5 comments about Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 15.

1. The rare gems worthy of my appeal are "At Seventeen" by Janis Ian, "Sky High" by Jigsaw, "Fallin' in Love" by Hamilton, Joe Frank, and Reynolds", and "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate (which I thought would be better placed in Rhino's "Didn't It Blow Your Mind" series which is the soulful sister collection to "Have a Nice Day").
   
   Let us remember that this is a collection of respectfully charted one hit wonders and the such so it will contain tracks that were big during its era of release, but totally forgettable now. For instance, "Convoy" by C. W. McCall, "Black Superman - Muhammad Ali" by Johnny Wakelin, and "Saturday Night" by the "here today, totally gone and forgotten tomorrow" Bay City Rollers.
   
   One country beauty here is the soft and heart breaking "I'm Not Lisa" by Jessi Colter. I barely remember hearing Dwight Tilley's "I'm on Fire" but it's pretty good.
   
   The stinkers here are "Run Joey Run" by David Geddes. But thankfully, he helped us forget this stupid song by releasing another song even more stupid. Beware of volume 20 where his song "Last Game of the Season" taints the collection. "Rocky" is just plain dumb. Austin Roberts sealed his fate as a pop suicide artist with this crappy song. Yes, it went Top Ten, but so did a lot of absolute crap while some fabulous songs couldn't get into the Top 40. That's the mystery of the seventies, I guess.
   
   "Eighteen With a Bullet" by Pete Wingfield isn't entirely uninteresting; it just feels out of place with everything else on this CD. If I play it by itself, I like it. If I'm playing the whole disc, I don't care for it. I don't know why. Anyway, volume 15 is where the "Have a Nice Day" series ended for about 2 years. The following year, Rhino started right away with releasing the "Didn't It Blow Your Mind" collection of the early seventies soul charters, which justifies why I noticed so many important one hit wonders were not getting released. I'm glad Rhino released these CD's divided like this. I have all 25 of the "Have a Nice Day" collection and all 20 of the "Didn't It Blow Your Mind" collection. All 45 of these CD's may have an outstanding value maybe a hundred years from now (if we still play CD's).



2. This series has songs that are unavailable on almost all other collections. If you want some of the great "one-hit wonders" from the 1970's, then this is the place to go!



3. With this look at 70s A.M. radio hits, Rhino gives us proto-power pop (Dwight Twilley), a bit of bubblegum (Austin Roberts, David Geddes), country (Jessi Colter), folkie earnestness (Janis Ian), the 70s idea of a 'boy band' (Bay City Rollers), and a foretaste of disco (Hot Chocolate).
   
   HIGHLIGHTS:
   "S-A-TUR-DAY NIGHT!" is still as insistent today as it was then, threatening to resurrect Rollermania if played at good volume. The percolating "You Sexy Thing" also continues to charm. "At Seventeen" is the anthem of "ugly ducklings" everywhere and the frenetic stabbing strings of Jigsaw's "Sky High" make it one of the finest one hit wonders ever.
   
   MIDDLING:
   These two are kind of in the "love it or hate it" category so I chose to make special mention of Austin Roberts' "Rocky" and David Geddes "Run Joey Run". Both feature melodramatic plotlines ('Rocky' dies young leaving the song's protagonist a single father while "Joey" is a single father dodging the shotgun of his would-be bride's father) that ensure not much middleground. I like them both but they're definitely not for everyone.
   
   LOWS:
   Usually I like power pop but Dwight Twilley's "I'm on Fire" leaves me cold. "Fallin' in Love" is a bland followup to the zippy "Don't Pull Your Love" (even if it was the bigger chart hit). Pete Wingfield's "Eighteen With A Bullet" is an unlistenable mess.
   
   3 1/2 stars



4. These songs are all basic throwaway hits. The only reason why I gave it five stars was because it had Rocky by Austin Roberts on it. Its the only cd ive ever found with the song on it. Its one of my all time favorite songs and im glad that I finally found it on cd.



5. I REALLY LIKED THE MUSIC BUT THERE IS ONE SONG I WANTED TO LISTEN TO BUT I COULDNT WHITCH WAS ROCKY BY AUSTIN ROBERTS,AS I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS THE SAME SONG I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR,FOR AGES. THANK YOU SHAYLE

5 comments about Faithful.

1. This is a great album, it has the hard rock of Hendrix,the pop rock of the Beachboys and a great variety of remakes that everyone has enjoyed.



2. Even in the always surprising musical world of 70's pop Todd Rundgren always seemed to be turning heads. Looking back it probably has little to do with his genre bending style as it does with the creative way in which he handles all the melodies,harmonic variations and chord changes he uses so well within all his musical concepts. The song comes first and because Todd loved to bring in elements of the more densely chorded 70's style soul into his pop music as opposed to just working with one variation of the 12 bar blues after the other. The interesting thing about this album is that it includes one half of covers,apparently music that inspired his own. They're all 60's rock hits and all are interestingly presented very very close to the originals but done extremely well. "Good Vibrations" and "Rain" are in fact carbon copies but showcase Rundgren as an excellent mimmic as well as someone with very good taste in pop music. Of his originals "Black And White" and the oddball rock n soul groove of "Boogies (Hamburger Hell)" are the most rock guitar oriented the the harder edged of the tunes here,even though both have a certain abstract touch that Rundgren was able ready and able to blend into even his poppiest music. And for that "Love Of The Common Man" and "Clishe" are excellent examples of Todd's soul/pop singer-songwritet style. The most impressive song here is the nearly eight minute "The Verb "To Love"" which definately extends Rundgren's writing style and ability at creating expressive chord changes to the next level. It's no secret that Songs in the Key of Life came out this same year because that style of songwriting was having a very strong effect on Rundgren here. Even though I am sure most Rundgren fans think of his music more in a pop/rock context than a soul inflected one. He sure had a strong streak of albums though with wonderful artistic results and this ranks as definately one of them.



3. Todd Rundgren is amazing and misunderstood. He needs to be in the
   Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is a genius. Like the other reviewer
   says, "just enjoy him, you don't need to understand"



4. While I never understood - at the time, and much lesser scale through the ages till now - why anybody would dare attempt to recut or sttempt to top the Beach Boys' slice of acclaimed ultimate pop perfection, GOOD VIBRATIONS. Believe me - Todd Rundgren got huge amounts of airplay for his faithfull note-for-note remake, but still - what was his point other than being a fan? We're all fans. In the 70's, it was considered "cool" on both sides of the stage to 'remake' an oldie, and yes, a significant amount of the 'remakes' recharted higher than the originals and in turn created huge album sales for the respective artists involved. [I do recall that mid-70's "All This And WWIII" Compilation tribute by then current highly popular Top 40 and "up & coming" artists.] Still...TODD RUNDGREN, being the Pop Genius that he'd become by the time his SOMETHING/ANYTHING tour-de-force Lp in the early 70's, appeared to be wasting vinyl here. Half this album appears to be the predecessor to all the "remake tribute albums" many popular artists[Pop/R&B/Country] would attempt to pull off in the late 80's and throughout the 90's decade, to varying degrees of success. For some artists, it became the kiss of death. All these years[decades] later, it seems Todd Rundgren had already charted the half-baked waters in the sun, because he rarily, if at all, conquered the Top 40 Radio Charts again after his much celebrated and played at the time, 'Good Vibrations' remake.



5. Back in the days of vinyl, the second side of this album, which is the original material, rates as one of great album sides. The songs from begining to end are top notch. As usual for Todd Rundgren, the songs move through a wide range of emotions and styles. There are two ripping rockers in this collection, "Black and White" & "Boogies (Hamburger Hell)". Todd Rundgren was so talented, in so many areas, that he never really gets the credit as truely one of the great rock and roll guitar players. These two songs are great examples of his ability to flat out shred on the guitar.
   
   One thing to realize, is that there were two verions of his group Utopia. This album was between those two incarnations and has three of the four members from the 2nd incarnation performing on it. It is only missing Kazim Sultun (what a great addition it would be). So this shapes up as a precursor for the 2nd incarnation of Uptopia.
   
   The four songs that make up the rest this side of the album are all solidly written songs. "Love of the Common Man" & "The Verb To Love" are as good as any of Rundgren's vast array of material and hommages to love.
   
   As for the first side of the album, these are a collection of cover tunes. What makes it unique is the selection as well as their recording technique. The songs are from the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Vintage Beach Boys (Good Vibrations) and the Yardbirds (ala Jeff Beck & Jimmy Page!!). All of these are giants in Rock and Roll. But the songs selected all have some unusual record engineering approaches and are no small feat to repoduce "faithfully". This is what Rundgren set out to do with these songs. And he did. A testament to his abilities. As a recording engineer, I can tell you this is very impressive. And they are great selection of tunes, all time rock classics, covered by a great artist.

5 comments about Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet.

1. Had this many years ago on cassette. Upgraded to cd. Took me back.



2. Doesn't so that much better than my albums when I was in high school. Still good music but wait for the remastered if you can. Sent in a timely fashion.



3. I felt like a kid at Christmas when I came across Rick's CDs. I ordered two of everything as I knew my sisters would be just as thrilled. We are all enjoying them very much and my daughter borrowed them to listen to also. They arrived in record time and in perfect condition. Thanks for carrying our favorites and for the great service as well.



4. Yes, you remember Rick Springfield as a teen idol of the 80's... and he was, but, he was so much more than that. If you are a purveyor of power pop, you can't go wrong with this Rick. You might be tempted to get Working Class Dog because it has the mega-hit Jessie's Girl, but this CD is more consistent and is the one Rick Springfield disc to own if you're only gonna own one. But why stop at one?



5. I have never before written an online review of an album for any artist. But having just recently replaced many of my old Rick Springfield albums and cassettes with compact discs, I was reminded just how special these songs were -and are- to me. For me, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet was where it all began. Yes, I know Jessie's Girl (from Working Class Dog) had already been a hit, and Rick was already a heart throb on GH by this time, but for ME, this album was a turning point. Of course Don't Talk To Strangers was what sucked me in...but upon listening to the rest of the album, I found the songs that would stand the test of time for me.
   
   I know there have been many 'greatest hits' and 'best of' compilations of Rick's music. They all include hits from this album. "I Get Excited" is a great song. "Kristina" is an all time fave. We all loved Rick's tribute to his father, "April 24, 1981". But there is one song on this album that is not on those other compilations...and is a good enough reason to make sure Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet has a place in your music library. It's my all time favorite Rick Springfield song, "The American Girl". In 1982, I didn't understand all the lyrics. I was 11 years old. But I played this song so many times I can't believe I didn't wear a hole in the vinyl. Once I got this album on cassette, I rewound over and over again to hear my song. Those first few notes still get me every time!
   
   I've listened to and loved Rick's music from the 70's all the way thru today, as he continues to write, record and release new music. His talent is ever apparent, his songs are infectious. He's an amazing performer live. I recommend checking out all of Rick's music if you're unfamiliar. Especially Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, and "The American Girl" in particular!

5 comments about Super Hits.

1. The Romantics was one of the many hair bands of my generation in the 1980s. They were popular with their videos like "One in a Million," and "I hear you talking in your sleep." The songs are still played on the radio but MTV no longer plays the videos like they used too. Not even VH-1! So, we have the compact disc collections out there. I bought this one because I liked some of their songs but I could give and take the other ones. They were a good group and I wonder if they are still around.



2. oh man, this would be a massive hit album! if you listen to it the melodies, the guitars, the influences (60's pop, surf, and ska!)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a album! pick this up for a good time to be had by your ears! you'll thank yourself later.



3. This is actually a pretty good cross-section of the Romantics' music, because it includes songs from four of the band's five albums from 1979-1985. The song selection was pretty good for this (although there are several I would have chosen over "Do Me Any Way You Wanna" and I can't believe they left out "A Night Like This"). The band has a new album due out Sept. 9 titled "61/49." If you buy this collection, you should try the new album too, because from what I've heard of it on the band's website ..., it's a more up-to-date, full sound than much of the older stuff.



4. This Detroit-based band were different from a lot of new wave groups in that they never forgot rock's roots in r&b and the blues. Anyone who grew up in the 80's will remember hearing their straight-to-the-point rock, all over the radio airwaves. Led by propulsive drumming and the no-nonsence vocals of Jimmy Marinos, they left behind a legacy of great 80's power pop. This album features, as it says, their 'Super Hits', and all have been digitally remastered which is a plus and a necessity for true fans.



5. This is OK, but the Romantics' true "super hits" are all found on their debut album, which completely creams any of their hits compilations. That album has the best stuff. The later songs pale in comparison.

5 comments about Fountains of Wayne.

1. This is a deftly performed collection of high quality power pop, with a liberal coating of 60's cheese, possibly Monterrey Jack. You can imagine this album being delivered in earnest 60's style, or indeed you might if Weezer hadn't saved you the effort by already giving you that exact mental picture in the amazing "Buddy Holly" video.
   
   Well, see that video, that's what this album makes you see when you listen to it? Or maybe perhaps a sort of Beach Boys tune if they hadn't been so obsessed with writing songs about cars and surfing. Ok, well, if you think of "Be True to Your School", a song which was surely written for an ironic laugh, that's the sort of ironic vibe FOW have pulled off here. Or perhaps I totally misunderstood the entire album.
   
   Bugger.
   
   PS - Now I am thinking about "Be true to your school" and how it might have been written. I suspect the record company went into the Beach Boys one day when they were probably wacked out of their minds on drugs and bouncing around on young ladies in bikinis and said "Hey Guys, you are always writing songs about cars and girls and surfing, the Mayor thinks you are setting a bad example to our young folk". And the Beach Boys probably kicked around some ironic song title ideas such as "Registering to Vote is Cool", "Picking up litter on the beach rocks", "Becoming more politically active gets you more chicks" before settling on "Be true to your school". They then returned to work on "We love fast red cars and girls with big boobies". I would like to think that FOW adopted a similar approach to writing their songs.



2. As a relatively late arrival to this band, I've been working my way around their catalog finally getting to the debut. I found pretty much what I expected: incredibly clever wordplay wrapped around solid power pop hooks; this band has been solid since the beginning. "Leave The Biker" alone is worth the price of the CD; a tale that every guy who thought Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" needed an update, will be more than satisfied with. The CD is filled with various takes on life's little mysteries and it's interesting to see how close the band stayed to its roots. If I have any complaint, it is the overwhelmingly mellow music; a little edge occasionally would be appreciated, but as a debut this is a good indicator of how talented this band is.



3. I discovered this in 1997, long before Stacy's mom. If you like Stacy's Mom, you will love this album. It blows away their later stuff. It is a must have if you love catchy, pop, infectious music. You will be tapping your toe almost the entire time. There are a couple of slower songs, but the rest of the album sufficiently makes up for the speed bumps. MUST HAVE.



4. This is a classic work that has yet to be formally recognized.
   
   FOW is a terrific power pop group. They have 2 other cds out that are good but not as earnest as this one. FOW tends to be tongue in cheek, smarmy, sometimes too cute. Their first cd, this one, is more pure and honest.
   
   What makes the group so good is the lyrics. They are clever yet at the same time done in a unique, conversational manner. Like a close friend telling you a story, in everyday jargon only to music. The music is amped up... Ramones style (but more musically sophisticated).
   
   All the songs are great, there is no filler. "Radiation Vibe" kicks off the cd with energy and a very catchy chorus. "Joe Rey" moves fast and employs a Nirvana soft/heavy style. "Shes got a problem" and "Sick Day" epitomizes the unique conversational songcraft. "Barbara H" rocks, rocks rocks! "I've got a problem" and "Leave the Biker" examplifies the wit in their songwriting.
   
   The cd moves at a quick pace.
   
   Interestingly, the very precious cd cover art of a little boy in pajamas acting out some fatasy, "I.m a superhero" thing perfectly reflects the tone and theme of this cd. This was music made, at the time, by and up and coming band that did not care what was in vogue and maintained a very real and honest vibe.
   
   Their other cds are very good but not like this one!



5. One of those rare albums where EVERY song on it is excellent. Each track on here are filled with extremely catchy hooks that will stick in your head for months. I still have a hard time getting some of the songs out of my head, after I heard for the first time about 4 months ago.
   
   I came into this album expecting a generic 90's alt rock album, when I heard in actuality a brilliant Beatles/Beach Boys influenced power pop with a modern production filled with references of the tri-state area.
   
   Some of the lyrics struck me as really lame at first, like in "Leave The Biker", but once you realize how awesome the music is, you start to pick out that these are obviously tongue in cheek. "I've Got A Flair", "Joe Rey", "Barbara H"... it is extremely hard to get these hooks out of your head.
   
   "Everything's Ruined", my favorite song on the album is on here too, which is quite unlike anything else on the album. It is a gentle piano ballad with a beautiful melody and lyrics that are obviously meant to be more serious.
   
   If there's any similar album like this one that came out around the same time, i'd definitely like to hear it. This is an excellent album and has quickly become one of my favorites of all time.

2 comments about Best of the Knack.

1. Made in USA in 1999, Serial# 72435-20581-2-9, Playing Time 35:18

   This CD is part of EMI's "10 Best Series", which consists of putting what the record company deems to be the 10 best tracks from the artist.

   This compilation features tracks up to their 3rd album, "Round Trip", plus 1 song (Don't Look Back) left in the vaults until the "Retrospective" album issued back in 1992.

   THE KNACK, mostly known for "My Sharona", make basic but catchy music; I'd call it "Fun Rock": straight ahead, unpretentious melodies, that make you want to "get up and dance". The sad part is that the CD only lasts 35 minutes, their writing style consisting of 3-minute songs.

   If you've got other retrospectives, you'll probably pass up on this; but if you don't, it's a good place to get exposed to their songwriting skills.




2. If you want to have one Knack collection and don't want to spend a lot, this is a very good retrospective. Of course, "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't" are here, along with a few neglected classics ("You're Number or Your Name") and some harder to find songs such as the Springsteen penned "Don't Look Back". If you want just one album by this band, then it really should be "Get the Knack", but this is the best of the three or four career retrospectives.

5 comments about Initiation.

1. There are several tracks from this release that must be considered essential for Rundgren fans. In my opinion these are "Fair Warning" which is a yearning ballad; "Initiation" which is a danceable extravaganza... almost a show tune complete with the classic flanged alto solo by Sanborn; and "Real Man" which though I personally have no use for it is still a classic vamp. Other frankly more knowledgeable fans (than I) may favor other tracks, but I feel these are the classics here. I also have little use for the highly derivative 36 minute tune because though it has merit, I have much more refined and creative music of the genre in my collection. Another factor is that this is very poorly transferred to digital and --if anything-- is likely to sound worse than decent vinyl. This is a shame since the overall quality of music deserves better treatment (perhaps there is a better transfer available?).



2. I remember owning this on vinyl back in the stone age when music was produced by scraping the tip of a rock across a glossy black platter. "Initiation" included my all-time favorites by Todd, "Fair Warning", "Eastern Intrigue", and "Real Man". If I were assembling a playlist for my portable mp3 player these songs would dovetail nicely with the Beach Boys' "Surf's Up".
   
   I was disappointed that "Fair Warning" and "Eastern Intrigue" didn't appear on the 2CD best of Todd that came out in the mid-eighties, and it made me wonder what other delicious progressive rock moments of Todd's were overlooked in favor of more pop material. Like the Beach Boys, I'm sure that Todd has his critics who think he should stay close to the "I Get Around" moments in his catalog. Don't get me wrong, I love "Bang the Drum All Day", "Real Man", "Hello It's Me", "Can We Still Be Friends" and other pop gems of Todd's catalog, but his ability to make musical discovery accessible equals or supercedes his ability to create top notch pop classics.



3. I'm glad I finnaly found this piece of Todd's work on CD. It brought back memories of days well gone by.
   I've searched high and low for his "Works" and finally found it without bidding against other fans on ebay.



4. If there ever was a reason to stay drug-free, Initiation proves it. Todd, easily one of the most gifted songwriters in pop rock history, completely falls off the deep end with Initiation. I'm not going to experiment with what Todd used to come up with this album, but perhaps that means that I won't ever appreciate this album. I'm fine with that--the bizarre album is virtually unlistenable except for the first track. Todd has dozens of classic songs, so even devoted Todd-ees can skip purchasing Initiation and have a real complete disography of his work.



5. This is one of my all time favorite Todd albums. There isn't a bad song on here and it's unfortunate that at it's release was widely panned. The album also lasts 67 and 1/2 minutes which in the days of lps was quite long. Side one features six songs played mostly with Utopia which was going thru a lineup change at the time. In fact, it was during these sessions that Roger Powell and John "Willie" Wilcox were "asked" to join the band. Side two is made up of the Cosmic Fire segment running 36 minutes. The most known song on here is Real Man which beings the album in fine fashion followed by Born To Synthisize(think of the Grateful Dead's What's Become Of The Baby).Eastern Intrigue is fun which runs into the title track which smokes with some help from early midi stuff. Fair Warning is a cool ballad with great lyrics about an individual's choice in the way things are(I don't like to call it fate as it releaves the person's responsibility for their actions like the song suggests).
   I should add that all the songs on here have meaning.Side two is given to an instrumental piece called Cosmic Fire. The best sounding version is again the Japan import

5 comments about Normal As the Next Guy.

1. First off, did you like the album `Zoom'? If you did, you will absolutely like `Normal As The Next Guy'. This is a great companion to that Knack "comeback" effort from 1998. The standout power pop songs here are `Les Girls', and even more so `Normal As The Next Guy'. Lead singer Doug Fieger is having fun with the vocals on both of these while Berton Averre matches up with great guitar licks. `Les Girls' has a Jimmy Buffet feel to it. `Girl I Never Lied To You', `It's Not Me', `Seven Days Of Heaven', and `A World Of Our Own' are right out of the `Zoom' playbook and rank up there with any of the songs on that very good album. A few of the tracks harken back to their early 80's LP `Round Trip'. `Disillusion Town' reminds me of `Just Wait And See' and `Dance Of Romance' is jazzy like `Little Cal's Big Mistake' was. `A Reason To Live' is a beautiful heartfelt ballad while `One Day At A Time' is a slightly stripped down redo of a song from `Serious Fun'. `Spiritual Pursuit' and `The Man On The Beach' go off the board a bit. `Pursuit' takes a corny stab at religion while `Beach' is a tribute to the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. These two are probably my least favorite tracks but add body to the work.
   Personally, I rediscovered The Knack in the mid-2000's. I was originally on board a long time ago having bought `Get The Knack' right out of the gate and loving it back in '79. But it was fits and starts and missteps for the band thereafter. They released their third album, then broke up two months later. Must be a lousy album I thought...(fooled - it's good). They roared back to life in '89 with a song called `Rocket Of Love' but quickly disappeared when the record company shelved that album. Then I saw The Knack live in the mid-2000s. My expectations were tepid. I was fooled again, they were great! I purchased `Re-Zoom' (a rereleased version of `Zoom') and loved it. Little by little I filled in my collection of past Knack items. Albums I had written off long ago and DVDs I had never even heard about. Each time I was pleased, though the production value on a DVD called `Live At The Rock `N Roll Funhouse' was not perfect. So why did I wait until now to buy `Normal As The Next Guy'? Seeing The Knack live twice, they never played any songs from `Normal As The Next Guy'. Must be a lousy album I thought. So I dogged it, and now with Doug Fieger's passing I bought the album just to round out my collection. Fooled again! Good effort. Viva Les Knack!



2. In 2001, The Knack went into the studio, recorded, and released this CD. Like all of the group's previous records this one would be different from the previous release. The group's leader, the late Don Fieger once described this CD as their "White Album," because it was so eclectic. Previously the group had released "Zoom" which was a pop power house. On "Normal as..." the band still rocks, but they add more colors to their otherwise colorful pallet. The CD opens with 'Les Girls,' a song that retains all the catchy colorful sounds one associates with the Knack, but the arrangement could easily fit with Kenny Chesney or Jimmy Buffet. The next real gem here is the countrified "Girl I Never Lied to You." The poignent melody and the bittersweet lyrics are the material that hits come from. I was humming this song for days after I first heard it. The title cut is a stomping, rocking, piece that highlights Prescott Niles' bass playing. And what a bass payer he is! This CD also features something the group had never done before. They re-make 'One Day at a Time,' from the 'Serious Fun,' CD. Only instead of the pop-metal ballad they did on "Serious Fun," they arrange the piece in a folk rock mode. The old adage: "A good song is a good song..." surely applies here. The new arrangement takes nothing away from the old arrangement. Instead the listener gets a completely new and fresh song. The group even takes on the jazz rock that was once Steely Dan's monopoly. Not only does the 'Dance of Romance,' have that sweet jazzy sound we associate with The Dan, but Berton Averre does a magnificent job of laying down lead lines that could raise pangs of envy in Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter. The band returns to their famous sound with 'A World of My Own,' only to switch gears admirably to the Beach Boyish "Man on the Beach." Do yourself a favor and 'get' The Knack. Unfortunate as it is that the group's leader recently passed, perhaps this will inspire people to open up their minds, let go of all the negative silliness the music press heaped on these guys, and give them a try. You won't regret it.



3. Horrible album cover, and the music is even worse. Doug must be back on drugs again. Not one song on this collection is memorable, singable, or any damned good. Are these guys the ones who did My Sharona? Wonder who wrote Sharona for them? This album blows. They should have hung it up after Serious Fun.



4. 1. Les Girls
   Terrible. What a bad way to get this CD off to a start!
   
   2. Disillusion Town
   Quality Knack!
   
   3. Girl I Never Lied To You
   Decent Pop track.
   
   4. Normal As The Next Guy
   Total Junk!
   
   5. Spiritual Pursuit
   What a load of CRAP! What were they thinking? A joke? Who cares!
   
   6. It's Not Me
   Decent Pop.
   
   7. One Day At A Time
   This is a classic Knack tune but they already released this way back on "Serious Fun" and THAT version was better! I guess they were at a loss for material for this release?
   
   8. Seven Days Of Romance
   Actually the title is "Seven Days Of Heaven" and it's a great Knack pop song!
   
   9. Dance Of Romance
   Horrible, Horrible CRAP!
   
   10. Reason To Live
   Doug should have not gone for the high notes in this tune (his range is not what it once was) but this is a very moving and powerful song!
   
   11. A World Of My Own
   Decent Knack tune... but you can take it or leave it.
   
   12. The Man On The Beach
   Great "beach boys" style tune but could have been produced to offer a more "expanded" sound. The limited production leaves it far short of beach boys territory.
   
   ----------
   
   This was a great chance for the Knack to make some waves (they had a deal with Image to release this CD and a DVD at the same time). They totally dropped the ball and delivered this MESS. There's some good Knack tunes on this disk but only a Knack fan will want to wade through the junk to find them.
   
   -JM



5. I wrote a review of this CD in 2001. Here is a copy of that review:
   What Happened To This Band?, October 11, 2001
   I was excited to get this record as The Knack have always been a true force in power pop and one of my favorite bands. This is why I feel so bad about this review. Something went terribly wrong with this recording. The songs are third rate, the production is way off, The drums or lack there of are totally amateurish. There's even a horrible Beach Boys tribute song included. Doug is no Brian Wilson!! Don't get this Knack..
   (2005)
   Being a true Knack fan I was so excited to hear it. I couldn't believe my ears. What a miserable boring album. Just the other day I decided to give it another listen thinking I would be open minded. Guess what? It still stinks.

5 comments about Greatest.

1. In a short career that spanned barely 5 years and 4 albums, The Raspberries ran up a string of brilliant singles. Their goal was to reclaim the mantel of early Beatles and Who singles, while rejecting the overblown pomposity much of 70's prog rock had meandered into. They even wore matching suits and poofy hair on the first album cover, along with a scratch and sniff Raspberries sticker. The first hit from that album, "Go All The Way," roared out with loud, sweet guitars and Beach Boy harmony, setting up the future for the band.
   
   Centered mainly on Eric Carmen's McCartney-esque voice and songwriting, The Rasperries began knocking out single marvels with the consistency of the best Badfinger hits. They used lyrical teases instead of blatant come-ons to make their songs cover more ground, like when Carmen chirps "Oh! I wanna be with you! So Baaaaaaad!" or the winsome want of "Let's Pretend." The band also were excellent mimics, with "Drivin' Around" a flawless Beach Boys concoction.
   
   However, Carmen began to exert domination over the band and tension caused both Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti to split after Side 3. Regrouping led to the appropriately named Starting Over and Carmen's last single masterpiece with The Raspberries. With the plea for success that is the pocket symphony "Overnight Sensation," Carmen blended Brian Wilson's songwriting with Phil Spector production to create one of power pop's perfect four minutes. About midway into the single, Carmen and the band get sucked into a car radio and the tinny speaker cranks out the boys as they chant "want a hit record, yeah!" across the nation's airwaves. I can still occasionally get the goosebumps when I hear this song.
   
   That bit of wishful thinking not withstanding, The Raspberries broke up soon after. Eric Carmen had a fairly successful solo career and Wally Bryson went on to join power pop maestros (and cult faves) Fotomaker. But for a brief and fiery moment, The Raspberries made the kid of guilty pleasure music you didn't have to feel guilty about.



2. I just don't get it. I like Raspberries music. I thought they were (are) a great rock band. They were more than "Go all the way". But here we have yet another Raspberries "Best of" and this time somebody doctored the tapes. Wally Bryson's great "Party's over" is different from the original found on the Starting Over album. You have to listen carefully but the song has been edited to exclude the line "call me crazy but I don't give a Sh.." You know what I mean. The ultimate "I know the band's hit the skids, but I'm gonna carry on" song has been changed. They deserve more than that. What is Capitol/ EMI afraid of?



3. This was a great album to buy as it is reminiscent of the 80's.



4. I own all the Raspberries CD's and records. This is one of my favorites of all of the more than 400 CD's that I own. There is no better guitar player than Wally Bryson and there is no better voice than Eric Carmen. Also great are Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfonti. One of the best songs ever is GO All THE WAY! The beginning of that song sends shivers down my spine. Great CD!



5. I love this CD! I had forgotten how much fun they are to listen to, and how talented they were. I'm glad to hear they're touring again, and hope they come around my way. I haven't stopped listening to this since I bought it about a month ago!

5 comments about The Dandy Warhols Come Down.

1. By far one of their best efforts. This is the album that set the hook for me. I had come across some tracks in a special book and cd from a product called difi. That left me wanting more which led me to this monumental album from real legends.
   
   [...]



2. With song titles ranging from "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" to "Hard On For Jesus," that should be your first guess that this is going to be a weird journey...in a good way. Subject matter includes loner sex, self loathing, regret, drug abuse, and questioning oneself.
   
   "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" really put the Dandys on the map and rightfully so. The song reflects some dark subject matter set to a poppy, catchy melody that still sounds fresh today, 12 years after its original release.
   
   Other gems include "Every Day Should Be a Holiday," "Cool as Kim Deal," "Minnesoter," "Hard On For Jesus," and "Good Morning." You will not get bored with this album and the strange thoughts it provokes.



3. The Dandys are one of those singular sound outfits, in that after you're familiar with them, upon hearing an unfamiliar song from another Dandy album, you'll recognize it in a few short notes. They've borrowed the wall of sound from Phil Spector and harmonies from the Beach Boys but they've massaged droning fuzzy guitars and catchy synth leads into a new sound all their own. The infectious "Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" is clearly the hit on the CD. Rent 'DiG!' the must-see 2004 Dandy documentary film companion piece, depicting the Warhols' rise contrasted with the sometimes sad, always animated floundering of friendly rivals The Brian Jonestown Massacre.



4. 
   My first exposure to this band would have been on an Australian music video show, probably Rage. It was for the song "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth". Found it a really catchy, poppy song, and Zia McCabe was really cute! She's the keyboardist for the band. I'm sure girls would find the lead singer, a man, sexy too. Many years ago, an internet portal (Excite), along with a soft drink manufacturer, was offering a free mix tape cd where you could choose the songs you burned onto the cd. "Junkie" was one of my picks. Only bought the album that song came from last week. Here's what I think of it:
   
   Even though the album doesn't have another song which screams "single release" like "Junkie", there are lots of nice and pleasant songs to like here, like:
   
   Minnesoter: a catchy song with a simple sound, a guitar introduction that reminds me of the later song "Tubthumping" by Chumbawumba, and a vocal sound not unlike Neil Diamond. Has a cool mouth harp sounding instrument.
   
   Orange: one of a number or languid, eerie sounding songs. Has a sort of out of tune guitar sound to it, not a million miles from the classic Chris Isaac song "Wicked game". Features a breathy vocal, with female accompaniment.
   
   Everyday should be a holiday: has a Billy Idol kind of introduction. Not sure if this song is another one featuring the mouth harp or a similar sounding instrument. The sound if not a million miles from a Daft Punk kind of song. The vocal sound/rhythm reminded me of Duran Duran's "Hungry like the wolf", I think. This is a nice pop song and has nice backing vocals too.
   
   Good morning: has an ethereal/ghostly guitar introduction. In fact, I kept taking my headphones off thinking that my listening was being interrupted by a truck slowing down...there's that kind of sound in the song! The vocals sound a bit like a Lou Reed or Jim Morrison song. At one stage there is a very fuzzy sounding guitar, but it settles down afterwards.
   
   Whipping tree: has a Pink Floyd sound, guitar wise (think "Wish you were here", I think). A delicate, ethereal sound.
   
   Green: a contender for the second best song on this cd, along with Minnesoter. If this band ever release a compilation, this song would make a welcome addition to it. Has a pretty melody and a delicate sound, like the song above. Just totally btb, this is also the name of a song I consider to be the best song ever written, perhaps, in the pop field for sure: Alex Lloyd's different song with the same title.
   
   Over the last half or more of this cd, the album has a more coherent feel and sound to it. In other words, from the song "Good morning" to the final two songs, which are both, pretty much, instrumentals, there is a sort of psychedelic feel to this cd. These songs are better than filler and make really good "chill out" music.
   
   Maybe the sound on this cd could have been "brighter" if you know what I mean, but otherwise no complaints. The Dandy Warhols are band that on this album like to experiment with sounds...it sounds like they are twiddling lots of knobs in this album and the effect is quite good-lots of experimental type sounds between songs. Didn't really seem to notice much bass sound in this album, so, if you like music with bass guitar etc, you may want to explore a band like Pixies. On which...
   
   There is a song called "Cool as Kim Deal" on this album. Just discovered Pixies the last few months and love them. Deal was their bassist and occasional backing singer/lead singer. Good band for bass guitar, Pixies. This song has 60's style harmonies with an organ type sound to it too. Has a bit of a "Mammas and the pappas" sound to it (that's a band from the 60's). The organ also reminded me of an organ melody for the song "Jerk it out" (I think that's the name of the song).
   
   There is a song on this cd called "Hard on for Jesus". It doesn't seem blasphemous to me, though I'm an atheist and wouldn't really care too much if it was (within reason).
   
   If you like this album, you may also want to check out The Vines' cd "Highly evolved" which also has a retro sound to it, albeit more rock at times. Reviewed that here a while back.
   
   Good album this.



5. While lacking the musical depth and lyrical expansiveness of 13 Tales, it's still a darn good listen...