COMPILATION REVIEWS
- Bob Gajarsky
REVIEW: Jackson Browne, The Next Voice You Hear (Elektra)
Several years ago, a Jackson Browne promotional-only compilation disc generated tremendous fanfare on the collector front; even today, this item fetches prices up to $100. Browne has finally decided to release a legitimate hits compilation, complete with two new selections.
It seems incredible that his signing by David Geffen for the then-startup Asylum Records was controversial, but when Jackson hit the top 10 with "Doctor My Eyes" (a feat that wouldn't be duplicated until 1982's "Somebody's Baby"), he erased all doubts to his commercial success. And when Running On Empty was released in 1978, Browne cemented his stature as a successful rock artist.
However, Browne takes a decidedly non-commercial turn on this compilation. The Sprinsteen-like "Running On Empty" is the only selection from that classic album, omitting "Stay," "Cocaine," and "Load-out"; "Boulevard" and "That Girl Could Sing" (from Hold Out ) are left off in favor of "Call It A Loan", and other upbeat singles such as "For A Rocker," "Lawyers In Love," and the controversial "For America" are excluded from this set.
While omitting many of his aforementioned 'rocking' songs, the two new tracks ( "The Rebel Jesus" , "Next Voice You Hear" ) reinforce Jackson's softer side. At nearly 80 minutes, The Next Voice You Hear isn't skimping on quantity; however, it serves more as a sampler to the softer side of Jackson Browne than a full blown 'greatest hits' album. TRACK LISTING: Doctor My Eyes, These Days, Fountain Of Sorrow, Late For The Sky, Pretender, Running On Empty, Call It A Loan, Somebody's Baby, Tender Is The Night, In The Shape Of A Heart, Lives In The Balance, Sky Blue And Black, The Barricades of Heaven, The Rebel Jesus, The Next Voice You Hear
DANCE REVIEWS: Various Artists, Euro Dance Hi-NRG (Priority) /
Pure Dance 1998 (Polygram TV)
Euro Dance Hi-NRG , filled with acts unknown to America, combines the disco era of the 70s with today; two songs are remixed in a '70s dance mix' - Amya's diva-like "Got To Believe" and the cover of Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True", by Centory featuring Trey D, which has a distinctive Philadelphia feel to it. And a cover of America's "Horse With No Name", with sound-alike vocals backed by a driving keyboard beat, owes its origin to the decade many would like to forget.
Blue Ocean's "Whales" stands out as the key track here; with an instrumental similar to Robert Miles' worldwide smash, "Children", this is the track most likely to garner significant airplay. But even with the possible success of Ace of Base clones Sonic Dream Collective ("Don't Go Breaking My Heart"), it's unlikely that the casual dance fan will find this collection enticing. The solid Euro-clubber will, however, take an immediate liking to this diverse collection.
In marked contrast, Pure Dance 1998 (released several months before the new year) appeals to a much larger audience. Top 40 hits such as the Cardigans "Lovefool", OMC's "How Bizarre" and U2's "Discotheque" are all familar tracks, but surface on Pure Dance in dramatically remixed versions to change the pace for people who have heard those singles (in their original form) just one too many times.
Clueless' eurodance cover of No Doubt's huge hit, "Don't Speak", doesn't change much from the original song, but modern smashes such as Crush's "Jellyhead" (remixed here), Amber's "This Is Your Night" and Sash's "Encore Une Fois" more than make up for this shortcoming. With other songs performed by the likes of Crystal Waters, David Morales and Funky Green Dogs, Pure Dance 1998 might well be getting played into the year of its title.
