Some 15-20 years ago, I subscribed to a wonderful monthly
newsletter/magazine titled International
CD Exchange (ICE for short). In
the words of another fan,
it “covered new releases and reissues on CD, usually weeks or months before
they were released”. During the time I subscribed, the news that most excited
me was the upcoming release of this compilation, especially when I previewed
the track list (probably at the Rhino Records website). Unfortunately, for some
reason its release was delayed for many months beyond the original schedule. It
wound up not coming out until 2007, actually after the 2006 demise of ICE.
I’ve liked the band since my college days, not just for the
big hits that most people know, but even more for their less-successful singles
(as the list below illustrates). Thus, I was constantly frustrated by the “Best
Of” albums that consistently omitted several of my favorites. This one,
however, contains a generous 33 tracks, covering the time before, during, and
even after The Michael McDonald Years. And, as I write this, the 2-disc set is
available from Amazon for a mere $11.88 – a bargain if I ever saw one.
Favorite tracks:
Take
Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)
Another Park, Another Sunday
Eyes Of Silver
Long Train Runnin’
I Cheat The Hangman
Real Love
Wheels Of Fortune
Takin’ It To The Streets
Black Water
What A Fool Believes
One Step Closer
South City Midnight Lady
You Belong To Me
China Grove
Minute By Minute
I agree wholeheartedly regarding the "Best Of" albums. Saw them about five years ago and was pleasantly surprised at how good they sounded.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of college, during those years I began believing that 1965 may have been the best year of what some now call the "first generation" of rock. Listening to the Top 40 from this week in 1965 includes the following artists:
The Beatles (of course)
The Temptations
The Supremes
Gary Lewis and the Playboys
Roger Miller
Gerry and the Pacemakers
Herman's Hermits
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Shirley Bassey
Righteous Brothers
Jr. Walker and the All Stars
Petula Clark
The Zombies
The Dave Clark Five
Johnny Rivers
The Impressions
Roy Orbison
The Four Tops
Peter and Gordon
The Animals
The Beach Boys
Chad and Jeremy
Martha and the Vandellas
Del Shannon
Sam Cooke
The Kinks
and, finally:
The Tradewinds (of course)
Well, 7 songs from 1965 made my all-time Top 100 (including The Tradewinds, of course), more than any other year.
DeleteGary Lewis & The Playboys were (and are) a guilty pleasure.
Agree. I never checked to see who wrote their songs.
DeleteAll over the place. Leon Russell (!) is listed as a co-writer on several of them. Al Kooper's one of three listed for "This Diamond Ring", and "Sure Gonna Miss Her" is by Bobby Russell.
DeleteNo "Rockin' Down the Highway?"
ReplyDeleteOnly so much room. Also had to omit "Listen To The Music".
Delete