Classic Compilation
Classic Compilation: The Wonder Stuff – If the Beatles Had Read Hunter… The Singles
It can’t have been easy to have been a former member of The Wonder Stuff in the mid to late 90s, witnessing much watered down variations of their patented guitar-pop sound take an iron-grip on the album and singles charts. If only they could have hung for twelve more months, one more album, one interview …
Classic Compilation: Violent Femmes – Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes, for all their lengthy career, are primarily known for their self titled debut, a consistently selling, yet never charting, collection of hymns to teenage male angst. With its unique sonic landscape, universal themes for awkward teenage boys the world over, and high tune count, it is a hell of an album, and continues …
Classic Compilation: Uncle Tupelo – 89/93: An Anthology
Not being a huge fan of country music, or even the more recent alt-country movement, I originally approached 89/93: An Anthology with a little trepidation. I didn’t actually know much about Uncle Tupelo previous to purchasing this compilation, other than the two main players would later go their separate ways and go on to form …
Classic Compilation: They Might Be Giants – A Users Guide to They Might Be Giants
One of the beauties of a compilation, is that if it is your first foray into that particular act’s work, you can leave it at that if you find that you don’t connect with their music in the way that you had hoped to. They can be the perfect ‘one and done’ solution for those …
Classic Compilation: Slade – Wall of Hits
The early 70s were a grim time here in the UK. Vast unemployment, the three day week, civil unrest, four day guitar solos. The much needed antidote to this misery was the playful escapism that was glam rock, which consisted of largely simple rock and roll tunes with a defined commercial edge, ridiculous stage costumes …
Classic Compilation: The Ramones – Greatest Hits
The Ramones are one of those bands it should be impossible to compile, because listening to them for anything more than half an hour outside of a live environment is frankly absurd. The key to the band’s greatness was how direct and concise their songs were, so to string dozens of them end to end …
Classic Compilation: Queen – Greatest Hits I & II
When it comes to compilations, there is one mega-selling release that overshadows even ABBA Gold and The Beatles Red and Blue Albums for the sheer amount of units shifted. Queen’s Greatest Hits is as much a definitive statement as any of their studio albums, and is the single biggest selling album of all time here …
Classic Compilation: Randy Newman – Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman
I hate Randy Newman. Previous to me discovering his work via Lonely at the Top, I was living in blissful ignorance, occasionally putting pen to paper to scribble down a few lines of poetry or would-be lyrics for a band in need of a non musical wordsmith. I thought I was pretty damn good too. …
Classic Compilation: Kirsty MacColl – Galore: The Best of Kirsty MacColl
There’s a parallel universe somewhere where Kirsty MacColl receives all the respect she deserves. A universe where the wider public knows her for more than a decent, but overplayed, festive tune, or the wonderful, but ultimately kitsch “There’s a Guy Works Down the Chipshop Swears He’s Elvis”. A universe where her late career highlight “In …
Classic Compilation: The Lightning Seeds – Like You Do… The Best of The Lightning Seeds
For some the phrase pop-music is an instant turn off, but in truth they are missing the point a little. The whole point of music is for an audience to be entertained, be it the moody teen listening to their favourite epic maths-rock opus, my jazz playing friend getting into the swing with his Count …