The Small Faces, buoyed by the ‘ahead of their time’ manic genius of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Ian McLagan, formed in 1965. At that point, there was no slowing down. It would seem that everyone knew what this group of musicians had going for them. When they released their first album, Small Faces (1966), they solidified their place with several excellent singles.
After their initial release on Decca Records, Small Faces signed with a new label headed up by Stones’ manager, Andrew Loog Oldham. The label, called Immediate Records, concentrated on UK blues-based bands, easily a hallmark of Small Faces. The band’s first release with Immediate was a self-titled effort for The UK, while issued in the US as There Are But Four Small Faces. Interestingly, the track-list was vastly different in both releases. With re-recorded songs written but not released on the Decca label, the band’s first effort for Immediate would be set apart. The US issue of There Are But Four Small Faces would contain the UK hit single, “Itchycoo Park”, one of the band’s excellent psychedelic songs.
There Are But Four Small Faces is considered an influential album, and one of the great Small Faces offerings. While this album’s follow-up, Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake from 1968, enjoys greater accolades, there is much to be said about There Are But Four Small Faces.
On June 24, Charly Records will revisit There Are But Four Small Faces for their ongoing Small Faces restorations. The label will reissue the early Immediate classic with not only new remastering of the album, but also, an expansion of the set with radio promo Mono versions of the entire album, as well as fun bonus tracks.
For the 2CD set, the first CD will include the remastered full album in Stereo adding in four different mixes of songs that include the previously unreleased “Eddie’s Dreaming” (Take 4, Mix 1). “Get Yourself Together” (Early Mix), “Show Me the Way” (Take 5, Alternate Mix), and the previously released Alternate Stereo Take of “(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me”. The second CD will contain the complete album in Mono, adding in three Mono bonus inclusions of “Tin Soldier” (TV Backing Track), a previously unreleased on CD USA version of “Here Come The Nice”, and “Green Circles” (Take 1, Alternate Mix 2) (full track listings found below).
The 2CD will be issued in a book-styled case (digi book) with 24 jammed pages of photos, credits, notations, liner notes, and memorabilia. Each CD bookends the case.
Charly Records has released a Limited Record Store Day Edition 180g vinyl LP version of There Are But Four Small Faces, currently available. The remaster for the LP was supervised by Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones.
The Deluxe Edition break-out of There Are But Four Small Faces is well-timed given the resurgence of psychedelia in Rock and Roll, gaining new audiences, especially after the smashing success of the recent Austin PsychFest (May 2-4, 2014).
Track-list:
CD1:
STEREO – There Are But Four Small Faces
01) Itchycoo Park
02) Talk To You
03) Up the Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire
04) My Way Of Giving
05) I’m Only Dreaming
06) I Feel Much Better
07) Tin Soldier
08) Get Yourself Together
09) Show Me The Way
10) Here Come The nice
11) Green Circles
12) (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
Bonus Stereo Tracks:
13) Eddie’s Dreaming (Take 4, Mix 1, Previously Unreleased)
14) Get Yourself Together (Early Mix, Previously Unreleased)
15) Show Me The Way(Take 5, Alternate Mix, Previously Unreleased)
16) (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me (Alternate Take)
CD2:
MONO – Promtional DJ Version – USA AM Radio Versions
01) Itchycoo Park
02) Talk To You
03) Up the Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire
04) My Way Of Giving
05) I’m Only Dreaming
06) I Feel Much Better
07) Tin Soldier
08) Get Yourself Together
09) Show Me The Way
10) Here Come The nice
11) Green Circles
12) (Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me
Bonus Mono Tracks:
13) Tin Soldier (TV Backing Track)
14) Here Come The Nice (USA Version, Previously Unreleased on CD)
15) Green Circles (Take 1, Alternate Mix 2)