7/30/98 to 9/20/98

Title: Tokens - All Time Greatest Hits

Label: Taragon 1040

Comments:  Taragon has released some really nice cd's lately including this one from the Tokens. The Tokens had 11 top 100 chart hits on 5 different labels and this compilation features all 11 of those 11 chart hits.  Even some of the Tokens top 40 hits appear here for the first time like "I Hear Trumpets Blow" (S) and "Portrait Of My Love" (S).  Those two have been issued before but not in their original hit version.  Here is another example of an oldies release done right.   Highly recommended listening!

Posted by: Pat Downey  9/20/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Dean Martin - The Long Lost Reprise Hits

Label: Collectors' Choice Music 053

Comments:  Capitol tried and failed to do a decent job of issuing Dean Martin's Reprise label hits but Collectors' Choice has hit the nail on the head with this release.  Dean had 20 top 100 chart hits on the Reprise label and they are all here in stereo and sounding terrific!  This is the best new cd to come along in a long long time.  Buy it or die.

Posted by: Pat Downey 9/20/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title:  Neil Sedaka - Sedaka's Back / The Hungry Years / Steppin' Out

Label:  Varese Vintage VSD - 5902 / 5948 / 5952

Comments:  These three reissues represent the unexpected meteroic comeback
experienced by Sedaka in the '70s after his career was presumed dead -
murdered by the Beatles (17 charting singles pre-64, only three low placings
the rest of the '60s). With a number one right out of the box ("Laughter In
The Rain"), the Sedaka's Back LP benefits from two other strong charting
singles in "The Immigrant" and "That's When The Music Takes Me." Varese's
Best Of CD can give you those tracks, but there are other fine piano based pop
songs to recomment this 1974 release including "Little Brother" and "A Little
Lovin'." Of the three, this one is probably the strongest LP. Included are
four bonus tracks from the U.K. LPs that spawned this release and frankly they
all deserve to be released here.
1975's The Hungry Years has a nifty cover and perhaps the best song
Sedaka did during this period with another number one in "Bad Blood" (duet
with Elton John). The other top ten single here may be the worst of his
career, the dreaded l-o-u-n-g-e version of "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" (buy
the original RCA number one from 1962, not this one). There are some fine LP
tracks here including "Tit For Tat" and all four bonus tracks (especially the
U.K. single "The Queen Of 1964") are good.
While Steppin' Out is the lesser of these three LPs, the bonus tracks
make it perhaps the best from a collector's standpoint. Included are a single
B-side ("[Baby] Don't Let It Mess Your Mind"), a previously unreleased
version of Neil's 1970 song for the Friends Of Distinction ("Time Waits For No
One") and his two charters for Elektra ("Should've Never Let You Go" and
"Amarillo"). This last song has been a guitly pleasure of the rock and roll
Dentist and is FINALLY on CD!! (Tony Christie's 1972 version of this song is
on the great Varese CD Bubblegum Classics Vol. 3, by the way - hey Cary, how's
about more of those - I gotta gazillion great bubblegum 45's not on CD?)
The sound on all these reissues is great (at least compared to an import
compilation I have on Spectrum). Wonder whatever became of Sedaka? Does he
ever do concerts? Come back Neil!

Posted by:  George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist   9/03/98

Title: Music From The Miramax Motion Picture "54" Volume 2

Label: Tommy Boy 1294

Comments: This looked like a really good cd when I first saw it but after careful scrutiny it turns out to be a dog.  I thought we would finally get the top 40 hit "Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" by Gonzales which we do but it is neither the 45 , LP or 12" single version. Bonnie Pointer's "Heaven Must Have Sent You" is included but the version we get is a version that appeared only on the flip side of the dj single which was neither the 45 version or the LP version.  "Found A Cure" by Ashford & Simpson is neither the 45 or LP version.  "Take Your Time" by the S.O.S. Band is neither the 45, LP or 12" single version and "Fly Robin Fly" by the Silver Convention is the LP version faded :31 early.   On the positive side,  we finally get the single version of "Galaxy" by War.

Posted by: Pat Downey  8/30/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Very Best Of Edwin Starr

Label: Motown 314530940

Comments:  Another cd that is a good news/bad news situation.  The good news is that we finally get the top 40 hit "Stop The War Now" for the first time on cd.  The bad news is that most of this cd is mono.  Mono tracks include "25 Miles", "Stop Her On Sight", "Agent Double O Soul", "Back Street", "Headline News", "I'll Love You Forever", "I'm Still A Struggling Man", "If My Heart Could Tell The Story", "War", and "Stop The War Now". In stereo - "Time", "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", "There You Go" and "Easin' In".

Posted by: Pat Downey  8/30/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Very Best Of Gary U.S. Bonds

Label: Varese Vintage 5938

Comments:  There hasn't been a Gary U.S. Bonds hits package on the market for some time even though both Legrand and Rhino at one time had one that sounded like they were recorded in a shower stall.  So the question arises, was Varese able to come up with any better source tapes for this new release and the answer is no they weren't.  All tracks on this cd sound just like the Rhino package issued years ago.  Here is a rundown on the major hit content: New Orleans (M), Quarter To Three (M), School Is Out (S), School Is In (M), Dear Lady Twist (S), Twist, Twist Senora (M) and Seven Day Weekend (S).  I guess this is as good as we are ever going to get for Gary's Legrand recordings.

Posted by: Pat Downey  8/29/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Surf! Sand! Sun!

Label: Fuel 2000 1016

Comments:  As if we don't have enough packages of surf hits on the market already here is another one that you can definitely do without.  There are 16 tracks included with a total running time of 37:03 and here is a recap of the top 40 hits that are included: Surfaris "Wipeout" (M) and is the standard "extended" version that runs :20 longer than the 45 or LP (no cd yet has released the correct length of this song - why?), Frogmen "Underwater" (M), Marketts "Surfer's Stomp" (S) but is much much slower (:10 slower in just two minutes!) than the original vinyl, Routers "Let's Go" (S) but this is a rerecording, Trashmen "Surfin' Bird" (M), Pyramids "Penentration" (M) and Ventures "Hawaii Five-O" (S) but again this is also a rerecording.

Posted by: Pat Downey 8/29/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Status Quo - The Singles Collection 1966-73

Label: Castle Communications (UK import) CCS CD 821

Comments: This is a budget priced 49 track two CD set that collects all the
singles the Quo cut for the Pye record label plus a healthy brace of rarities.
In the U.S.the Status Quo managed to chart only two singles, both included
here ("Pictures Of Matchstick Men" and "Ice In The Sun"). These slabs of
psychedelic metal bely a band in transition from pop music (covers of the
BeeGees' "Spicks & Specks" and Blues Magoos' "[We Ain't Got] Nothing Yet) to
the boogie blasts of the '70s that earned them supergroup status in the U.K.
Indeed, they are considered to be the prototypes for the comic metal of Spinal
Tap. Whatever - you don't get that stuff here. Frankly, there may be more
Quo from this period than you really need, but what makes this set so nifty
and essential is the inclusion of stereo alternate versions including the
first time for "Pictures Of Matchstick Men." This version is only slightly
different from the single and sounds wonderful in stereo. Before they were
the Status Quo, they released records as the Spectres (check out a great
version of Ben E. King's "I [Who Have Nothing]") and as Traffic Jam. Eleven
of those rare tracks are here ("Hurdy Gurdy Man" is a nifty pop tune, but
isn't the Donovan song, by the way). The booklet tells a bit about the band
and about several of the tracks, but is a bit skimpy on details. Of all the
early Status Quo CDs, this is the one to own so far.

Posted by:  George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 8-24-98

Title: Marshall Crenshaw - The Nine Volt Years

Label: Razor & Tie 7930182838-2

Comments:  Marshall Crenshaw is still revered in power pop circles for his
creation of such masterpieces as "Whenever You're On My Mind," "Cynical Girl"
and "Someday Someway." While he has continued to record, the promise of the
early '80s has given way to lost opportunity (sorta like Dwight Twilley, they
both peaked with their first records). Perhaps realizing that his best work
was his early stuff, Crenshaw has assembled a 15 tune collection of demos to
some of his classic stuff (including the essential "You're My Favorite Waste
Of Time") and a few lost gems that should have been recorded for an LP ("She's
Not You"). The sound is pretty lo-fi, but it is highly listenable (maybe not
as brilliant as Pete Townshend's collection of demos - Scoop, but still a cut
above). A few of the tracks sort of feel like scraping the bottom of the
barrel ("Vague Memory" should have stayed just that), but there is enough
Crenshaw gold here worth a listen. In the absence of an all-inclusive best of
CD, a good place to start is with his self-titled Warner Brothers debut and
perhaps the second LP Field Day then dig into this CD for more.

Posted by: George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 8-24-98

Title:  Xanadu sountrack/The Clique/Boogaloo Down Broadway

Label:  MCA 11857/Varese Sarabande 5953/Jamie Guyden 4004

Comments:  Just wanted to report on some Top 40 hits that have just appeared on compact disc in the US for the first time.  From the soundtrack to Xanadu you will find the Electric Light Orchestra's hits "I'm Alive" and "All Over The World" in stereo.  The Clique cd contains "I'll Hold Out My Hand" in stereo which was a top 40 hit on the Cash Box charts but not the Billboard charts.   I didn't know if we would ever hear the Fantastic Johnny C's  "Hitch It To The Horse" but it is on the Boogaloo Down Broadway cd in mono.

Posted by: Pat Downey  8/22/98  e-mail: patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Sunshine Days: Pop Classics Of The 60's Volume 4 & 5

Label:  Varese Sarabande 5932 and 5933

Comments:  These two cd's have been reviewed by another reviwer below but I wanted to post this additional review anyway.  There are some pros and cons to these cd's that the collectors of the world need to know.  First there is a lot of mono on these two cd's and I addressed this issue with Cary Mansfield from Varese Sarabande.   He flat out stated that if there is mono on a Varese release, it is either because this would be a 45 version or because the mono mix is substantially better than the stereo mix.  Unfortunately the latter reason is very subjective and what may sound better to Cary's ears does not always translate into sounding better to my ears.  The really good news is that we get a first time appearance on compact disc of "I'll Hold Out My Hand" by the Clique in stereo (which appeared simultaneously on the Clique cd reviewed below) and the first time 45 version appearance of   "I Can Make It With You" by the Pozo Seco Singers in mono, both of which appear on Volume 4.  The Monkees "Pleasant Valley Sunday" is in mono on Volume 5 as is "Neon Rainbow" by the Box Tops both of which are 45 versions that have been released elsewhere on cd. Volume 5 includes the mono 45 version of "Elenore" by the Turtles which has also been released elsewhere.  Cary thought that "Windy" by the Association was a 45 version but there is no difference to my ears between the mono and stereo versions of this song except for a slightly stronger vocal mix on the mono version.  A real surprise was "Pretty Ballerina" by the Left Banke which I thought was previously released in stereo in its original form on the Left Banke cd "There's Gonna Be A Storm" but when I compared the mono version on Sunshine Days Volume 5 with the stereo version found on "There's Gonna Be A Storm", I discovered that the stereo version was remixed, not true to the original version and sounded quite "low fi" compared to the mono version on Sunshine Days Volume 5.  As to the other mono tracks on Sunshine Days, I cannot say that I notice any improvement in quality over the previously released stereo version of Windy (Association), Hey Baby (Buckinghams), Back On The Street Again (Sunshine Co.), the 59th Street Bridge Song (Harper's Bizarre) or Hello Hello (Sopwith Camel).

Posted by: Pat Downey  8/20/98  patdowney@uswest.net

Title:  The Clique

Label:  Varese Vintage VSD-5953

Comments:  Do you remember when you could feel comfortable buying a record if
it was on a certain label (A&M comes to mind when they had Spooky Tooth, Free,
Lee Michaels, on and on)? Today there are still a handful of independents
that care enough, about you the consumer, that you can be assured of a
standard of quality when buying a CD on that label. Rhino used to be that
way, Sundazed still is and so is Varese Sarabande. This reissue of the old
1968 LP on White Whale adds 6 bonus tracks from singles to the original 11 and
flat out sounds great. You remember the hit "Sugar On Sunday" which sounds
like pure Tommy James and the Shondells (maybe because it was lifted from a
James LP and given a hotter sound). You may also remember that in 1986 REM
scored with a cool cover of the B-side of that single "Superman" which should
have been a hit back when the Clique did it (one of the bonus tracks is the
mono single mix of that song). What you may not remember is that Gary Zekley
who crafted a mini masterpiece with the Yellow Balloon self-titled LP was
responsible for this LP's production and major songwriting. My main quibble
with the CD package is that the liner notes are confusing and make reference
to the Clique not playing on the actual LP without ever telling you who did
play on it and even the names of who was in the Clique (other than lead singer
Randy Shaw). I'm not sure if I can ever forgive them, also, for eliminating
the backcover pictures from the old LP when they redid the cover for the CD.
OK, I could care less about the pictures ofTommy, Oscar, Sid, Dave and Randy.
What I miss is the nude Groupie picture (though I always hoped it was Ronnie
Spector - look at your old LP and see if that's not who the face looks like).
Oh well, buy the CD if you like great pop with a hint of bubblegum ("Little
Miss Lucy"-which sounds for all the world like Dino Desi&Billy's "I'm A
Fool").

Posted by:  George W.Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist    8-13-98

Title:  The Free Design - Kites Are Fun

Label:  Varese Vintage VSD-5954

Comments:  OK, with a single with the title "Kites Are Fun" you gotta figure the
Free Design don't sound like Jimi Hendrix of Alice Cooper. So who the heck
are they? Two girls and two guys who looked very clean and freshly scrubbed.
Picture a late 60's early 70's Manhattan Transfer with some Carpenters and 5th
Dimension thrown in and you get close. At times they sound like the Swingle
Singers meet Ray Conniff even ("Howdjadoo [Fly Me Down]"). Light and airy pop
music produced by Enoch Light (so you know the original sound was phenomenal
on the tapes), this release draws from 6 LPs on the old Project 3 label and
even pictures the LP covers on the back (I wish all CDs would do that). There
are 16 tracks including the title track that managed a Billboard placement of
#114 in 1967 and a vocal version of the old MOR warhorse "A Man And A Woman"
which are the highlights. Sewing music? Picnic music? If you liked the
Carpenters chorus vocals (there is nobody here, however who could touch
Karen's solo vocals), this one's for you.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist 8-13-98

Title:  Sunshine Days Vol. 4 and Vol. 5 - Pop Classics Of The 60's

Label:  VareseSarabande VSD-5932 and VSD-5933

Comments:  I'm still a tiny bit confused about the concept behind these, but I
believe they are supposed to be light/frothy pop/rock from the 60's.
Certainly, the lead tracks on each CD are that in spades: Harper's
Bizarre-"The 59th St. Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" on Vol. 4 and
Association-"Windy" on Vol. 5. Sets like these sink or swin on the basis of
the songs selected. While I understand that it's the hits that drive Joe
Average to buy a CD, frankly it's the oddities that push wierdos like me. I
don't need the Turtles-"Elenore" (Vol. 5) on the gazillionth CD, I need stuff
like the Sidekicks-"Suspicions" (Vol. 5) or the Blades Of Grass-"Happy" (Vol.
4). While they are not new to CD, I have to respect the inclusion of tracks
like Cherry People's "And Suddenly" (Vol. 5) and the best Everly Brother's
single "Bowling Green" on Vol. 4. Other goodies are Pozo Seco Singers-"I Can
Make It With You" and Brian Hyland's Gary Lewis imitation "The Joker Went
Wild" from Vol.4 plus "Melody For You" by the Grass Roots and "Back On The
Street Again" by the Sunshine Company on Vol. 5. The biggest gripe I have had
with this series thus far is the maddening use of alot of mono - heck half the
tracks on Vol. 5 are mono yet can be found generally in stereo on most CDs
("Windy" in mono?). Perhaps there is a good reason (the mono mix might sound
better or have overdubs), but nowhere is that explained which leaves one to
feel cheated. Varese, explain the mono! I like these CDs and recommend them
for their sound quality, I just wish there was more use of arcane tracks and
less mono (how's about more Thomas&Richard Frost next time out?).

Posted by:  George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist    8-13-98

Title:  The Beach Boys - Endless Harmony

Label:  Capitol 72434-96391-2-6

Comments:  Ostensibly a Beach Boys version of the Beatles 6 CD Anthology mining
of the tape-vaults. This is a winner! 25 tracks ranging from short demos and
vintage radio ads to fully produced alternate versions ("Help Me Rhonda") and
newly finished gems ("Loop de Loop" -somebody tell Al Jardine to get off his
tail and put out a solo LP - he can still sing and he has a great rock and
roll feel). There are live versions of hits ("Good Vibrations") and misses
("Long Promised Road"). Really, my only gripe is that this is only a single
CD. Give us more!!

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist    8-13-98

Title: The Best Of Bruce & Terry

Label:  Sundazed SC 11052

Comments:  Bob Irwin shoots - he SCORES! Terry Melcher has to be one of the
most unsung geniuses of 60's rock and roll period. We all know that Bruce
Johnston replaced Brian in the Beach Boys 60's touring band and that Bruce and
Terry were the Rip Chords on their biggest hits
"Hey Little Cobra" and "Three Window Coupe". What you may not know is that
Terry Melcher was the force behind the early Paul Revere&the Raiders records
(listen to the harmonys on "Him Or Me-What's It Gonna Be" for proof). Several
years back, a pricey Japanese 34 track compilation by Bruce and Terry (on
Jasrac) found it's way into my collection (don't show the pricetag to my wife)
so I figured there was no need to buy this new US 20 track compilation. Boy
was I wrong. Irwin includes five previously unreleased titles including
versions of "Hawaii" "Help Me Rhonda" and "Here Comes Summer." The best
unreleased song is "Look Who's Laughing Now" which makes you wonder what they
were thinking when they neglected to release this Beach Boy-like gem the first
time around. The other great thing about this CD is that there is first time
stereo on the A-sides of the Rogues singles "Come On Let's Go" and "Everyday."
How does Irwin do it? He takes tracks that have never been in stereo and
makes them sound incredible 30 years after the fact. These are the kind of
rockers you wanna crank up to 11 on the stereo. One of the neat hidden bonus
tracks is the jingle Bruce & Terry did back in the 60's for the best Colorado
radio station of all time Denver's Tiger - Boss Radio KIMN (950 AM for you
neophytes) which was incorrectly labelled by Jay Mack as the Beach Boys during
a KIMN reunion in the 70's. If you love the Beach Boys, you'll love this.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist    8-13-98

Title:Kim Wilde - Collection

Label:EMI Australia 7243 8 21113 2 0

Comments:A 2 CD set with 32 tracks from her earliest records on EMI (for more
of a career retrospective check out her US release from 1993 on MCA The
Singles Collection 1981-1993).
The new wave pop of "Kids In America" is always the starting point for her
music and still sounds great (just try not to sing along with the chorus wo-
oh's). Lotsa burbling Casio synths dominate the proceedings (this was the
Human League/Heaven 17 era after all) and the pop rocks but generally politely
(in an ABBA-esque manner). Pre-Beatles Brit-teen idol Marti Wilde never made
it in the US (except as Shannon on "Abergavenny") and his daughter Kim only
had marginal success, but that shouldn't scare you off. Admittedly, this may
be more Wilde than a neophyte fan needs (you guys check out the MCA CD), but
for the believers out there you get alot of goodies including "Words Fell
Down" "Child Come Away" and "Can You Hear It" that can't be found elsewhere.
The cover photo says it all: all blonde and pouty in sheer blue.

Posted by:George W. Krieger DDS, the rock and roll Dentist   8/13/98

Title: Soundtrack "The Last Days Of Disco"

Label: Work/Sony Music 69102

Comments:  I normally wouldn't mention a routine compilation of old disco music but this one deserves to be mentioned because it contains for the first time in the U.S. the single version of Michael Zager's "Let's All Chant".  Why it takes so long to get all the various single versions of past top 40 hits has always been a puzzle to me but at least here is one more now available.  Other tracks are the usual 70's disco classics like Alicia Bridges "I Love The Nightlife", Diana Ross "I'm Coming Out", Cheryl Lynn "Got To Be Real", Chic "Good Times", Sister Sledge "He's The Greatest Dancer", Evelyn King "I Don't Know If It's Right" and "Shame", Andrea True Connection "More, More, More", Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes "The Love I Lost", Michael Zager "Let's All Chant", Amii Stewart "Knock On Wood", O'Jays "Love Train" and Brenton Wood "Oogum Boogum Song".  What's "Oogum Boogum Song" doing on this 70's disco compilation?

Posted by: Pat Downey 8/4/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

Title: Best Of Tom Jones

Label: Polygram TV 422844823

Comments:  Well if you are in to Tom Jones, here is the most complete anthology to date in the U.S.  Even better news is that on this compilation, you will find a first time in the U.S. release of the 45 version of Thunderball.  Here are some other key tracks included: It's Not Unusual (S), Green Green Grass Of Home (S), What's New Pussycat (S) (this is the "What's New Pussycat" LP version which is shorter than the soundtrack LP version), Thunderball (S) (45 version!), Detrroit City (S), I'll Never Fall In Love Again (S), Delilah (S), Love Me Tonight (S), Help Yourself (S), Without Love (S), Daughter Of Darkness (S), She's A Lady (S), I (Who Have Nothing) (S), Puppet Man (S) and Kiss (S).

Posted by: Pat Downey  7/30/98  e-mail patdowney@uswest.net

01/20/09