Town And Country - CD Expanded Edition

’Town And Country’ – Humble Pie
CD Expanded Edition

4/5 review - Grahame Bent SHINDIG!
8/10 review - Kris Needs CLASSIC ROCK
Lead review - Matt Mead GIGSLUTZ

Front cover 7-page interview feature "Portrait Of A Pie As A Young Band” - Peter Gallagher SHINDIG! (Issue 170, December 2025)

"The resulting reissue of Town And Country helps to rectify previous reissues with substandard sound, bringing Marriott and co. firmly into your speakers with gusto.. This set is an unparalleled revised reissue of a much unheralded band.” Matt Mead GIGSLUTZ

"The CD adds six tracks.. including jams, alternate versions, two from March 1970’s last Olympic session and the stunningly powerful version of Ray Charles’ ‘Drown In My Own Tears’ recorded at their Essex bolthole, with Marriott’s tour de force vocal enhanced by reeds legend Lyn Dobson’s lustrous brass section. A welcome artefact.” Kris Needs CLASSIC ROCK

Humble Pie’s critically acclaimed second album was all set to launch the band into superstardom when their record label suddenly collapsed, taking the LP out of UK record shops just 4 MONTHS after going on sale, while in the USA, the LP was not released.

‘Town And Country’ appeared in the UK quicker than it disappeared, released in November 1969 barely three months after debut ‘As Safe As Yesterday Is’. Immediate Records announced it was bucking the trend by releasing early to capitalise on the debut LP’s Top 30 success, a No.4 hit single in ‘Natural Born Bugie’ and acres of press generated by music journalists fascinated by a new “supergroup” formed by one-time Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott, Peter Frampton from The Herd, powerhouse drummer Jerry Shirley and ex-Spooky Tooth bassist Greg Ridley. In reality and unknown to the band, Immediate Records were in trouble. Andrew Oldham’s innovative label was suffering financial problems due a dispute with their American distributor that had prevented Immediate from releasing in the USA since June 1969. Forced to take his label independent, Oldham used his own money so the first LP and retitled single ‘Natural Born Woman’ could be released while Humble Pie wowed crowds on a two-month US tour.

Releasing more product in the UK to bring in cash was vital. Luckily, Humble Pie had already recorded over two albums worth of material, enabling ‘Town And Country’ to be rush-released on 7 November 1969. An enthusiastic music press welcomed the LP as “an unqualified success!”. Featuring songs written by each member of the band on its first side, the LP revealed a more personal, striped-back sound than the debut. Lyrics are more poignant and reflective, while folk and country music elements are stronger, especially on live favourite, ‘The Sad Bag Of Shaky Jake’. Influences by The Band and Love are pleasingly present while gorgeous three-part harmonies soar throughout. Eardrums are battered on rockier tracks like ‘Down Home Again’ and ‘Silver Tongue’ while the glorious ‘Home and Away’ brings the original LP to a harmonious and triumphant close.

While success was cruelly halted (albeit temporally) in America and the UK as Immediate Records fell into liquidation, Humble Pie soon became one of the best-loved, best-selling and hardest-rocking bands of the 1970s with new label A&M.