5 comments about The Best of the Call - The Millennium Collection.

1. My favorite song on this CD is "Let the Day begin"! It is the perfect way to energize and really smile! The rest of the CD is nothing but up hill from there!!! I LOVE iT



2. The Call are a very underrated band. Their singer, Michael Been, has an extremely powerful voice, and it's perfect for the group. The band was well deserving of a collection in UMG's 20th Century Masters series. Read on for the positives and negatives.
   
   Positives
   -Every single one of The Call's hits are here. 'Let The Day Begin,' 'The Walls Came Down,' 'Everywhere I Go,' and 'Modern Romans' are all here.
   -The sound quality is excellent.
   Negatives
   None.
   
   The Call are very underrated, and should have gained much more popularity than they did. And this collection serves them justice. Highly recommended.



3. This is the first disc that I purchased from the call. I liked it because it was all hits. I highly recommend this disc.



4. Great CD for those who like The Call and want to see what the rest of their material is like. You'll hear a song or two (as my wife did) and think, "I didn't know that was The Call. I love that song."



5. CD arrived promptly and in new condition as described. Completely happy
   with purchase. Thanks!

5 comments about Popular Favorites 1976-1992/Sand In the Vaseline.

1. There's little that I can add to the reviews already here in regards to the music and selections. It's great stuff, and a pleasure to hear.
   
   I just wanted to caution buyers who might be getting this from an independent seller that this is a 2 CD set! Each CD has its own jewel case and then there's an over-case uniting the two. I twice ordered it from such sellers who had only the first CD and did not realize there was another one. They graciously refunded my money but save yourself the trouble I had and ask your seller to verify physically that they have both CD's before you order.



2. I appreciate the title of this 2-disc set 'Popular Favorites..." because there is NO such thing as "Best of" when it comes to this rock-fusion group (you are right - I did NOT say "new wave"). If you haven't collected every album they have or if you have just had the great good fortune to have discovered Talking Heads, then this is the CD set for you...unless you have quite a bit more moola and can afford their entire collected box-set then I say GO FOR IT. There are few groups that I would consider buying their life's work - but Talking Heads is definitely at the top, maybe, just maybe behind The Beatles...or maybe Traffic....hmmmmmmmmm - have to give that some thought. Anyway, BUY THIS IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD THEIR ENTIRE BOX-SET COLLECTION!! And that is close to being an order - if you love good music and are musically eclectically-minded. Enjoy!



3. Anyone who whould rate this less than four stars is ignorant. The first two words of the title say it all, "Popular Favorites." This is a great compilation. Can you please everyone all of the time? No, but this is as close as you can get. There's a lot more to the Talking Heads than is on this double cd release, but it is what it is, popular favorites. This band was ahead of its time with music that will endure several lifetimes, and these cd's have the songs to back that statement up.



4. With such an 'eclectic' band like Talking Heads, a search for individual albums (and/or Hits) should produce better results than creating this compilation that, certainly, is like having "sand in the Vaseline" (for any meaning you would like to give to this statement!).
   In my case, I would bet for having the full song list of "Little Creatures", "True Stories" and even "Speaking In Tongues" included in a compilation of T.H. Hits.
   Anyway, if you're exploring in music you heard before some time, but never knew who was(were) the performer(s), this "Sand in the Vaseline" will certainly work for you!



5. I discovered the talking heads as a teeneage and fell in love, this 2 disc set is incredible and I highly reccommend it to ANYONE who appreiates the type of music. It's really an incredible compilation.

5 comments about 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Donnie Iris.

1. You can not have perfect vision without using your ''iris''. Donnie's music has perfect vision.



2. I always loved Donnie's sound and many of his songs. A couple I had forgotten were his. I love that he stayed true to his style and made it work. Proof that the roots of rock-n-roll are still the best part of it. The hook of Love Is Like A Rock, the story of Agnes, the smooth harmony of Ah! Leah and the throw back to The Rapper are awesome. Love Donnie and his sound. Fun CD to own.



3. 20TH CENTURY MASTERS: THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION is a great piece of new-wave power-pop from Donnie Iris, who first came to fame in the Jaggerz with the hit "The Rapper." His best, and biggest, solo hits were "Ah! Leah!" and "Love Is Like A Rock", both of which are included here. The music on this collection, despite its slickness, holds up better than most other early 80s postpunk, perhaps because instead of spewing insults (a no-no in my Jewish faith), it attempted to deepen a tradition. This CD is an essential purchase for anyone who loves pop in its purest sense.



4. I buy MANY albums for one song... this one was no different. If you are REALLY a Donnie Iris fan, get it, otherwise, try to buy the song you want from iTunes. It's not worth 20 bux to get one song.



5. I have been looking for this collection of music, from a singer and band who are from the area I went to college near, and finally found it. The songs brought back great memories of when Donnie Iris performed at my alma mater, Slippery Rock University, where he also attended and grew up near.

5 comments about Streetcore.

1. So many great musicians have left their marks across the history of the music I (and millions more)love. The King, John&Paul(no last names necessary) Jimi, Kurt and many other greats.
   
   Joe Strummer deserves a spot when listing the ones who changed the music world for the better. If by some chance you are reading this review with out benefit of knowing who Joe was or his life story, then you need to get some Clash CDs and do some internet reading. Joe and the Clash meant the world to many of us and I write this review of Joe's last album before his sudden passing with the heaviest of hearts. The Clash was THE BEST punk group ever, because they were the most musically talented. Many punk fans think that the point of punk was /is simply fast and furious. While that is certainly part of the appeal, there is another aspect that is more important. Independence! freedom from those who would pigeon hole you and tell you that you must continue to play music this way. Punk was first and foremost a big SCREW YOU! to the established music industry that had forgotten that rock music was born in rebellion. The fast and furious style is the manifestation of the anger of guys who are developing musically. The Clash matured into a great band that like a roman candle lite the world for a short time.
   
   After the candle burned out the members went down the paths that life took them. Joe continued to do various things i.e. soundtracks,a little acting and even put out a great first solo album (89's "Earthquake Weather) in the late 90's he began to work again on albums with a new band (The Mescaleros) two wonderful albums of music full of various styles were produced ("Rock Art and the X-Ray Style" and "Global A Go-Go") Then the hammer fell. In December 2002 Joe was lost to all his present fans and his future fans. This album was completed by his friends and band members as a final tribute to a truncated life.
   
   It is the finest memorial I could ever dream to be, for a man who just loved music. Don't take my word for it, read other reviews and go to various web sites to read of his passion. However if you really want to know his love and passion, then REALLY listen to his music. You will find all the love Joe had for music, in his music.
   
   The songs on the album have been discussed in other reviews, so read them for a better understanding, as some people have written some beautiful things about Joe's final salute. All I want to say is that this is such a shame because the albums shows that Joe was really getting into a groove and what the future might have been. If you're a fan of Joe Strummer and you don't have this album, shame on you, GET IT NOW!! If you are becoming a fan then you can't miss with this FINE work.
   
   The only fault I would have is not a fault at all. You see if you're like me and you think the world of Joe, when the album reaches it's climax you may feel sadness as Joe sings a cover of "Silver and Gold" a song lamenting the need to do so much in life before it ends.
   
   Joe sings the line "going to take a trip around the world, going to kiss all the pretty girls,going to do everything silver and gold.....and I 've got to hurry up before I grow to old" This song now chokes me up when I hear it and think of Joe and that is my only fault with this beautiful album.
   
   Joe may have had a weak heart physically, but the soul of his heart was a SUPERNOVA.



2. Joe Strummer's final release is an eclectic mix of genres and moods, much like Sandanista and Combat Rock from The Clash. The best tracks include the rocker Coma Girl, the reggae head-bobber Get Down Moses, the groove-laden Burnin' Streets, and the bittersweet ballad Silver and Gold. Fans of The Clash who preferred the band's all-out punk anthems may not like it quite as much, but those who appreciate The Clash's experimental side, or those who just like Joe's persona and songwriting, will find much to love here.



3. Seldom does a performer have as much to say as the amazing Joe Strummer. His last album is as good and powerful as any Clash release. Not quite the same as the Clash but thats what makes it so good. He followed his own path and did things his own way and the resulting career stands up to the test of time and the final words are a fitting and masterful conclusion. All of the songs are great but his Ode to Johhny Cash, "Long Shadow" could also be a tale of his own great legacy. The greats always leave us too early but Streetcore is amazing and should be in everyones collection!!



4. I'm so blown away by this album as well as Global A Go-Go. I could see that he was going somewhere early on, but with these albums he has most obviously arrived. I don't know if I can think of better, more brilliant rock-n-roll/cross-genre albums ever made. Can't stop listening. Thanks, Joe, for leaving me with something that I'll never put away.



5. Joe Strummer And The Mescoleros-Streetcore *****
   
   
   Released in late 2003, Streetcore is easily Joe Stummer and The Mescaleros' best album. Where Globel A Go-Go, and Rock Art And The X-Ray Style had moments of weakness, Streetcore shines bright from the openeing notes of 'Coma Girl' to the last drone of 'Silver And Gold.'
   
   Streetcore was released just weeks before Strummers untimely and tragic death. The power, the pain, and the conviction that Strummer had been known for his entire career comes across here clearer then ever before. He had finally realized he needs not impress anyone anymore, because he had already impressed us all, many, many times before.
   
   His song writing chops come through on songs like 'Come Girl' 'Get Down Moses' 'Arms Aloft' and 'All In A Day.' His use of imagry and socialy concious attitude is premenant everywhere.
   
   His love of Reggae is brought to the forfront of one of the stand out tracks 'Get Down Moses' which may be the very best thing Strummer ever wrote, maybe even better then his solo work as well as his legendary work with the phenomonal Clash.
   
   Also on the cover of Bob Marley and The Wailors' 'Redemption Song' his love of reggae comes through. This is better then the original. May seem impossible but Strummer kicks it up a notch yet without changing the slightest thing. Divine!
   
   'Long Shadow' is without any shadow of a doubt the very esence of Strummer. The vocal harmones are reminicent of early Clash, but even at that with a the grace of the Clash, Mick Jones and the boys could have never hoped to create something so angelic. The lyrics rival that of Strummers all time best and even that of his hero's Woddy Guthrie and old Mr. Zimmermen (Bob Dylan.)
   
   Streetcore is the end all and be all of Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. Even though it may play out like a solo album none of this would have been possible without his boys.

5 comments about You Could Have It So Much Better.

1. Being a big fan of Franz Ferdinand's first piece of work, especially the classic "Take Me Out," I checked out their follow-up album to see if they could avoid the sophomore slump and provide us some more rock anthems. This album has a problem though in the lack of variety. Either their sound doesn't permit a great deal of variety, or the vocals don't permit it. Either way, it's a very monotonous record.
   
   In fact, the first track is the best track, and it's the best gauge to see if you're going to like the rest of the album, because if you love the song, then you can stand listening to the whole album in one sitting. Otherwise, you're out of luck. Not to say it's a bad album, it just could have used more depth to it. So, hardcore fans unite, everybody else find other means.
   
   Real Score: 2.5



2. This album is appropriately named, because you honestly can do so much better than this album. Their prior album was very good, but with the exception of a few tracks, this one is bland. I listened to it maybe 10 times after buying it when it first came out and didn't listen to it again until today, hoping I would have a different opinion of it. But I haven't changed my mind. If you liked their first album, I would recommend the Arctic Monkeys, which is a fantastic band. Both of their albums are superior to anything Franz Ferdinand has done.



3. Franz Ferdinand was very consistent in this album... Wonderful from start to finish, it's a permanent fixture in my ipod now, I could listen over and over. Just makes you want to dance and moves your day along!



4. I am a huge Franz fan and I loved this album. If yall are franz fans too then you should definitely consider Rikki Rocket's new album "glitter 4 your soul" it is a masterpiece comprised of music that will add glitter to your soul...literaly! so check it out if yall like franz



5. While not as fond of this release as their first, it's still a frequently played catchy sound. Their energy is refreshing and doesn't feel contrived. All-in-all I like it.

5 comments about Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!.

1. Having recently attended a once in a lifetime reunion of Devo, I decided to update my vinyl and cassettes to CDs. Are We Not Men? We Are Devo is the pinnacle of the Devo library, a wonderful celebration of those who don't conform to Madison Avenue's and Hollywood's ideals...but a human ideal in which one can strive to be the truest and purest human...a human that examines, studies, and asks questions. While it seems almost impossible that a mere collection of music can truly represent these issues, especially confronted with the cultural void presented by top 40 corporate radio and music channels that don't play music anymore, Devo smacks the listener in the ear with reality. If you want some good punk-based technocrat rock that flies in the face of today's conventions, do yourself a favor and purchase this CD. You won't regret it.



2. While the Devo phenomenon as a whole may be somewhat time encapsulated, this debut album has absolutely remained as cutting-edge and vibrant as the day it came out some 30 years ago. Though the band already had a great satiric concept going (de-evolution), when they teamed up with Brian Eno for this project, the stuff of demented genius was created. The sound straddles punk, new wave, and the simplistic pop ditties of the sixties. The jumpy, jagged, hypercaffeinated tunes perfectly convey Devo's warped take on pop culture, and also serve to further pop as an art form. This is not a disc that I play in heavy rotation, but it sounds fresh every time I hear it, and only gets better with time.



3. Devo emerged fully formed on this, their first album. And it's still their best album. The stand out songs are "Mongoloid", "Jocko Homo", and "Uncontrollable Urge". They introduce the concept of De-evolotion on this LP. They would futher explore and develope it on future releases.
   
   Devo was a band that would not sit still. Each LP brought with it a new look and sound for the band. Here they popularised the yellow suits, the future would bring the energy domes and the smart patrol.
   
   Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! Was the start of Devo's comentary/parody of modern life. As vital now as the day it was originaly released.



4. Devo came from Akron, Ohio... where I lived until recently. Their appeal and early success was a complete enigma to most locals. But Akron was scraping the bottom of the cultural and economic barrel at that time, so if local talent was attracting national attention it was counted as a blessing regardless. Certain influential artists (David Bowie, in particular) and critics suspected that the band was at the forefront of something revolutionary.
   
   I've seen them linked with Kraftwerk back in their embryonic stages, and there's some logic to that. But the thing that I think is sometimes missed by people from other parts of the country is the absolute contempt that this band inspired in local people when they started. Kraftwerk may have been amusing or ridiculous to the Steve Miller Band fans of the world in 1978, but when you put on a Devo record, folks actually got mad. They'd listen for a few minutes in disbelief, and shake their heads, and then they'd get that impatient look that says, "Okay, this isn't funny anymore"... then their faces would get red and they'd demand that you turn that garbage off *right now*. Devo had an unbelievable polarizing effect, and they were extremely controversial. When they played live, they were threatened with physical violence.
   
   I can still remember listening to Q. Are We Not Men? for the first time... and not exactly liking it, but being stretched by it. So I listened to it again. When you hear these songs now they sound pretty conventional, but at that time the whole album just sounded demented and disturbing. I may have been too young to catch all of the humor (I had probably just figured out that the sixties Batman television series was a comedy). Eventually, I liked it. And by the time the next album came out, I was a fan.
   
   As the band "devolved" they became more of a synthpop unit, which was okay with me since I liked the music they were making. But this Brian Eno-produced debut is more of a straightforward rock and roll record ("Gut Feeling" and "Come Back Jonee", especially), with lots of guitars and Chuck Berry era influences. It holds up better today than most of their successive albums, and certainly better than much of the popular music of the time.
   
   Lyrically, Devo is a smart aleck science. There's a loudly subversive philosophy involved that informs everything the band produces. Back when it was still vague, it passed for profound... but eventually the band couldn't poke fun at the system and participate in it at the same time, so they gave up and caved in to everything they claimed to despise. Now they work in L.A. and write toothpaste jingles.
   
   Incidentally, Devo's greatest hits packages are totally worthless. If you want to get into this band, you have to survey the albums. This is probably a good place to start.



5. I am surprised that I not only like this album, but that I still play it quite often. I love the songs Mongoloid, (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, and the Devo classic, Jocko Homo. It's actually a very good album, strange, unique, and not really as classifiable as most people think. Devo gets thrown in with the New Wave/Punk bands, but their music was more unique and interesting than the slew of New Wave bands. I was never really a fan of Whip It (especially the video, which is one of the cheesiest things I've ever seen), but Devo released many albums in their lifetime, and their debut here is one of their best.

5 comments about Short Sharp Shocked.

1. This woman has a place of her own in progessiv music. Genreless, very ,very
   much music. Lyrics that takes you away.Superb!



2. Michelle Shocked has a tremendous talent. Thankfully, it is hard to categorize in a word or two. Her ability to stretch the boundaries between musical genres (folk, swing, rock, bluegrass) did not sit well with her one-time record company. After a handful of recordings, Shocked's label dropped her due to 'artistic incongruity' or some such nonsense. She hit them back with a lawsuit citing conditions of involuntary servitude. This disrupted her recordings being released for awhile. In the end we all lost, in a way, because such an episode disturbs the natural flow of a career, and interrupts the artistic process. Recordings become harder to find, the relationship between artist and audience is thwarted. Such is life, sometimes.
   
   Short, Sharp, Shocked (1986) was the first of a trilogy of albums recorded for Mercury/Polygram. If Shocked were ever to fit into the quasi-structural mold of singer-songwriter, it would have been with this release. Her folk-pop roots shine in autobiographical songs like "Memories of East Texas" and "Anchorge," and in her effective interpretation of Jean Ritchie's classic "The L&N Don't Stop Herre Anymore."
   
   Shocked is a gifted songwriter. She can write overtly political material that will not hit you over the head with overbearing self-righteousness. She never loses sight of her senses of humor and irony. Note the gracefulness of her lyrics in "When I Grow Up," "Grafitti Limbo," or "Gladewater."
   
   That Shocked never broke out into the national consciousness like Suzanne Vega or even Fiona Apple is perplexing. Such a dilemma poses the question: "Where do you go...when there ain't no justice?"



3. Definitely liked this CD from the first listen.
   
   You can't find another artist with more integrity than Michelle.
   
   Knowledge and familiarity with American Roots styles is never more evident.
   
   Everyone should give this CD a try!



4. In this reissue, she added a whole CD worth of bonus material. Great material too, and all for a reasonable price. I think I listen to Disc #2 as much or more than Disc #1. It came in a cool box with new liner notes. All handwritten it appears. I wonder if she did the writing herself?
   
   I had the original back in 1989. It was a favorite back then. It's just one of those albums you can play over and over. Somehow, I sold it with my whole CD collection about 10 or 12 years ago.
   
   Then, one day I was downloading some stuff on Kazaa and I ran across a couple of songs from the reissue and checked out Michelle's web site, because I hadn't followed her too closely in recent years.
   
   Now, this is where the record companies got it wrong. They think everybody's just ripping the everything off. Well, not everyone. I bought this, BECAUSE I heard it on the internet! I feel it's worth every cent it cost. I happen to think that artists are entitled to the profit from their hard work. And the hard work is apparent here.
   
   What makes this even better is the fact that Michelle fought for the rights to own her material and won. So I hope she'll stand to make what's due to her, instead of some record executives in LA. If you're thinking about getting this, don't hesitate. Because, you never know, it may go out of print again. Another two thumbs up. Happy listening!



5. I ordered this on a whim based on other reviews. What a great purchase, and what an addition to my music library. I sat on my porch here and savored each song...having lived in Texas, having been to the Paradiso in Amsterdam, having lived in Atlanta and been to the old (sigh) Metroplex (God I'm old)...having...well, you get the idea...in other words, this CD touched me, which doesn't happen often. Thank you Michelle for such a wonderful production. Keep up the good work, I'm planning on buying more an more of your music...you are truly talented. HIGHLY recommended!

5 comments about The Sun And The Moon Complete [2 CD].

1. "The moon" versions of every song are simply better. I don't understand what people are talking about when they say the songs sound "forced" on the remixes. Sam Endicott's vocals sound more believable on "the moon" versions...I think the first CD is the one that sounds more "forced". "The Moon" version of "Time Won't Let Me Go" is much better than the original version. And there is no comparison between the original and "The Moon" version of "The Ocean". Unfortunately it seems this version of the CD will slip into the cracks as a gimmick rather than a truly better version of the first. By the way, on the original version of "Bad Sun", the whistling sounds way off key to me...the alternate version is much better.



2. The second album by The Bravery is a radical departure from The Bravery, in a major improvement. Gone are the Duran Duran/Killers imitative songs and pseudo-new wave posturing, in are melodic songs with acoustic underpinnings. While a comparison to the radical shift The Killers made with Sam's Town is more than a little apt, The Bravery sound more like they boned up on Coldplay, The Rembrandts, The Cure or even a little Pink Floyd when they started laying the groundwork for "The Sun and The Moon."
   
   The album is a low key affair, without the obvious single that marked "An Honest Mistake." But given time, "Time Won't Let Me Go" and "Believe" stay in your memory. There are a couple of darker moments, like "Tragedy Bound," about a woman so hard luck that "She's cutting herself just to see if it works." If you miss the breezy, easy pop of the debut, there's "Bad Sun," with an inescapable whistling hook.
   
   The second disc in this special set is something of a mystery. The original album is compleley overhauled to make it into a night-club electronic disc, which often sounds like a force fit. It works on the numbers that were singles anyway ("Believe" and a total rethink of "Time Won't Let Me Go") but bleeds the charm out of "Bad Sun." In the case of "Time" and "The Ocaen," they almost turn into completely different songs. Personally, I prefer the more organic Sun (original) version, but a few elongated remixes could pump the "Moon" disc into a few club staples.
   
   The Bravery have not completely escaped their past, however. "Every Word is a Knife In My Ear" is on a par with "Stop Drop and Roll" from the debut as filler and "Split Me Wide Open" is way too heavy handed lyrically for its own good. Main Braveheart Sam Endicott can be proud of this effort, though. With "The Sun and The Moon," he and his fellow Bravery mates have transcended their roots and made an album that shows a band with more promise than their debut would have led you to contemplate.



3. Honestly I can say that previous Bravery album is better...
   
   But the sun and the moon is a "must have" 2 cd album...
   
   the moon version of songs are better than the sun version and the sun version is not bad... The bravery is the band of festivals... must see..
   must listen... must have...



4. I buy a lot of music and don't often have the time to listen to the CD's I buy, but this time I did and I wasn't disappointed. This is an excellet second delivery from The Bravery, be proud, be very proud.



5. I am glad that I waited to purchase this ablum until this double disc came out! I loved their first album. If I had only heard the first disc (the original) I would have been disappointed that they may have sold out, but that first disc opens up an understanding of the song writing ability and depth from this band. Without this first disc, his lyrics would almost go entirely unnoticed. So this first disc (the original album) is important, but not like their first album in many respects. The second disc just ROCKS! And is exactly like the first ablum. I would highly recommend getting both Albums. Listen to the second disc first to satisfy the demand for the BRAVERY that we all know and love, and then listen to the first disc to learn to appreciate the lyrical ability of Sam E. Both discs are fantastic, and both discs are entirely different songs (same lyrics). I hope that this band considers doing this more often - just releasing them at the same time.

5 comments about The Cars - Greatest Hits.

1. Classic Cars, pun intended. The only song I didn't care for was Heart Break City, all the other the songs are fantastic. You won't go wrong buying this one. Highly recomended.



2. If you like the Cars at all , Get this CD. It has all the hits. Does not miss any Cars songs you may know



3. if you're not a fan of singing with the classics something's wrong with you. buy this album, listen to it, become a better person.



4. The Cars: Greatest Hits
   
   INTRODUCTION:
   The Cars were one of the finest classic rock bands ever. With their mixture of rock and roll and new wave pop elements, they won over a number of fans during their decade or so together. There are countless compilations out there for the band. Let's take a look at Greatest Hits.
   
   OVERVIEW:
   Complete Greatest Hits spans the Cars career 1978-1987. It features 20 tracks.
   
   REVIEW:
   I love the music of the Cars, they're one of my favorite bands of all time. But this compilation shows its age. Nearly every track on here (plus a whole lot more) is on the newer Complete Greatest Hits compilation. The omissions on here are far too great in number.
   
   THE CARS (1978): Just What I Needed, Good Times Roll, My Best Friend's Girl.
   COMMENTS: You get THE SINGLES from the first album. Nothing more. That means this album is missing the non-single hits Bye Bye Love, You're All I've Got Tonight, and Moving In Stereo. That's just the beginning of the atrocities of this inferior compilation.
   
   CANDY-O (1979): Let's Go
   COMMENTS: ONE TRACK from this album!? ONE TRACK!? Blasphemy, I say! What compilation omits Dangerous Type and It's All I Can Do? Well, my friends, THIS ONE DOES.
   
   PANORAMA (1980): Touch and Go
   COMMENTS: Again, an album only gets ONE TRACK on here. That means no Don't Tell Me No or the title track.
   
   SHAKE IT UP (1981): Shake It Up, I'm Not The One, Since You're Gone
   COMMENTS: This is it. The ONLY album that gets perfect representation on this compilation. No complaints.
   
   HEARTBEAT CITY (1984.): You Might Think, Drive, Heartbeat City, Magic
   COMMENTS: Glad to see the underrated title track made the cut here, as well as most of the other big hits. But why were Hello Again and Stranger Eyes omitted!?
   
   NEW TRACK (1985): Tonight She Comes
   The band recorded this single new cut for the album. It's not one of the band's best ever, but still a solid tune.
   
   DOOR TO DOOR (1987): NO TRACKS
   COMMENTS: This compilation was released prior to this album.
   
   OVERALL:
   Get Complete Greatest Hits instead. Everything this compilation does, that one does several times better.
   
   Thumbs down.
   
   EDITION NOTES:
   This compilation has always been readily available so I doubt you'll have any trouble finding it or the superior Complete Greatest Hits.



5. Making a case for The Cars as brilliant singles band, this 1985 "Greatest Hits" is 13 songs that are all incredible. From 1978 till they dissolved in 1987, this Boston band helped to define what American New Wave music sounded like. A touch of Roxy Music, a dash of David Bowie, a really strong helping of melody and top that off with two solid lead vocalists in Ric Ocasek and the late Ben Orr, and you had the formula for the albums from "The Cars" classic to the hit packed "Heartbeat City." This CD was released while "heartbeat City" was still in its phenomanal commercail run, thus missed the singles from "Door To Door" (which is to say, not much).
   
   As brilliant as the debut was, it is represented CD on this collection by three were singles, with "Just What I Needed" being one of the most important top 40 records of 1978. (Oddly enough, this was about the same time Van Halen's cover of "You Really Got Me" cracked the charts - both of these bands arguably changed the state of radio.) The simple handclaps and harmonies of "My Best Friend's Girl" were irresistible.
   
   When the sophomore album arrived, it was with the brash mix of Buddy Holly and The Beatles that collided on "Let's Go." That probably remains my favorite Cars single, exploding from the radio in the summer of 1979. The underrated "Panorama" followed. Ocasek had become interested in experimental music, like the art duo Suicide, and "Panorama" reflected that. The tricky key changes in "Touch and Go" were not the average hit single fare. Ocasek's solo albums often had more of a "Panorama" feel to them, and I guess he needed to get it out of his system.
   
   Then it was a return to popland. "Shake It Up," with its cheesy picture-disk styled cover art, produced the first top ten single for the group. "Shake It Up" (the single) was a prefect mash of Beach Boys sunniness and new wave dancablity. It also became a harbinger of the next album, as the moody ballad "I'm Not The One" set the stage for the band's biggest hit. On this greatest hits set, "I'm Not The One" is a different mix from the "Shake It Up" version.
   
   When "Heartbeat City" arrived in Spring of 1984, it matched the artiness of "Panorama" with the pop splendor of "Shake It Up" and the debut. Jumping from producer Roy Thomas Baker to Robert Lange, the sound went from arthouse to dancehouse, and the pop sheen was unmistakably Cars. Ben Orr rode that sound to the band's biggest single, "Drive," climbing to number three that summer. The videos for that song and the giddy "Magic" and "You Might Think" (remember Ocasek as a human fly) were all over MTV that summer, and The Cars had their greatest success to date. I also liked that the "Heartbeat City" title song graced this CD.
   
   The success also came with strain. Easton, Ocasek and Orr each releasing solo albums (with Orr charting a single with "Stay The Night") and only convening to record a one-off single for a Christmas best of in 1985. "Tonight She Comes" was a great double-entendre of a lyric, as were many of the best Cars songs. It was also their last top ten single.
   
   The Ocasek produced "Door To Door" was released in 1987, after the release of this "Greatest Hits," and found the band in a non-cohesive state. Only "You Are The Girl" managed to chart, and it is not on this CD.
   
   "Greatest Hits" is pretty close to a five star set. But with "Cars - Complete Greatest Hits" containing seven more songs (along with "Hello Again"), I would tend to steer - no pun intended - to the 2002 collection. That CD also sports better mastering. Still, if you were a radio-geek (or an MTV geek) in the early 80's, this CD will take you back.

3 comments about On a Fine Spring Evening.

1. I'm a big fan of The Tossers, but I've been a little concerned by their move to Victory Records, especially after their lack-luster The Valley of the Shadow of Death. With Agony, they returned with shorter, more rocking songs, and that continues with this release.
   
   The Tossers come back to old stand-by topics: bars, drinking, fighting, and loves lost. The songs are short and rock with only one ballad (thankfully better than any of the ballads from the previous two albums). The Tossers are sounding more like The Pogues than they have in a while and it's welcome.



2. This is the best CD yet from a band that has never produced a bad CD. There are so many great songs that I can not list a favorite. Flogging Molly? Please spare me....The Tossers are the best band by far in the Celtic Punk/Rock genre



3. The Tossers have outdone themselves with this release!There isn't one weak track on the whole CD.Easily one of their best!It is shorter than some of their other releases but overall it is tighter and feels like just the right length.With this CD they have cemented themselves as the spiritual successors to The Pogues!!