Since September 2010, this blog has recorded the journey of this music junkie as I attempt to listen to all the music in my CD collection. CDs revisited in their entirety from start to finish - no skipping tracks, no shuffle. Compact Discs only - no vinyl, no tapes, no files.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Various Artists - 80's Hits Stripped (2006)


This is the kind of CD you might see in a cut-out bin and think to yourself, "This is the kind of CD Mark would buy." And I did. The back of the CD says this is "ALL 80s, ALL ACOUSTIC!" Well, not really acoustic versions in all cases, but stripped down versions nonetheless.

Tracks:
  1. Jesse's Girl - Rick Springfield
    Rick and his guitar with the occasional slide guitar. Other than the instrumentation, this version doesn't vary much from the original.
  2. Down Under - Colin Hay
    Electric drum machine and electric bass means this isn't an acoustic version. It's pretty straight-forward. I've got this same version on Hay's Man @ Work CD. I didn't like it on there, either.
  3. Your Love - The Outfield
    Just an electric guitar and vocals. This is one of the better cuts on the disc. I've always loved that singer's voice.
  4. The Metro - Berlin
    Finally, a true acoustic version. The original technopop version gives way to dueling acoustic guitars and Terri Nunn's voice. Good stuff.
  5. No One Is To Blame - Howard Jones
    From his Live Acoustic America CD. The original had a lot of piano on it, so this isn't much different except for the audience singing along. If you like the original, you'll like this version.
  6. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
    Another live track; I've also got this one on a Billy Idol greatest hits CD. Imagine the song with acoustic guitar in place of electric guitar, keeping the drums and (electric) bass. Recorded in '93, Idol is not in good voice, but Steve Stevens is a helluva guitar player and steals the show here.
  7. Only the Lonely - The Motels
    Just the fantastic voice of Martha Davis and some acoustic guitars. Now the lyrics make much more sense. Intimate and powerful.
  8. 867-5309/Jenny - Tommy Tutone
    This is a classic song, but age hasn't been kind to Tutone's voice. Between the finger snaps and the spoken word lyrics, I could do without this one.
  9. Missing You - John Waite
    A bonus track his 2004 album, The Hard Way, this isn't a bad acoustic version; it's about what you would expect. Oh wait, it's not an acoustic version. There's electric guitar. I guess acoustic means no drums?
  10. These Dreams - Heart
    From their 1995 The Road Home live album. Oh geez, are those strings? The Wilson sisters' voices sound like they've lived a hard life. Either that or Bonnie Tyler has taken over the vocal duties for Heart.
  11. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
    If you know Dolby, you know there's nothing acoustic about him. In this case, I guess acoustic means only 5 synths instead of 10. I'm listening hard for any acoustic instruments. Possibly the percussion and bass. But then again, these days those could be sampled and it would be hard to tell the difference. Still, this is a classic song and I can't help but love it.
  12. Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes
    I thought I liked this song, but apparently I only liked the poppy arrangement of the 1983 original. This is just depressing.
  13. Heat Of The Moment - Asia
    Yet another live version, this time from Steve Hackett Tokyo Tapes. Lots of 12 string guitar, reminds me of something from EBTG's Acoustic CD. John Wetton sounds good; this is much better than their live version on Fantasia: Live In Tokyo CD.
  14. Our Lips Are Sealed - Jane Wiedlin
    This is a great song in any set up. Wiedlin's voice is cute for a few lines, but then I realize I want Terry Hall or Belinda Carlisle singing in this instead. Still, not bad.
  15. The Stroke - Billy Squier
    From his 1998 album, Happy Blue. This is the best song on this acoustic CD. Squier reworks this song into an acoustic blues like it was something from Junior Wells.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. This is a fairly recent addition to the collection.

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1 comment:

  1. HERCAugust 15, 2013 at 5:10 PM

    I was surprised to find this one on Spotify a few years back and though I had it playlisted, it appears it is no longer available.

    Just before Christmas last year, I somehow stumbled onto this playlist which has acoustic versions of some of my favorite songs. Always on the lookout for a quality acoustic version.

    In a somewhat related story, I've only ever purchased two CDs that were actually mislabelled on the disc itself - have had six CDs where wrong CD was inserted in jewelcase, two of those in box sets. One of the mislabelled discs was KC & the Sunshine Band and More which I bought the day it came out in December 1994. As was my habit back then, I let the clerk remove shrink wrap from the disc and I went out to my car and inserted the disc. Was greeted with light applause and then acoustic strumming and the voice of Stevie Ray Vaughan! Skipped to next track - Clapton. Then Kravitz and on and on I skipped until I got back to track one and ejected disc. Says KC and the Sunshine Band. Took disc and case back inside and they popped it in, listened for like two seconds and said "that ain't disco." Guy opened another one off the rack and popped it in and it was KC! He apologized, gave me both discs and I left.

    Never messed with that acoustic disc until I got around to cataloging my collection in the late Ninetines. Popped disc into PC and discovered it was a disc called The Unplugged Collection: Volume One. Printed up generic sleeve with songs, artists and times and put it back on shelf.

    You ever get any pressing or packing errors like that?

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