My Amazon Reviews: UB40 "Greatest Hits"

...Goes to My Head
4 Out Of 5 Stars

Probably the most successful reggae band in the world (and at the very least in terms of American success), UB40 started life as a leftist political band and ultimately ended up a bizarrely successful cover band. Their name taken from the UK equivalent of an Unemployment form, this "Greatest Hits" collection does a real good job of making sure that you'll discover that the band was more than just their reggae-fied takes on 60's and 70's oldies.

Vocalist Ali Campbell had plenty of swagger and that helped to make the protest songs (like "One In Ten," a slap at Margaret Thatcher) convincing. He could also croons convincingly, as he does on "Please Don't Make Me Cry." The cover of the Gospel standard "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" presented Ali as a soulman, and the song became popular after being adopted by the 2003 English Rugby team. Ali and his brother Robin were formidable songwriters, and the bulk of the songs were full band efforts.

But it was the covers that made them stateside success, and they're all here. The breakthrough version of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" is here, but in its single version (minus the toasting of member Terence "Astro" Wilson) and that holds my review from being 5 stars. (Also a minus, no real information/liner notes/photography other than songtitles and album credits.) The three "Labour Of Love" collections was where the bulk of the covers were taken, including the Temptations' "The Way You Do the Things You Do," Al Green's "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)." Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love," came from "Promises and Lies," and their version of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" (with Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders) came from "Baggariddim," but was one of the band's first US hits. They'd try that duet trick again with "Breakfast In Bed," to lesser results.

The band eventually fell into the trap of aiming at the cover version singles as their bread and butter, losing their edge as a band. But the singles across all the albums were always UB40's strong suit, and this "Greatest Hits" spotlights the band in their heyday (before Ali left). You can choose your speed...the ultra-poppish covers or the stinging reggae of "If It Happens Again" or "Kingston Town." Either way, you'll come out ahead.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Jimi Hendrix "Experience Hendrix: The Best Of Jimi Hendrix"

Quintessential
5 Out Of 5 Stars

I usually try not to give 5 star reviews to best of packages, but "Experience Hendrix" does everything right. Let us also face a dubious reality; Jimi Hendrix has been repackaged and reissued as much as, if not more than, The Doors, The Beatles or any other great artist to have ceased to be. How many versions of "Hey Joe" do you need, after all? However, with 20 songs from 5 albums, extensive liner notes, a lot of great pictures, "Experience Hendrix" beats any other single disc Hendrix anthology out there. It's also given a loving remaster, with the squeals of Hendrix guitars and the phase-crazy production in all its experimental glory.

All the songs you'd expect would be here ("Foxy Lady," "Purple Haze" and - even though I could go the rest of my life without hearing it again - the Woodstock version of "Star Spangled banner"), along with chocks of Hendrix incredible work. The delicate "Little Wing" always gets my juices going, "All Along The Watchtower" is one of those rare moments where an artist completely claims another writer's iconic work (Dylan) and the not as frequently heard songs from the uncompleted "First Rays of The New Rising Sun" show what Hendrix was imagining his future to be like. This is classic stuff, and issued in a classy set.

   

My Amazon Reviews: Crhis Isaak "Beyond The Sun"

I'll Follow The Sun
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Early in Chris Isaak's career, there was a common critical dig that Chris was a slavish Elvis impersonator with a jones for Roy Orbison heartache. His videos for "Dancin'" and "Blue Hotel" did little to dispel that notion, despite that his second album had already shown Chris to be an astoundingly good singer and rapidly coming into his own as a songwriter. "Wicked Game," which out-Orbisoned Roy finally pushed the comparisons aside and made Chris a star. But he never shed that love of the Sun Sound, which followed his albums as he delivered them over the last three decades.

It's on "Beyond The Sun" that Chris pays homage to his old 45's. A chance comment by Sam Phillips that he was a fan of Chris' musical style and sincerity made Chris decide to gather his band, bone up on those classic Sun Studio 45's and make a trip to Memphis to record them on their home turf. I went for the double disc edition as a long-time fan and, while not disappointing, feel a bit awkward at rating the set higher than 3 stars. If you're going to dig into classics from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, or Jerry Lee Lewis, you have to wonder if Chris wanted to claim them for himself or just make a record of tributes? "I Can't Help Falling In Love" (Presley) is such a stunning recreation that you could easily fool friends into thinking it's the King himself. Johnny Cash isn't quite the same, but Chris takes "Ring of Fire" and does little to change the song from the sound of its original single.

Lesser known material fares better. Songs like "Dixie Fried" (Carl Perkins) or "So Long I'm Gone" (Warren Smith) help to balance the familiarity factor. Chris also chips in an original titled "Lovely Loretta," a cool bit of Memphis swing. Michelle Branch shows off her chops with a duet on "My Happiness" (Presley), a highlight on the set. All across "Beyond The Sun," Isaac delivers convincing performances and shows his reverence for the material. It's thoroughly enjoyable, just don't expect transcendence.

   

My Amazon Reviews: Various Artists "Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records"

Apple to The Core  
3.5 Stars Out Of 5

This delightful sampler of The Beatles' very own label is a lot of fun, if also loaded with plenty of trifles. It pulls a whole batch of lost 45's and gathers them onto one 21 songs salute. It's also a bit of a history lesson as to where The Beatles themselves thought music would head. They where often spot on, with the discovery of Badfinger (3 singles), James Taylor (the original version of "Carolina On My Mind") and Billy Preston (two singles). There's a few misses who should have been bigger (Mary Hopkin, with her classic "Those Were The Days") and Chris Hodge, whose near hit in the USA, "We're On Our Way" was one of the last Apple Singles.

Also plenty of fun stuff in the middle, like British Star Jackie Lomax's Harrison penned "Sour Milk Sea" and a novelty TV theme for a Brit Comedy "Thingumybob," written by McCartney and played by The Black Dyke Mills Band (allegedly the "most famous brass band in the world). The goofiest of these is the rarity "King of Fuh," by Brute Force, who was a member of The Tokens (of all groups!). Reportedly only 1,000 copies were ever pressed and its obscene double-entendre ("All hail the Fuh King") had factory workers at EMI refusing to handle it.

There's a handful of duds, as well. Hot Chocolate eventually became a hit-making pop band ("Emma" and "Every #1's a Miracle"), but their reggae-ed version of "Give Peace a Chance" is forgettable. Lennon's early foray into political singles, "God Save Us," is overbearing. "Golden Slumbers-Carry That Weight" by Trash was a sneak peak at The Beatles' "Abbey Road," and won't make you forget the more famous version. It's very telling to hear how many of these artists were "Applized," with different members of The Beatles writing, playing or producing these acts in their own image. Compare Taylor's Apple "Carolina On My Mind" to the more famous version; it's obvious he was being pushed to a sound that wasn't a completely natural fit.

Overall, however, "Come And Get It" is a treasure trove of lost singles that Pop History buffs will thrilled to have. Beatlemaniacs will find it a must own, and plenty of folks who'd listen to old AM radios will likely discover forgotten songs buried in the back of their aural memories.

 

My Amazon Reviews: Sly And The Family Stone "Greatest Hits"

Boom Acka Lacka Lacka Boom!
5 Out of 5 Stars

One of the men who can lay an honest calling to "Father of Funk" is Sly Stone, and this brief but effective best of maps it out brilliantly. When I was in high school and on the Wrestling Team, there were "Sports Buses" that took team members home after practice. In reality, they were Ford Vans, but they also had 8-Track players. Our driver was this burly, bearded bear of a man named Terry, and he almost always had this album in the 8-track. I have many memories of going home on dark winter evenings as "Hot Fun In The Summertime" and "Everyday People" would play.

Almost Forty years later and I'm still digging it. Sly cross pollinated funk, rock, 60's psychedelic and a decidedly political bent and emerged with not just the first truly integrated rock band to create hit records, but anthems that partied and thought out loud. While Stone's eventual personal disintegration happened after this anthology was released (meaning it's missing "If You Want Me to Stay" and "Family Affair"), what's here is still extraordinary in its power.

After all, if you can't smile to the hits here, you're probably too old or old enough to have gone deaf. "Stand!," "Thank You (Fallettinme Be Micelf Agaon)" and "Dance To The Music" are still guaranteed crowd pleasers, and the non/lesser-hits like "You Can Make It" and "Sing A Simple Song" will pack the party. Which is the cool thing about this Greatest Hits. Stone may have had a little gas left in the tank, but this album was released at a peak moment in his creative timeline. You can pop it in and it rings joyously from beginning to end, holding together like a whole album and not just a collection of singles. To this day, it remains a classic time capsule for creativity in American Music.