The Bell Years 1972-1974 Clamshell

This release is 100% as the Title says: THE BELL YEARS. Every solo recording ever release through Bell Records is here, all neatly package in a small stylish clam box.Since David Cassidy's sad departure from this World nearly two years ago, this is the first official release licence from Sony Music to Cherry Red Records (UK). The CD sound quality is the same as the two albums per CD released some years ago by Cherry Red with the new addition CD 'Cassidy Live'. There has never been a 'Solo' compilation before apart from mix with 'Partridge Family' songs.Disc 1: Cherish Album with Bonus Track 'All I Wanna Do Is Touch You'. A nice song from the 'Cherish' B' Side from the US Single and subsequent European Single release. The sound quality is good, though in 'Mono' sound; since it has never been released in US/UK until now it is unclear whether a 'Stereo Mix' master exist, lost or damaged. All the songs are brilliant! 'Could I Be Forever' is my ALL TIME favourite David Cassidy. The Cherish LP was the first David Cassidy music I owned decades ago and is my ALL TIME David Cassidy Album. No surprise I rate this 10/10.Disc 2: Rock Me Baby Album is yet another terrific array of song, though a bit more edgy than 'Cherish', what with it's title song 'Rock Me Baby' and 'Warm My Soul'. The others are real standouts with the UK number one smash hit song 'How Can I Be Sure' and the brilliant 'Two Time Loser'. Another 10/10Disc 3: Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes Album is a step up from the previous two album to a more 'Concept' feel to it. There's some cover version reworkings of songs like 'Bali Ha'i' 'Fever' and 'Daydream' which sound great, but the real standouts 'Daydreamer' 'Sing Me' 'Can't Go Home Again' are just simply brilliant! A Number 1 in the UK Album Charts in 1973. This contains two BONUS Tracks: The 'Stereo' Version of the 1974 UK Single 'If I Didn't Care' and a nice sound quality, though in Mono 'Frozen Noses'. 'If I Didn't Care', though in 'Stereo' has around 10 seconds edited out with the harmonica sound which may have been damaged on the 'Stereo Master', even when first release back in 2000 on the US 'David Cassidy and The Partridge Family Definitive Collection'. When 'If I Didn't Care' was originally release as a Single back in 1974, for which I have, this was issued in Mono and towards the end of a word David sings, there's a slight damage that can only be describe as a slight 'hip cup' in the recording which is apparent on this CD Stereo issue as well. And decades later to the first 'Stereo issue' of the song on the "2000' release and this 2019 CD, the master tape could be damaged as to why this Song is slightly edited from 3.16mins to 3.05mins. Nether the less, The Stereo version of 'If I Didn't Care' is THE original Hit Single Song and not another take!! Interesting stuff.Disc 4: Cassidy Live! is just simply breath taking! The Sound quality is excellent. David's vocals are clear and balanced with the audience screams and applaud not overwhelming. This album show cases David's vocals particularly on the songs 'CC Rider/Jenny Jenny' 'Please Please Me' and 'Rock Medley'. David's live songs sound really great!To compliment this box set is a 20 page full colour booklet which crams many 'Singles' covers related to the Albums and an array of photos from media from 1972-74 period. The liner notes are very informative to all the Bell Singles ever release including 'The Partridge Family' and Chart positions.This is the first time all of David Cassidy's solo work for Bell ever released has been put together. David has no unreleased solo songs to be heard from this period unlike 'The Partridge Family'. The unreleased 'Partridge Family' songs have officially been released or heard on the DVD seasons, though not the 'Stereo' studio full length versions on CD like a small handful including 'Together' 'Let The Good Time In' 'Baby I love, love, love, I love you'. I don't know the situation with Sony Music status on the release of unreleased 'Partridge Family' songs, but wouldn't it be nice to release a CD of these songs, I mean c'mon I would love to hear a 'true stereo' issue of 'LISTEN TO THE SOUND' and the handful of others. Maybe Someday!Packaging: The box is nice and sturdy with a glossy/laminated feel to it. Easy to open. The Card board picture sleeves are well reproduced and the CDs slot in and out with ease.This is a nice budget price set especially unique, as it contains 'Cassidy Live! CD as well as the Bonus Tracks neatly compiled together.

First of all I have a confession as a teenager in the 70's I was a fan of David Bowie, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Roxy Music and Motown, I will be the first to admit I ridiculed David Cassidy thinking he was a pop star for screaming girls that was until this year when I stayed with my cousin and she played this 4 set cd and I after admit it was amazing I loved the songs and David was a brilliant singer. RIP David you was the ultimate singer.

David Cassidy at his best both live and in the studio , Cassidy Live captures Cassidy Mania in full flow , memories of crazy days ,

Brings back so many memories of the early 1970s. A great addition to any fans collection. And for those who aren't familiar with David Cassidys beautiful voice these are worth listening to.

Although arrived a few days late due to the delay in the postal service well worth the money well packaged and excellent sound quality would highly recommend especially the book that comes with it an extra bonus and some really good pictures of David thank you

This is a nice little budget set of David Cassidy's albums from his glory years as a world-beating teen idol. The set contains (as the title says) his releases on Bell up to and including his live album from '74. The 4 albums are in card slipcases with no inserts ('Cassidy Live' originally came with a booklet and 'Dreams are Nuthin' More than Wishes' had a die-cut cover with reversible image). They come in a nice quality hinged box, and there is a also a booklet with a career overview and lots of images from singles covers, magazines, etc.I have only two minor complaints with this set, the first is the aforementioned quibbles with the sleeves / packaging only being slipcases and not replicating the originals (which is a cost issue - so I get it). The other is that although this covers David's glory years with Bell, his last album as a teen idol was 'The Higher They Climb' which also contained his last two big hits 'Darlin'' and 'I Write the Songs'. So although the set does contain his peak years, it just feels - at least to me - that something is missing not having that last teen idol album (which is understandable, as it was his first on RCA).Anyway, those little quibbles aside, for both the established or casual fan, this is a good set, containing the biggest of David's albums in a neat little box for a bargain price.

bought a s a birthday present.great memories of good music days. item as expected and very prompt delivery

David cassidy, fantastic singer, pity everything has been released before.Need the unreleasedPartridge Family songs released

Just makes you happy n wanna sing!

While I had some of these as albums 50 years ago. Nice to get the entire set on CD for many more years of listening pleasure. Highly recommend. And love the CD's, each one comes in the package like a mini - albums showing both front and back of the album covers. Too cool! Many great songs! Many wonderful memories.

Descubres la gran calidad de cantante de David

Wunderbare CDs, tolle Lieder mit viel Erinnerungen verbunden. David Cassidy kann man immer hören

Thank you Cherry Red for releasing David Cassidy's Greatest Albums from his Bell era. Absolutely outstanding and a lovely box set with a wonderful booklet which was more geared for the UK market than the world. David's vocals on all these recordings are lush and his breathy vocals like velvet. Could Cherry Red have done more with this box set? Absolutely! A bigger box set and more un-released tracks. So many tracks from each of these albums do exist....and that doesn't even include the alternate versions of each song. David recorded over 50 tracks alone from his Dreams LP and Cassidy Live was supposed to be a double LP back then. Where are all those tracks? Grateful though for the two B sides from Frozen Noses and All I Wanna Do Is Touch you was a bonus. His Bell years were his most important and made him the biggest superstar that he was of that era. Cherry Red could also have given us a Vintage concert with the box set. We all know all his shows at Wembley and Europe were all filmed. How about these wonderful recordings out on Vinyl again on 180 GRAMS. There's definitely an untapped market for David Cassidy and the Partridge Family music today and it's what fans have wanted years on end. There's still thousands of us fans all over the world. As David once said there's over 200 songs in the Vaults. They all need to come out. It's a shame he died two years ago and the only thing that has come out is what Cherry Red have given us. I bow down to you! It's time for Sony in the States to open up their vaults and let all the un-released Partridge Family recordings come out as well as the alternate versions of each and every song. We all know they exist. The 50th Anniversary is coming up for the PF this year. Sony/Legacy please jump on the bus and make us all happy. The rights could also be leased out if you're not interested in releasing this music. Please don't let this music die in the vaults. Many of the PF CD's are already deleted and worth a fortune today. So C'mon let's all get Happy! Jim Salamanis (Melbourne Australia)