No comments about Ultimate Driving Collection: Highway Rockin'.

No comments about Hits From The Underground: The '70s.

1 comments about Ultimate 70's Collection.

1. This is a 5 cd collection. The selections are by the original artists and not some unknown group or cascade of impersonators. I believe the songs are the shorter single versions which played on the radio as opposed to the longer versions from the LPs. Thankfully, they don't appear to be the extremely abreviated selections I've heard on some of these "collection" cds where each song has been cut to the bone and lasts about a minute and a half. "Instant Replay", for example lasts over 5 minutes and "Best Disco in Town" plays for over 6 minutes. The sound quality is good to excellent depending on the song and your own personal expectations. The mix of songs cover a surprising range; including Mac Davis, Patrick Hernandez, Meatloaf, The Emotions, Dan Hartman, and Tom Jones. Disco is probably the best represented. Each cd had its high and low points, but this will depend on your taste. For me, I greatly enjoyed the first cd and felt the fifth was probably the weakest. At a little more than six bucks a cd, it's a good value.

1 comments about Rock Album, Vol. 1.

1. Purchased the original album (US version) back in 1980, was pleased to see a re-issue of this. However it's not the original line-up. Why does K-tel do this to all re-issues? But this is a great Cd to listen to along with vol.2. They should have done the original album contents in cd form, though. ... C'mon K-tel where's that "20 Original Hits from the Original Artist" collection as in the past. Give those "Now" and "Totally Hits" people some competition!

1 comments about Feel the Buzz: No Pain.

1. I have to admit that I haven't purchased the CD, but I own most of them on the original albums (yes, LP's!). I really like the selection. When you go from Canned Heat to the Airplane, Grateful Dead, Bad Company, etc., you really can have a good cross section, and best of all, they are not the ones you heard 47 times last month on the Golden Oldies station. A bargain if you don't have all the old LP's (could that really be a bargain?) or simply could not find all the recordings at all! So go ahead and get it! It will be worth your hard-earned money.

5 comments about Paisley Pop: Pye Psych (& Other Colors), 1966-1969.

1. If you're looking for a great roundup of pop psychadelic tracks, this is a great CD. Most of these are all fun tracks that really take you back to another era (I'm just guessing here since I'm too young to have heard them on the radio ;-)
   
   Another nice thing about this compilation is the excellent sound quality.
   
   As the other reviewer alluded to - if you like your psychadelic rock with heavy crunching guitars. fuzz and acidic overtones - this is not your kind of CD. But if you're looking for the fun psychadelic tracks of that era - radio friendly and more power pop oriented - you will really like discovering some obscure tracks and bands.



2. What must be said first is that this is a nice glimpse of UK pop music scene 66-69-sometimes called Freakbeat. The Brits had a lot more going on musically than what we heard here in the States during the British Invasion.
   This 22 song comp gives a decent overview of the more popular, less obscure sides, but if you tried to get originals now, you'd have to pay. Even if you own the Nuggets II set, you will find different music on Paisley Pop.
   From big hitters like The Flying Machine, Neil Christian and the Consortium to lesser known Gates of Eden, the Ugly's and Scruggs you get a bit of dance hall, top 40 and pop-psych. Some bad, some very good.
   Favorites tend to be more psychy, less crooned tracks like 'I Wish I Was Five' and 'Lavender Popcorn' by the Scruggs, 'Cave of Clear Light' by the Bystanders, 'I Wonder Where My Sister's Gone' by Anan and Status Quo's wonderful followup non-hit to 'Pictures of Matchstick Men', 'Black Veil of Melancholy.'
   And very important to the project are the great liner notes by Pearly Spencer(?) that go thru the tracks with the times in mind. The author sets the scene as 'delightfully absurd.'
   Decidedly the tamer side of the scene, but some nice paisely visions all the same.
   If you are a fan, go for it.



3. If you're out there searching for some great psychedelic 60's music and you've already picked up the Nuggets first two volumes and you're craving more, I recommend getting the Pebbles compilations or for one offs you can't beat the Arf Arf labels compilations of ultra rare and ultra obscure tunes--Paisley Pop is a compilation meant for those who were more into the "Turtles" type of pop music with a few psych embellishments-It has a few strong selections but not enough to justify putting it at the top of your list when there are so many better comps out there---you might even find (as I did) that some of the better tunes on Paisley Pop are on other comps (such as "I Wish I Was Five" by Scrugg and "Black Veils Of Melancholy" by Status Quo). To sum it up, if you're into albums like "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" and "S.F. Sorrow", this compilation isn't for you--



4. Fans of Brit psych-pop groups such as Tomorrow, The Creation, and Honeybus will not be disappointed with this collection. Although there are a couple of well-known groups represented here, this disc contains mostly one-off singles from the Pye label circa 1966-1969. All in all, a very tasty sampling of the swirling musical colours from this evanescent era. General grooviness abounds with outstanding tracks such as The Uglys' "Quiet Explosion", Scrugg's "Lavender Popcorn", and The Montanas'"That's When Happiness Began". Trying to track down these singles on vinyl would be a very expensive proposition if they could be found at all.

   Austin Powers would have frugged to these bands at the UFO!

   Highly Recommended!




5. Deep thoughts courtesy of a group called Scrugg. Fans of pre-Tommy Who (A Quick One and Sell Out) and The Hollies will enjoy this over hour-long collection of lesser-known bands from the era. There are many gems in this collection such as I Wish I Was Five, Goodbye Thimble Mill Lane, Smile A Litle Smile For Me (Rosemary), Major To Minor, and Tamaris Khan. Also included is another version of Pictures Of Matchstickmen (by The Status Quo) called Black Veils of Melancholy. Suprisingly, most of these songs are still fresh.

   For a lighthearted revistitation of an era in music that will never come again, check this collection out.

   [DW]

2 comments about Power Chords, Vol. 1.

1. This product is music only, not instructions. Some of the music is great, but if you are looking for music instructions, using examples of popular songs, look elsewhere.



2. I found this collection when as a good Red Sox fan I was searching for a good compilation CD that included the all-time three-chord classic and Fenway Park anthem "Dirty Water" by the Standells.
   
   Not only is that track on here, but the version of "Baby It's You" that I'd been trying to find for ages (I never even knew the band's name; not surprising, I don't know if they've ever done anything else of note). Also helping this CD's cause is "The Pusher", a terrific Steppenwolf track not given to widespread radio play due to the chorus lyrics. And for anyone who hasn't heard "Wild Thing" by the Troggs and "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks to the point of saturation, those tracks open the disc with some instant genuine hit recognition.
   
   A good discovery for me was "Psychotic Reaction" by The Count Five; it's a very passable Yardbirds imitation and a sound that reminds me a lot of the Brian Jonestown Massacre. ELO fans will be interested to hear how the band sounded in its initial incarnation as The Move with a very stripped-down version of "Do Ya", and prog rock fans in general will appreciate what could arguably be considered the birth of the genre with the Focus track "Hocus Pocus" and the James Gang's "Bomber", not the sort of track the casual Joe Walsh fan would expect from him.
   
   All in all it's a decent enough collection of songs by bands whose names -though not necessarily their music- will be familiar to musicologists (sure, I was aware that there was a pychedelic band called The Electric Prunes; I just wasn't aware just how much they sounded like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd) featuring primitive fuzzed-out amplifiers and cheesy electric organ riffs. Garage rock at its most gloriously underproduced and enduring, the spiritual godfathers of today's indie scene.

2 comments about The Best of the Rubble Collection, Vol. 6: Tales of the 60's.

1. Strange Things brings about a plethora of musical pop gems from the past, artists who probably never even qualified for the `One Hit Wonder' club, but their accomplishments are recognized here. Some of these are a bit rough and certainly dusty, but well worth looking into if you enjoy early, obscure English psychedelic pop.

   Track one features the Clovers singing `Dream, Dream, Dream', a haunting melody that meanders at a wonderfully slow pace. The falsetto voice accompanied by similarly sounding background singers massages the sensory lobes of your brain, lulling you into a near state of semi-conscious bliss.

   Track two `Barefoot & Tiptoe' by The Sweetshop is a light, psychedelic pop type musical commercial for Vitalis, a hair care product akin to Brlycream, but not as greasy. It's quite an interesting lost piece of advertising from a different time, a different place.

   Track three `You Outside' by Dave Justin is a pretty rousing piece of pop that sounds very much like the kind of song you might hear in a bar and sing along with...the singing and musical style reminds me of a little bit of The Royal Guardsmen. The song is loose and seems to lack a great deal of production, but it works well as it's performed with a familiarity of someone who has performed it many times before, and has gotten better and better along the way.

   Track four `Liquid Blue' by Cecil McCartney (any relation to Paul? I have no idea...) uses some very interesting musical instruments to make it sound sort of `old timey' but the lyrics certain put it into psychedelic overdrive. There's an orchestral touch that rounds the song out quite nicely as the singer switches between singing and speaking parts.

   Track five `Take a Walk In the Sun' by Pattern People has a more pop produced feel to it, sounding similar to the group The Association crossed with The Mamas and The Poppas presenting a well crafted melody. It's very bouncy, but avoids one of the pitfalls of pop, lacking the sugary sweetness normally built in to you average pop song.

   Track six `The Elastic Band' by Juice is one of my favorite tracks, a wonderful mix of 60's pop, with a slight dash of psych in the mix to give it an edge. It's got a great sort of catchy pop groove, and wonderfully crafted, yet very simple lyrics sung with great energy and just a whole lot of fun.

   Track seven is a mystery track. What is it? It's a mystery...buy it and find out. Why should I spoil it? I'll just say it isn't one of my favorites, but I did like the instrumentals on it, relaying a strong English 60's feel. It did seem a bit overproduced, but still it ain't bad.

   Track eight `Eiderdown Clown' by The Scots of St. James is a great song that starts out in a herky jerky fashion, but smoothes out giving a glimpse of it's thick bluesy roots.

   Track nine `Memories of Melinda' by Together is a light, sweet but not sugary pop composition that holds together well, making it incredibly catchy. Imagine The Archies, but much, much better.

   Track ten `Tracy Smith' by Price & Sheridan is another I didn't really care for, but it's not bad. Melodic like a Monkees song, with less fun.
   Track 11 `Fire' by The Cymbeline, sounds a lot like The Beach Boys, but with a more Midwestern feel, and a little more fast paced, with some interesting choices in instruments.

   Track 12 `Second Glance' by The Timothy Grass sounds early Floydian steeped in blues funkadelic. I liked it muchly.

   Track 13 `Red Brick House' by Queen Flora's Recollections suffers probably due to poor quality of the source material, but it actually fits the song, which is a bit repetitive but much like a group sing-a-long song you'd sing in a pub.

   Track 14 `Little Man' by Motivation...eh, not bad, but not my favorite. Nice find, though. I liked the organ music that accompanied it, though...

   Track 15 `Regency Gardens' by Leze Majesty sounds like a psychedelic church hymn, with pipe organ and all...

   Track 16 `Don't Make A Sound' by Sparrow sounds like a spooky, melodic song sung by a female with a really good voice. Very sort of sultry and sexy...the hint of violin midway through was a nice tough, though...

   Track 17 `Dream Song' by Kate sounds very Monkees, without the Davy Jones. Really nice melody...

   Track 18 `Remember' by The Idle Hands is a quirky pop song that grew on me...sounds like less drugged up Doors. I likie...

   Track 19 `The Nymphs Of Umtwalumi Wood' by Green Pavane sort of defies description...reminds me a little of the Who's Boris the Spider...very weird...

   Track 20 `Father Good's Space Flight' by The Amelia Smile seems very pre-glamish, sounding like early Sweet. Didn't care for it much...

   Track 21 `Red Chalk Hill' by The Factory is a wonderfully creepy little pop song with a slow bounce and lots of melancholy. One of the most interesting things about this track was the about the only instrument used was a piano, and it works well. Sounds a little rough, but one of my more favorite tracks.

   Track 22 `Call Me A Friend' by The Essence is another great track...a hard driving popish tune full of urgency sung by a man who's either smokes too much or sings with gravel in his mouth...either way, it works for me.

   Track 23 `Smokey Wood' by Peter & The Wolves is a wonderfully haunting melody sung by someone sounding like Davy Jones of the Monkees, with better range.

   Track 24 `200 Million Red Ants' by The Majamood sounds very folksy with a dash of blues and twangy guitar. Very unusual...

   Cookieman108




2. Many of the songs are psychedelic in the manner that Beatles "When I'm 64" and King Crimson and the like are psychedelic (don't expect Jimi Hendrix- or The Who-style music). Many of the songs here are of recordings never before released. The quality of the songwriting is good and suggests how rich an era it really was that such talent could not contract themselves to a studio in an already flooded market. The song listing by Amazon isn't correct, however. Actually, the listing is: CLOVER: Dream, Dream, Dream / THE SWEETSHOP: Barefoot and TipToe / DAVE JUSTIN: You Outside / CECIL McCARTNEY: Liquid Blue / PATTERN PEOPLE: Take a Walk In the Sun / JUICE: The Elastic Band / MYSTERY TRACK / THE SCOTS OF ST. JAMES: Eiderdown Clown / TOGETHER: Memories of Melinda / PRICE AND SHERIDAN: Tracy Smith / THE CYMBELINE: Fire / THE TIMOTHY GRASS: Second Glance / QUEEN FLORA'S RECOLLECTIONS: Red Brick House / MOTIVATION: Little Man / LEZE MAJESTY: Regency Garden / SPARROW: Dream Song / KATE: Don't Make a Sound / THE IDLE HANDS: Remember / GREEN PAVANE: The Nymphs Of Umtwalumi Wood / THE AMELIA SMILE: Father Good's Space Flight / THE FACTORY: Red Chalk Hill (Demo) / THE ESSENCE: Call Me a Friend / PETER AND THE WOLVES: Smokey Wood / THE MAJAMOOD: 200 Million Red Ants

1 comments about Rockin' Guitars.

1. The best part about this CD is that it brings together a few difficult to locate guitar-oriented songs in their original versions: "Only You Know and I Know," "Don't Misunderstand Me," and "The Pusher." Most of the others can be found on better compilations. Caveat emptor: "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry is a live version, but the others are genuine recordings, including the full version of "Free Bird" in its original studio version.

No comments about Psychedelic Microdots, Vol. 3: My Rainbow Life.