With the holidays rolling around, compilations - both greatest hits and albums built on a single concept - can often be great gifts. Here's a look at a few of some which might be of interest to Consumable readers:
REVIEW: Various Artists, Help! (Go! Discs / London)
In the spirit of charity releases such as U.S.A. for Africa and Band-Aid comes the latest effort. This one, which features the latest and greatest of today's top British artists, is titled Help! and targets the relief fund for Bosnian children.
Recorded within a 24 hour period (and in-stores five days later) in the United Kingdom, this twenty track compilation includes seven cover songs. But on such a tight schedule, what else can be expected?
Oasis re-records "Fade Away" and puts a distinctive spin on this track which originally appeared as a B-side on their "Cigarettes and Alcohol" single. The Manic Street Preachers (without Richey) have continued on as a trio, and contribute this cover of the Burt Bacharach/Hal Davies hit, "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" - which comes as much of a surprise as their former UK #1 cover, the theme from M.A.S.H., "Suicide Is Painless".
These two acts are just a sampling - Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, now known as The One World Orchestra (and formerly KLF, the Jams, Disco 2000, Timelords, etc.) contribute an irreverent and, in their unique style, warped "The Magnificent" - I won't reveal too much, but shocking is probably an apropos word. Paul McCartney returns to help out with Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller to cover his Beatles' "Come Together". And so it goes.
Despite being recorded in one day, Help! manages to encompass everything that is happening with the current British pop scene while simultaneously tipping the hat to some pop songs of days gone by. It won't make a significant dent on the charts here in the states, but any alternative fan should love this album. TRACK LISTING: Oasis & Friends (Incl. Johnny Depp) - Fade Away; Boo Radleys - Oh Brother; Stone Roses - Love Spreads; Radiohead - Lucky; Orbital - Andan; Portishead - Mourning Air; Massive Attack - Fake The Aroma; Suede - Shipbuilding; Charlatans + Chemical Brothers - Time For Living; Stereo MC's - Sweetest Truth; Sinead O'Connor - Ode To Billy Joe; Levellers - Search Lights; Manic Street Preachers - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head; Terrorvision - Tom Petty Loves Veruca Salt; The One World Orchestra - The Magnificent; Planet 4 Folk Quartet - Message to Crommie; Terry Hall & Salad - Dream A Little Dream; Neneh Cherry & Trout - 1,2,3,4,5; Seymour AKA Blur - Eine Kleine Lift Musik; Paul Weller+Noel Gallagher+Paul McCartney - Come Together
REVIEW: Toad the Wet Sprocket, In Light Syrup (Columbia)
Toad the Wet Sprocket has built its audience by faithfully touring over the years and giving their fans a sense of intimate appreciation. Some felt the bands had strayed too far from their roots on the recent tour, by omitting nearly all songs (save 1 or 2) before their breakthrough album Fear. It's payback for those fans now in the form of In Light Syrup.
This album, which consists of B-sides, soundtrack extras, mailing list singles and previously unreleased tracks, represents a cleaning out of the closet for Toad. However, despite these originally being throwaway tracks, they sound stronger than other bands completed works.
The first single (!), "Good Intentions", was originally an outtake from the Fear sessions. Some may have heard it from the Friends soundtrack, and it may garner airplay today, but it isn't the kind of track likely to generate new interest in Toad. A big Toad fan (like myself) will wind up playing it again...and again...and again. As some of Toad's most recent work ("Fly From Heaven", "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted"), its lilting sound and pleasant vocals are much in the genre of what Toad fans expect. And, the lyrics aren't as dark as those which appeared on Bread and Circus.
There's a real easy test to see if you should purchase this album: do you own any other Toad discs, and listen to them? If the answer is "Yes", then In Light Syrup will be a welcome way to close the door on Toad's past, until they come out with their next album. TRACK LISTING: Brother, Little Heaven, Good Intentions, Hobbit on the Rocks, Are We Afraid, So Alive, All In All, All Right, Janitor, Chicken, Hope, All She Said
REVIEW: Various Artists, Hit That Perfect Beat Vol. 2 (Oglio)
Oglio Records, whose stated goal is to "provide New Wave fans with quality compact disc recordings of our favorite music", has scored another hit with their most recent compilation, Hit That Perfect Beat Vol. 2.
By far the highlight of this 9 song collection is the Pet Shop Boys "West End Girls", in its original Bobcat version. Before the Boys ever signed to EMI, they had a brief run on Bobcat Records - a CBS affiliate - where "West End Girls" and "One More Chance" were issued and subsequently flopped when the dance floors weren't ready for them. This original version is highly desirable today and is worth the cost of the disc for this one track alone.
Men Without Hats' "Safety Dance" is a perfect example of "How not to remix a single, 1980's style". With many pop singles that were reissued for 12" mixes, the song was simply extended - with no true remix being involved, but an elongation of the original track. Its inclusion here could very well have been in the "single" version, but it would have been out of whack with the concept behind this extended album.
Most of the remixes - the two Oingo Boingo related releases ("Gratitude", "Weird Science") and others - come in the standard form as in their original appearance on DJ's vinyl. However, the 7 minute Performance Mix of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me 'Round" is a bit different from the original 10 minute remix - check it out! And, Bronski Beat has never received the proper credit in this country, outside of majorettes and color guard performers in high schools. Maybe the title song of this compilation - "Hit That Perfect Beat" - will get revitalized interest in the clubs this time around. After all, it happened with "Smalltown Boy" in the past year...
If not available at your local record shop, this CD can be purchased direct from Oglio at 1-800-COOL-CDS. TRACK LISTING: Men Without Hats - Safety Dance (Extended Club Mix); Danny Elfman - Gratitude (Extended Dance Version); Adam Ant - Room At The Top (Extended Mix); Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls (Original Bobcat Version); Belle Stars - World Domination (Extended Version); Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (Performance Mix); Oingo Boingo - Weird Science (Extended Dance Version); The Fixx - One Thing Leads To Another (Special Remix Version); Bronski Beat - Hit That Perfect Beat (12" Remix)
REVIEW: Def Leppard, Vault (Mercury)
Back in 1983, Def Leppard was contending with Michael Jackson's Thriller and Men At Work for the top of the pop charts. While Colin Hay's band from Down Under crashed and burned, and Michael Jackson's hair did the same, the boys from Sheffield, England have managed to stay successful without any face lifts. Vault is the conclusion of the band's first stage.
Although listed as "1980-1995", this is a misnomer; the band's output is only listed from 1983, as earlier works are excluded here. Even the version of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" was a remix (coupled with "Me and My Wine", not included on Vault) done to capitalize on the mass success of Pyromania, in 1984.
No unreleased tracks (or B-sides which didn't appear on 1993's Retroactive) are included here, which is a shame - the group has plenty to choose from. Rather, 14 of their 18 American hits - plus the new "When Love & Hate Collide" - highlight the most successful British hard rock band of the last 15 years.
Even today, tracks like "Foolin'" and "Photograph" retain their power and pizazz; it's hard to overestimate how different they were from the synth-pop of the second British invasion of the early 80's. The band served as the impetus for radio to play the round of posers long-since departed (such as Poison) - and yet Def Leppard wouldn't succumb to the glam look. Later upbeat songs, such as "Let's Get Rocked", could have been performed by anyone - but just when you'd think that there's a pop sellout involved comes the tough "Rock of Ages", the absolutely beautiful acoustic "Miss You In A Heartbeat" and their first song which generated any airplay here in the States, "Bringin' On The Heartbreak".
Joe Elliott has never had a good voice - but it's perfect for Def Leppard. And Vault is perfect for that hard rock fan who hasn't pulled out Pyromania in 10 years...show them what they're missing.
Die hard Leppard fans may want to get the limited edition European version of this compilation, which also contains an extra live CD. TRACK LISTING: Pour Some Sugar On Me, Photograph, Love Bites, Let's Get Rocked, Two Steps Behind, Animal, Foolin', Rocket, When Love & Hate Collide, Armageddon It, Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad, Rock of Ages, Hysteria, Miss You In A Heartbeat, Bringin' On The Heartbreak
