By John Curley 

Last Wednesday, August 11th, one of the most heralded British rock bands of the 1970s returned to the concert stage at the British Music Experience at The O2 in North Greenwich, London. And from all reports, The Faces put on a great performance. 

The Faces these days consist of original members Kenney Jones on drums, Ian McLagan on keyboards, and Ron Wood on guitar along with new recruits Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols on bass (deputizing for the late Ronnie Lane) and Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall on lead vocals (pinch hitting for the absent Rod Stewart). Jones and McLagan both were in the band in the 1960s when they were called The Small Faces. (And Jones and McLagan also have links to The Who’s late drummer Keith Moon, as Jones replaced Moon as The Who’s drummer and McLagan married Moon’s ex-wife Kim after her divorce from Moon.)

There are rumors of a large-scale reunion tour by The Faces next year. I hope those rumors turn out to be true. I’d like to see them play live, as I’m sure would many other fans who were too young when the band was in its heyday. 

The Evening Standard newspaper of London ran a very positive review of the O2 show, which you can read here. 

The Evening Standard’s Web site features a photo gallery from the show, which you can view here. 

To watch an amateur video of The Faces’ performance of  the classic “Stay With Me” from the O2 show, click below:

Ron Wood (pictured above) along with fellow Faces Kenney Jones and Ian McLagan and new recruits Glen Matlock and Mick Hucknall performed a well-received show at the O2 in London last week.

Simply Red’s seven-album WMG catalog will be released in expanded editions from all online music retailers starting Nov. 4, 2008.

The titles, originally issued on the Elektra Records and East/West labels,
include Picture Book, Men And Women, A New Flame, Stars, Life, Blue and
Love And The Russian Winter. These albums will be available from all
digital outlets as expanded audio editions priced at $11.99 unless noted.

On the heels of these rereleases, Simply Red is preparing for its 25th
anniversary tour in 2009. Dates in the U.S. will include:

March 13, 2009 — Los Angeles, Club Nokia
March 15, 2009 —  New York, Radio City Music Hall

Simply Red scored an immediate success with the 1985 debut Picture Book,
which included the hit "Money’s Too Tight (To Mention)" and the
group’s signature smash (and first U.S. #1 single) "Holding Back The
Years." In addition to the original album’s 10 songs, the new digital
release features five bonus 12-inch mixes previously available only on vinyl.

Simply Red’s second album, Men And Women (1987), offered more of their
sparkling blue-eyed soul; Rhino’s new digital version features six bonus
tracks, including the original version of "Broken Man" (later rerecorded
for Blue). Simply Red closed the decade in style with 1989′s A New Flame,
which brought the band another U.S. #1 single with their cover of "If You
Don’t Know Me By Now." The digital reissue adds five instrumental B-sides
to the original album’s 10 tracks.

Stars was Simply Red’s fourth album and one of its most well-received. In
America, the 1991 release went gold — but it was even more successful
internationally, logging 19 weeks at the top of the U.K. charts and selling
more than 10 million copies worldwide. The expanded digital issue features
nine bonus recordings including a quartet of Robert Johnson covers released
as B-sides to Stars singles and live performances from 1992. In addition to
this version, the 10-song original album and a deluxe edition  with 11 bonus recordings, five videos and a digital booklet will be available exclusively from iTunes and
Wal-Mart.

The follow-up, 1995′s Life, featured 10 new songs penned by band leader
Mick Hucknall; the additional tracks on the album download include remixes
of five of these — one of which (the Howie B mix of "You Make Me Believe")
is previously unreleased. Blue (1998) boasted several intriguing covers (of
such artists as Neil Young, Gregory Issacs and The Hollies); the 18-track
digital version includes rare remixes and an Italian rendition of Blue
songs, plus a jungle version of "So Beautiful" from their previous album.

Simply Red’s final album for East/West, 1999′s Love And The Russian Winter
added some fresh dance moves to their trademark blend of R&B and pop; the
digital reissue supplements the original 11 selections with five bonus
tracks: two club versions of "Ain’t That A Lot Of Love" and a trio of mixes
of "Your Eyes."

Led by the distinctive voice (and namesake red hair) of Mick Hucknall,
Simply Red remains one of England’s most successful groups more than two
decades after its debut. Simply Red wins fans with an inviting mix of
contemporary pop and — as Hucknall’s recent Tribute To Bobby album attests —
classic R&B.

For the real McCoy, check out 18 Classic Blues Songs From the 1920’s, Vol. 6 (Blues Images) — a CD with accompanying 12 x 24-inch 2009 wall calendar.
Each month’s illustration reproduces the art for an original ad for a song on the CD. Performers include Charlie Patton, Blind Blake, Skip James and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Here’s R. Crumb’s artistic and musical inspiration. (www.bluesimages.com)

Kickin’ Hitler’s Butt: Vintage Anti-Fascist Songs 1940-1944 (Buzzola/Koch) includes Leadbelly, Josh White and Son House tracks alongside Spike Jones’ madcap “Der Fuhrer’s Face” and the a cappella Golden Gate Quartet’s sublime “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’.”

Like Blues Images’ set, it was lovingly compiled from collectors’ 78s. Just forgive the occasional surface noise.

Piedmont blues from the Virginia-to-Georgia Appalachian foothills is more relaxed and low-key than other regional styles. Cephas & Wiggins’ Richmond Blues (Smithsonian Folkways) recalls Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee’s duets. 

Guitarist John Cephas uses an alternating thumb-bass technique beside Phil Wiggins’ harp.

Clear, close-up camera work makes sweating Byther Smith’s Blues On The Moon (Delmark) far stronger on DVD than on CD. 

Here’s a 12-bar, post-war Chicago blues quintet taped in a South Side social club.  Now, that’s authenticity.

Also from Chicago, Lil’ Ed And The Blues Imperials’ high-speed Full Tilt (Alligator) offers discreetly screaming guitars, blustery vocals and droll lyrics.

Katrina and its aftermath fuel the justifiable anger of Dr. John And The Lower 911’s City That Care Forgot (429 Records). He’s never been so political. 

Of course, being New Orleans music, its message is delivered with a strut.

Irma Thomas, another Crescent City act, creates a sophisticated supper-club mood on Simply Grand (Rounder). 

Covers of Dinah Washington’s “This Bitter Earth” and Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” enjoy fresh timeliness.

For roadhouse Texas music, there’s an expanded 213-minute DVD Rocking The Boat: A Musical Conversation And Journey Starring Delbert McClinton (Burnside). The musical cruise concert footage includes Marcia Ball, Al Anderson and Wayne Toups. The substantive talk generally avoids rockumentary clichés.

Los Fabulocos’ Cali-Mex sound blends accordion-driven Mexican Norteno with California ro