COMPILATION REVIEWS: Yaz, The Best Of (Mute / Reprise) /
Dennis DeYoung, The Ultimate Collection (Hip-O)
- Bob Gajarsky
Synth-pop pioneer Vince Clarke may have been the driving force behind Depeche Mode and Erasure, but in between the two alterna-hit makers, Clarke took some time for a two-album foray with Alison Moyet on vocals. Yaz (or, as known on the other side of the pond, Yazoo) was the result of this pairing.
Yaz may not have had many hits, but the three key songs are still staples on modern rock stations and still make appearances in some dance clubs. The sweet "Only You", and aggressive "Don't Go" and "Situation" may not have lit up American phone lines, but club DJs were no fools; Francois Kavorkian's remix of the latter song, with its "Move out (Don't mess around)" chorus, showcased the dominance that Clarke would have - and still maintain - on dancefloors even today.
Moyet's deep soulful voice combined with Clarke's irresistible keyboard wizardry provided an elusive hook which is beautifully captured on Best Of. Two versions of the big three songs appear here - the original 1980s versions, along with 1999 remixes by Todd Terry, Club 69 and Richard Stannard with Julian Gallagher. Definitely a palatable treat for synthpop fans everywhere.
Former Styx lead singer Dennis DeYoung has finally seen a collection of his greatest solo recordings hit the record stores. Although his solo career in the States pales in comparison to that of the Chicago-based rock group which catapulted him to stardrom, devoted fans made his rare Japanese hits collection a rarity worth several hundred dollars.
After his Styx days, the solo DeYoung - who authored the classic "Lady" - escaped from the louder Styx to a quieter, simpler sound. Now, The Ultimate Collection keeps track of fifteen of his non-theatrical works.
His few eighties hits - the Karate Kid 2's "This Is The Time", "Don't Wait For Heroes", "Call Me" and the near-classic "Desert Moon" - are all present and accounted for, as is the political Styx sound-alike, "Black Wall". Styx (and DeYoung) devotees may be more interested in the 'extra' tracks which appear here; three B-sides and a symphonic reworking of "Grand Illusion", which now appears in the Siegfried and Roy Magic Box film. With the rest of DeYoung's solo material being near-impossible to find on compact disc, Ultimate Collection serves as an excellent primer to re-introduce DeYoung to Styx fans.
