Tag: compilation

fields - feeling free
CD

Fields: Feeling Free (The Complete Recordings 1971-1973)

Another shiny object found in the detritus of the 70s: Fields, a trio led by keyboardist Graham Field that rolled deep in the waters of symphonic, progressive, and psychedelic rock. I was only made aware of them a month ago, and I don’t think I’m alone; how else to explain the existence of Feeling Free (The Complete Recordings 1971-1973) which – accurate to its title – collects the band’s entire brief output over two discs? There’s an interesting, “What if early ELP with pop hooks?” vibe to the music that works well, and while there’s nothing earth shattering to be found, it’s a solid compilation I’m glad to fold into my current rotation of classic prog and rock.

Continue reading “Fields: Feeling Free (The Complete Recordings 1971-1973)”
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beatles - anthology
CD

The Beatles: Anthology (1995)

You couldn’t escape the anticipation for the The Beatles Anthology documentary: everyone was waiting to hear the first “new” music from The Beatles since 1970.  Taking rough demos from John Lennon the rest of the band got together to finish them.  And while you can debate the merits of “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” the chance to go behind the scenes with the band as they evolved into legends is an undeniable delight. Continue reading “The Beatles: Anthology (1995)”

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beatles - past masters
CD

The Beatles: Past Masters (1988)

In my brief (very brief) survey of the current stream-everything, digital rules pop landscape its fascinating to see how the single, non-album track has become prominent.  Fascinating because though a lot of fingers point to streaming and digital as primary reason, you can  go back over 40 years and see the same reliance on singles.  Collected as a two-disc set, Past Masters not only shows how adept The Beatles were at the form, but also boggles the mind with just how many “hits” in the pop consciousness weren’t actually collected on the studio albums. Continue reading “The Beatles: Past Masters (1988)”

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beastie boys - sounds of science
CD

Beastie Boys: The Sounds of Science (1999)

There’s an art to compilations, and it’s not always the same art.  Does that make sense?  I don’t know – it’s currently 10:30 in the morning and I’ve already had a snort of whisky in my coffee.  Anyway, compilations can be a generic overview, target a specific period in time, or – if they’re really ambitious – display an evolution of artistic exploration in such a way as to capture an essence, a distillation of what makes a band unique.  So enter The Sounds of Science by the Beastie Boys.  Continue reading “Beastie Boys: The Sounds of Science (1999)”

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bauhaus - crackle
CD

Bauhaus: Crackle (1998)

The truth of the matter is Bauhaus scratch a very particular itch for me, one I don’t get very often.  I picked up Crackle, their 1998 compilation back when it first came out and I was diving into different music, looking for something different.  At the time it was enough to satiate me when I was in the mood for dark and sullen punk, when Joy Division and Siouxsie & the Banshees weren’t cutting it.  Nowadays I’m more apt to stream one of the actual albums, but as a timepiece of their time here on this muddy confusing planet, it does a great job showing what made the band so vital. Continue reading “Bauhaus: Crackle (1998)”

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anthrax - no hit wonders
CD

Anthrax: No Hit Wonders 1985-1991 (2005)

This thing didn’t really need revisiting: Forget their inclusion in the “Big 4” of thrash – for me Anthrax were one of the formative bands of my youth.  In some ways I know these songs like I know my childhood, since they were such a large part of it.  Anthrax was the first band to carry the aggression of the music I had been seeking, but coupled with the clean, rousing vocals I had also come to love.  It may seem odd to kick off Anthrax with No Hit Wonders, a compilation of their (initial) period with Joey Belladonna, but at the time I still had all the cassettes and a compilation seemed like the most budget-friendly solution to hearing some of my favorite songs in higher fidelity. Continue reading “Anthrax: No Hit Wonders 1985-1991 (2005)”

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