teen, singles were my bag, not albums. Thus, I missed these two gems. I remember Kiki Dee for her hit singles, the most famous of which is Amoureuse. Oh as a 14 year old I listened to that, and had dreams I best not tell you about here. The makes of this double CD set, Rhino Records, have done the right thing and kept the two albums, Loving And Free, and I've Got The Music In Me, on two separate discs, putting the bonus tracks at the end of each album. The title track of the first album was not released as a single until August 1976, when it reached number 13 in UK Top 40. Both albums, and the bonus tracks show the full impressive range of Kiki's fabulous voice. Both were enjoyable albums, It was good to listen to more than just her singles. A good buy this one.

This is how all re-issues should be- great remastering, interesting sleeve notes rounded off with a few worthwhile bonus tracks. This two album set sees Kiki at /near the height of her creative powers. She is such a versatile singer that the variety of tunes on show here present no problems for her voice or ability to put over convincingly the lyrical content. From rock to soul, folky pop and even hints of gospel, she can do it all. The musical support (on ‘Loving and Free’ is essentially Elton John and band, who manage provide suitably colourful and dynamic arrangements without overwhelming Ms Dee. With ‘I’ve Got the Music in Me’ is finds Ms Dee in rockier, funkier territory and this is really where we hear her really stamp her authority on the material.So, two very good albums at a bargain price. The bonus tracks in the form of ‘How Glad I am’, Peter’ and ‘Everyone Should Have Their Way’ should have made an album. Great version of Free’s ‘Travelling in Style’ by the way.Highly recommended.

I'll just make this short. To me, Loving and Free just sounds like a second-rate Elton John record, only proving that someone else can produce Elton better than Elton. I'm not sure what could have been done, because most of the songs sound like second-stringers left off of an Elton album. The hit "Amoureuse" sounds OK, but I like the Helen Reddy version with different lyrics and title ("Emotion") a bit better. On the other hand, I've Got the Music in Me is Kiki's commercial highwater mark, and song for song right up there with Great Expectations as a consistently listenable album.

Great to hear these albums again after moving on my entire vinyl collection back in the day. What was I thinking! Superb sound and great bonus tracks. Look for the other double album set. A great singer Kiki was underrated but you can catch up now so buy these.

good memories