U2 - Wide Awake In America (1985)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

EPs from the early '80s didn't often see a CD release, but when you're U2 they make exceptions. (Now if we could only see some CD releases of Dekadance and Twisting By The Pool, but I digress.) Advertised as "A special low priced collection of live recordings and out takes from The Unforgettable Fire tour and album 1984-85." These days, they'd just tack these tracks on the end of Deluxe Edition CD and brickwall the things, but fortunately these tracks sound as good as I remember them on my Pioneer car deck back in the summer of '85.

As with most U2 recordings, Edge steals the show, but all band members put their best foot forward here, especially on the two live tracks.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone: "of interest primarily to die-hard fans"
• CashBox: "Tight performances and impassioned lead vocals"
• Billboard: "U2 has been enjoying an incredible hot streak"
• Robert Christgau (B): "Epic humility--take it or leave it."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200 : #37
• CashBox: #26
• Rolling Stone chart: #21

Tracks: the two live tracks are both better here than their studio counterparts on The Unforgettable Fire. It's a close contest for my top tune on this EP between Bad and Three Sunrises; the latter sounding like it might have been an outtake from War but with vocal harmonies The Association would be proud of. I'm not wild about the final cut, Love Comes Tumbling, which sounds to me more like an Echo & The Bunnymen b-side than a U2 b-side.

All tracks recorded in England, so I'm guessing the EP title was a marketing ploy. Well, it worked on this guy.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This cassette was in heavy rotation in my car during the summer of 1985. As a public school teacher, I've enjoyed some great, carefree summers in my life, but that summer after my freshman year in college certainly ranks right up there.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Live: Under A Blood Red Sky (1983)

Billy Joel - River Of Dreams (1993)

I bought this album when it was released, didn't much care for it, sold it/traded it in, and forgot about it. I obviously thought it wasn't one of his better efforts. Joel was past his prime. Paying $2, I picked up another copy out of the clearance used bin earlier this month. I haven't heard the whole thing in over 25 years; let's give it a spin.

Had the piano man given up on piano? There's a lot of guitar here, which I guess should be expected when you get a guitarist to produce. I've got nothing against Danny Korthcmar, but I'd rather have Phil Ramone, Liberty DeVitto, and a Steinway. And don't get me started on the blatant cultural appropriation (which normally doesn't bother me much but I'm admittedly piling on here, so...) or the cover art by then-wife Christie Brinkley.

The verdict: after giving this another listen, I still don't care much for it. It's not that I gave up on Joel because of this album. I bought his 2001 "classical" piano album and saw him in concert in '99. I just don't think there's enough strong writing, both musically and lyrically, on this one.

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★★★★): "revealing the stranger behind the mask"
• Billboard: "the finest album of a remarkable career"
• Stereo Review: "The playing and arranging throughout are as sharp as a saber's tip."
• Entertainment Weekly (A-): "a popmeister’s epiphany, a pensive record that also manages to be irresistible."
• Los Angeles Times (★★): "a stream of social consciousness most buoyant when it breaks off into shallower tributaries."

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1

Tracks: The standout track is the beautiful Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel). Despite the bitter lyrics, The Great Wall Of China has a good rock groove I'd forgotten about and a chorus that hearkens back to The Nylon Curtain. The Memphis-influenced A Minor Variation and, although I don't know what he's on about, the sea-chantey Two Thousand Years are decent filler. I'll pass on the rest, including the two Top 40 singles (mentioned on the hype sticker, below) which never seem to get going for me.

The album is not without some unintentional irony: a soulless song titled All About Soul and vague lyrics in a song titled Shades Of Grey. However, the last track is Famous Last Words which was foreshadowing his retirement from studio albums - that's my 20/20 hindsight in 2020.

Did somebody mention MiniDisc?

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: At the time of this release, I was just starting a 4 year stint as a stay-at-home dad. I had no idea what I was doing or should be doing which is quite frustrating. Plus, we had little CD (not to mention food) money because we'd given up my salary. Still, it's not a bad way of life and that son (now age 27) turned out better than I could have ever hoped. I've got plenty of regrets in my past, but the decision to stay home those four years is not one of them.

Previously revisited for the blog:
My Lives (2005)
2000 Years: The Millennium Concert (2000)
To Make You Feel My Love (1997)
Storm Front (1989)
The Bridge (1986)
An Innocent Man (1983)
The Nylon Curtain (1982)
Songs in the Attic (1981)
Glass Houses (1980)
52nd Street (1978)
The Stranger (1977)
Turnstiles (1976)
Piano Man (1973)

Various Artists - Billboard Top Hits 1980 - 1984 (1992)

For a CD blogger who started high school in August 1980 and graduated in May 1984 (i.e., me), this 5 disc box set from Rhino is the perfect little time capsule. I have all these songs on other compilation CDs or digital files so I almost left this box sitting in the used bin recently, but I simply couldn't abandon it because when it comes to Rhino compilations, I always say, "Buy 'em when you see 'em because they weren't in print for long." Also, when given the option of physical product or digital files, ONJ and I like to belt out "Let's get 'Physical'" (which happens to be track 5 on the 1981 disc).

I was then informed by a faithful reader that these particular CDs are known for their quality mastering and include some single/promo edits that I might not yet have, so win-win.

The quality of selections is stronger on some discs than others, so here's my ranking of these compilations:

1. 1981
2. 1980
3. 1982
4. 1984
5. 1983

---

BILLBOARD TOP HITS -1980
10 tracks, 40 minutes

Tracks:

1. Blondie - Call Me (3:36, edit of LP mix to mimic 45 version). 
   One of four #1 hits for the group. Rumor has it that writer Giorgio Moroder originally offered this driving shuffle to Stevie Nicks which woulda been a completely different tune. Although it was #1 for 6 straight weeks, I never hear it much anymore; radio stations usually opt for "Heart of Glass" instead. Shame. As of this writing, I still haven't seen American Gigolo.
   
2. Irene Cara - Fame (3:52, 45 version). 
   And we start off with two consecutive soundtrack tunes. This one hasn't aged well, but it's so iconic I don't think that matters. As a teen, I loved the movie, its soundtrack, and the subsequent TV show about 23 year old actors who were still in high school.  This song won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 1980. I always preferred Hot Lunch Jam.
3. Spinners - Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl (4:05, 45 version). 
   A great disco cover of a 1966 Four Seasons tune. There really wasn't any need to add a second song for a medley, but they didn't consult me. The song would spend 16 weeks in the Top 40 spending two weeks in the #2 spot. I always liked The Spinners and enjoyed seeing them hang around into the '80s.
4. Lipps, Inc. - Funkytown (4:08, 45 version). 
   As a kid, I never caught on that the "band" name was homophonic with lip synch, probably because I was a kid. At the time, there was nothing like this synth-driven disco song with no chorus being played on the radio and I have particular 8th grade memories tied to the song. So many synths with a catchy bass line, synth voice, and strings punctuated by guitar. I wouldn't want to live in Funkytown, but it's a fun place to visit. 
5. Elton John - Little Jeannie (5:15, album version).
   I prefer earlier Elton, but this uptempo ballad has enough soft rock elements to get my attention, particularly the electric piano line and Jim Horn's sax solo. The kind of song that doesn't make me change the radio station, but I don't seek it out to play. And I've always confused this one with John's later tune, Nikita - my brain gets more jumbled as I age.
6. Diana Ross - Upside Down (3:42, 45 version). 
   A fantastic hit that exists simply because someone had the brilliant idea of having Ross team up with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic.  A match made in NYC disco/funk heaven - Chic grooving hard with Ross floating above it all. On this hit-filled compilation, Upside Down is the best cut.
7. The Pointer Sisters - He's So Shy (3:40, album version also used as 45 version).
   More pop than R&B, there's not much to the verses but then it builds to the a chorus with hooks for days and a tasty synth solo. I'll confess that 14-year-old me would often change the lyrics to "I'm So Fine" but self-confidence has never been a problem for this humble blogger.
   
8. KC & The Sunshine Band - Please Don't Go (3:52, album version also used as 45 version).
   Over spring break in March 1980, me and about 30 classmates went on a field trip that took us from our coastal Texas homes to an educational center near Keystone, Colorado. As you can guess, that's a lot of time on a school bus. As happens, a few couples formed from the close proximity that probably wouldn't have happened under normal circumstances. By the time we were headed home, one of these couples had already split and I can remember the dumped fella looking in the direction of the girl who had just dumped him as this song played on the radio and he plaintively mouthed the words to her. Alas, his efforts were in vain. These days, for better or worse, I can't hear this song without that image in my head. Another tune that reminds me of that trip is 99 by Toto which would have been a welcome addition to this compilation but probably didn't chart high enough for consideration.
   
9. Captain & Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time (3:56, 45 version).
   My sister was a huge C&T fan and, because she was older than me, she got to choose what LPs we listened to.  As a result, I know the words to every C&T song released between 1975-1980, including this one.  I'm not wild about this particular song, but man-oh-man did Toni T. have some golden pipes.
10. S.O.S. Band - Take Your Time (Do It Right) (3:32, promo 45 version but 15 seconds longer). 
    I always liked this dance tune maybe because I was entering my "dancing fool" phase of life around 1980 (I'll be sure to let you know should that phase ever pass).  With the Nile Rodgers-esque guitar part over a funky synth & bass line, this will now be an earworm in my head for the rest of the day. 

---

BILLBOARD TOP HITS -1981
10 tracks, 37 minutes

Tracks:

1. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes (3:50, album version also used as 45 version). 
   This was the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 for 9 weeks and was like nothing else on the radio at the time; me and my friends sang along with Kim every time we heard the thing.  But lemme tell ya: this cover tune still sounds as good today as it did when it was released.
2. Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl (3:16, album version also used as 45 version).
   A great pop-rocker about a topic with which all teenagers are very familiar: unrequited love. Winner of the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. One of the girls I was crushing on around 1981 had a boyfriend with a two-syllable name and I would often sing along to this tune substituting his name for Jessie's. 
   
3. Air Supply - The One That You Love (4:15, album version also used as 45 version).
   A soft rocker's dream.  Sappy lyrics, big strings, and lots of vocal harmonies. And I quickly learned all the lyrics because the ladies loved Air Supply and this skinny geek desperately wanted to become a ladies man.
   
4. Blondie - The Tide Is High (3:54, 45 version).
   A fantastic cover of a 1967 rocksteady b-side. While Debbie Harry drolly delivers the goods, the real star for me is the arrangement - a cross between reggae and mariachi.
   
5. Olivia Newton-John - Physical (3:45, album version also used as 45 version)
   1981's biggest hit would lay claim to the #1 spot for ten consecutive weeks beginning November 21. Sweet, unabashed pop that bore no resemblance to disco or New Wave but includes a sweet Steve Lukather guitar solo, this thing was huge but doesn't get much any airplay anymore. When I saw ONJ in concert in 2018, she started this tune as a slower version with just an acoustic guitar accompaniment. Once the crowd recognized the song and what was happening, we were all deflated because we wanted to hear the version we're familiar with. After one verse, ONJ said, "just kidding" then the band broke into the single's arrangement. And all was forgiven (not that I could stay upset with Olivia).
   
6. Dolly Parton - 9 To 5 (2:48, album version also used as 45 version).
   Would you be surprised to discover that every CD in this box set contains at least one movie tune? Here's the entry for 1981. I didn't buy the single, but I'll sing along with the thing. It was all over the radio stations I listened to during the winter of 1981. #1 pop, #1 adult contemporary, #1 country - I'll bet I'm not the only one who can sing along with it. If you pay less attention to Dolly and more to the band, I think you'll be impressed with how great the piano and horn parts are. Tight band with members of the Wrecking Crew and other session greats. 
   
7. Juice Newton - Queen Of Hearts (3:30, album version also used as 45 version). 
   I'm indifferent to this one - I can take it or leave it, preferring Dave Edmunds' rockabilly version.
   
8. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Kiss On My List (3:51, 45 version).
   With its near-perfect guitar solo that chooses melody over technique, this is my favorite tune on a stacked Voices album.
   
9. Smokey Robinson - Being With You (4:01, 45 version)
   Ah, when Smokey sings.  What a voice, what a tune.  Great stuff.

   Now let me tell you about a coincidental relationship between Smokey at #2 and Kim Carnes who's at #1 again this week. Kim's last hit was "More Love", her remake of an old Smokey Robinson hit. Well, Smokey liked Kim's version so much that he wrote her another song, but when Smokey's producer heard the demo, he told Smokey, "You oughta record it yourself!" and that's the song we just heard in the #2 position. And how ironic it is that Smokey's recording of the song he'd written for Kim Carnes has been kept out of the #1 spot by a Kim Carnes hit for 3 weeks running. - Casey Kasem, American Top 40, June 6, 1981

10. Kool & The Gang - Celebration (3:43, 45 version). 
    Yes, this former #1 smash has been overplayed from the get-go, but when you're at a wedding reception and the DJ starts playing this one (and the DJ will definitely play this one at some point), you can't help but immediately jump up and find your way to the dance floor because it just fits perfectly. This one's got undeniable staying power.
    

---

BILLBOARD TOP HITS -1982
10 tracks, 38 minutes

Tracks:

1. Quarterflash - Harden My Heart (3:38, 45 version)
   I never had much need for this Pat Benatar wannabe. And don't get me started on the horrid saxophone work.
   
2. Toto - Rosanna (4:05, 45 version)
   Loved this shuffle from the first time I heard it. Peak Toto. One of the biggest hits of the year, it also won three Grammy awards for Record of the Year, Instrumental Arrangement, and Vocal Arrangement.
   
3. The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky (3:59, 45 version)
   A very enjoyable soft rocker. Eric Woolfson has a pleasant, understated voice and there's no denying Parsons' studio skills.
4. Laura Branigan - Gloria (3:54, promo 45 version)
   A cover of an Italian smash hit, I can take it or leave it. The tune isn't bad, but Gloria screams more than sings a good bit of it. Today, I'll leave it. My buddy Blake once told me the story of drunken Branigan showing up for one his high school pep rallies as part of a radio promotion. That would have taken place around '82, maybe a bit later. To be fair, if I had to go to a high school pep rally again, I'd probably enjoy a nip or three beforehand.
   
5. Men At Work - Who Can It Be Now? (3:25, album version also used as 45 version)
   This song captivated me from the get-go. The ominous lyrics flew right over me head - just give me that sax hook! A definitive New Wave single.
   
6. Journey - Open Arms (3:20, album version also used as 45 version)
   I had the Escape album on cassette but the attraction of this song was to softly sing this tune to girls as we slow danced. It was the only real move I had, so I used it all the time, admittedly weakening its effect.
   
7. Rick Springfield - Don't Talk To Strangers (3:01, album version also used as 45 version)
   I liked this tune enough to purchase the album Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would. I should revisit that one.
   
8. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Maneater (4:34, album version also used as 45 version)
   Its the familiar Motown groove but its not. I dig the echo on sax solo. Maneater remained in the #1 spot for four weeks, more than any of the duo's five other number-one hits. Oates claims the song is about NYC, not a woman, but I have my doubts.
   
9. Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong (4:01, 45 version)
   Another "take it or leave it" tune for me. However, this chart-topping track won a Grammy, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar so what do I know? By 1983, I had decided to pursue a music degree once I left high school and, to that end, started taking piano lessons at age 17. My piano teacher gave me a book of pop tunes to keep me interested in daily practice. This song is the only one I remember from that book - I butchered it on a daily basis for weeks.
   
10. The J. Geils Band - Centerfold (3:38, album version also used as 45 version)
    The chorus is okay, the verse is decent enough and there's no solo or bridge, but that instrumental/wordless vocal hook hits you in the face in the intro and doesn't let go for 3½ minutes and it's so solid that none of my earlier slights matter. Not to mention the lyrics greatly appealed to me as an easily titillated teenage boy.  
    

---

BILLBOARD TOP HITS -1983
10 tracks, 44 minutes

Tracks:

1. Men At Work - Down Under (3:45, album version also used as 45 version)
   In line with my contrarian nature, I thought this was the weakest cut on the Business As Usual album but of course it turned out to be the group's biggest hit.
   
2. Toto - Africa (4:22, 45 version)
   Once named the best song ever, Africa was a perfect place for this wannabe New Waver to go to get a soft rock fix.
   
3. Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut (3:18,  album version also used as 45 version)
   It took me longer than it should to finally hip to this rockabilly group, mainly because it was so different than what I was typically listening to. I caught up eventually. I really dig Setzer's guitar work on this cut.
   
4. Michael Sembello - Maniac (4:13, Flashdance album version)
   Is it odd that I like this tune more every time I hear it? And what about Sembello's guitar solo? Stunning. 
   
5. Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue (3:51, album version also used as 45 version)
   I like this one well enough, but I never understood why some people insisted on grouping this funk tune in the reggae genre. Grant's accent certainly takes this one to another place, though. 
   
6. Spandau Ballet - True (5:43, 45 version)
   I love the thing, I always have, and I don't care who knows it. I know all the lyrics and will also vocalize the sax solo. These days, I don't have need for the "I heard this song first so I'm a better person than you" condescension, but insufferable teenage me played that card whenever I could. I'd been a fan of the True album for a good six months before this single hit the local radio waves and I had no reservations about sharing that fact with everybody I knew. Like I said, insufferable.
   
7. Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart (5:37, 45 version)
   I don't care much for the songs of Jim Steinman. I'll leave it at that.
   
8. Greg Kihn Band - Jeopardy (3:49, album version also used as 45 version)
   Like it; don't love it. Can't hear it without thinking of Weird Al's parody.
   
9. Culture Club - Do You Really Want To Hurt Me (4:25, album version also used as long 45 version)
   I can't help but like this smooth pseudo-reggae-lite hit. As I've shared before, the first time we saw the video for this tune, my friend (who shall remain nameless) and I both thought Boy George was female and spent some time debating whether or not she was attractive. Being a very naïve teenager, I had little, if any, experience with androgyny. Of course, all that has more to do with image than music and I think George would get a kick out of that fact.
   
10. Air Supply - Making Love Out Of Nothing At All (5:00, incorrect edit in attempt to mimic 45)
    See track 7. Hell, it's practically the same song.
    

---

BILLBOARD TOP HITS -1984
10 tracks, 41 minutes

Tracks:

1. Yes - Owner Of A Lonely Heart (3:53, 45 version)
   In which Trevor Horn's production prowess saves the careers of a prog-rock band and provides them a comfortable pension in the process. Hooks for days, but this single edit just doesn't do it justice.
   
2. Ray Parker, Jr. - Ghostbusters (4:07, album version also used as long 45 version)
   Parker is a fantastic guitarist and did more session work, songwriting, and production than he's usually given credit for.  Unfortunately, his legacy will be this derivative #1 single. How do I know this?  I saw Parker perform during halftime of a 2010 Memphis Grizzlies basketball game (it was "'80s Night") and the only song he performed was Ghostbusters.  And he brought down the freakin' house.
   
   
   
   
3. The Romantics - Talking In Your Sleep (3:59, 45 album version also used as long 45 version)
   I owned the cassette of this album in my car in late '83/early '84 and it was in medium rotation there. Reminds me of leaving the high school campus for lunch with friends Brett and Roy. It's a catchy thing but it's far from being the best song on the In Heat album.
   
4. Pointer Sisters - Jump (For My Love) (4:02, 45 version)
   Love this upbeat synth-dance tune, particularly when the soaring bridge takes off. Why I never bought the Break Out album is beyond me.
   
5. Billy Ocean - Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) (3:44, US 45 version)
   Other than the hook at the end of the chorus, this nothing attracting me to this hit. But since it was #1 for two weeks and won a Grammy so I'm obviously writing the minority opinion.
   
6. Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (3:54, album version also used as long 45 version)
   I associate this song with driving an over-packed Markmobile as I began my long drive to new adventures in college. It must have been playing on the radio as I left town. George Michael's wonderful voice over a pop-meets-soul feel lifted directly from '60s, man-oh-man this thing is catchy.
   
7. Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It For The Boy (4:21, album version also used as 45 version)
   The Footloose soundtrack pretty much soundtracked the spring of my senior year in high school and this platinum-selling single was part of it all. I just discovered that George Duke produced and is pretty much the one man backing band on this cut, which makes me appreciate it even more. Good stuff.
   
8. Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (4:15, album version also used as 45 version)
   I didn't like it when it was released; still not a fan.
   
9. Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now (4:48, album version also used as long 45 version)
   Great song. As with The Romantics' tune mentioned above, this cut reminds me of driving in my car listening to the Into The Gap cassette during the spring of my senior year in high school. When I listen now, I still try (and usually fail) to hit the high falsetto notes during the last chorus - "Oh, will you stay with me?" - just like I did 35+ years ago. The spirit is willing but the vocal cords are weak.  If you're keeping count, this is the sixth time this particular tune has appeared on the blog.
   
10. Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It (3:49, album version also used as long 45 version).
    I respect Tina's talents, but this song never did much for me. However, I'll use this song's inclusion here as an excuse to post a picture of this CD longbox:

Exclusive CD longbox photo courtesy of
Dirk Digglinator of the Hambonian Archives.

Various Artists - Backbeats: Jazzy Vibes (2010)

Disc number 20 in the Backbeats series of compilations. Despite the disc's subtitle - Soulful Jazz Licks From The 70s - there isn't much jazz here and the tracks aren't all from the '70s, but when the music's good, who cares? Several unfamiliar names are on this track list, which probably means I'll be down a few rabbit holes checking out back catalogs soon (which I suppose is the intent of a sampler such as this).

So if it's not jazz, what is it? Well, I'd allow the vague term "jazz crossover" but it's really a mixed bag of disco, fusion, funk, but mainly instrumental Philly soul music. Reminds me a lot of Blue Note's Blue Series (particularly the Capitol Rare: Funky Notes From The West Coast discs), which can't be a bad thing. Not coincidentally, some of the Blue Series discs and this Backbeats disc were both compiled by Dean Rudland. No personnel credits in the liner notes, so I'm forced to hunt those down on my own.

The compilation starts off enjoyable enough, but things really get cooking with a sublime cover of Killing Me Softly at track 7, followed by a smokin' Lionel Hampton cover of Them Changes. Then you get to 4 consecutive tracks originally on the appropriately named Groove Merchant label and things coast on the good groove for a while. One of those discs that rewards repeated listenings.

Tracks (16 tracks, 76 minutes):

1. Sneaky Return by Michael Pedicin, Jr.
   Taken from the album Michael Pedicin Jr. (1979, Phil. Intl.).
2. In Good Faith by Norman Harris.
   Taken from the album The Harris Machine (1980, Phil. Intl.).
3. Latin Spirit by Leon Huff.
   Taken from the album Here To Create Music (1980, Phil. Intl.).
4. Trade Winds by Lou Rawls.
   Taken from the album When You Hear Lou, You've Heard It All (1977, Phil. Intl.).
5. Latin Love (Let Me Know) by Dexter Wansel.
   Taken from the album Voyager (1978, Phil. Intl.).
6. Metamorphosis by MFSB.
   Taken from the album Mysteries Of The World (1980, Phil. Intl.).
7. Killing Me Softly by Hysear Don Walker.
   Taken from the album Complete Expressions (Vol. 2) (1973, Brunswick).
8. Them Changes by Lionel Hampton.
   Taken the from the album Them Changes (1972, Brunswick).
9. Out On The Coast by Larry Willis.
   Taken from the album Inner Crisis (1973, Groove Merchant).
10. Cisco Kid by Reuben Wilson.
    Taken from the album Cisco Kid (1973, Groove Merchant).
11. Red Beans by Jimmy McGriff.
    Taken from the album Red Beans (1976, Groove Merchant).
12. Like A Thief In The Night by Michael Longo.
    Taken from the album 900 Shares Of The Blues (1974, Groove Merchant).
13. What The World Is Coming To by Dexter Wansel.
    Taken from the album What The World Is Coming To (1977, Phil. Intl.)
14. Is It Something I Said by MFSB.
    Taken from the album MFSB, The Gamble-Huff Orchestra (1978, Phil. Intl.)
15. Killin' Time by Natural Essence.
    Taken from the album In Search Of Happiness (1973, Fantasy)
16. Give Me Your Love by Funk, Inc.
    Taken from the album Hangin' Out (1973, Prestige)

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 31: Dance Floor Revolution (2013)
Volume 3: Philly Disco (2009)

Various Artists - Windham Hill - The First Ten Years (1990)

Today marks the tenth anniversary of The CD Project and I'll admit that I bought this 2 disc set based mainly on its title and solely for the purpose of featuring it today. But it's fitting so I make no apologies. Here's the gist of this new age compilation directly from the liner notes:

Note: label founder William Ackerman doesn't care for the term 'new age' when describing Windham Hill:

We actually pre-date the term considerably, and I don't see why we should be particularly enthused about settling for it.

However, I believe history will remember the label (1976 - 2007) as synonymous with the genre.

I thought I was quite familiar with the Windham Hill label since I've been listening to some of its releases since the early '80s. Plus, CDs from William Ackerman, George Winston, and Liz Story have all appeared on this blog. However, after giving these discs a listen, I quickly discovered there were quite a few Windham Hill artists I had never heard nor heard of. Overall, a very relaxing album, as you might expect, but with more variety than most new age albums - a nice primer.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did Not Chart
Peak on the US Billboard New Age album chart: #10

Tracks:

Disc One:

Song	Artist	Year
Bricklayer's Beautiful Daughter	William Ackerman	1977
White Rain	Alex de Grassi	1979
Colors/Dance	George Winston	1980	✔
Angel's Flight	Shadowfax	1982
Bradley's Dream	Liz Story	1983	✔
Afternoon Postlude Soliloquy	Daniel Hecht	1980
2nd Gymnopedie	Bill Quist	1979	✘
Homfeld Suite	David Qualey	1980	✔
Rickover's Dream	Michael Hedges	1983	✔
Variations on Clair De Lune	Robbie Basho	1979
Oristano Sojourn	Scott Cossu	1984
Clockwork	Alex de Grassi	1983
Peace	George Winston	1982	✔
Aerial Boundaries	Michael Hedges	1984	✔
Egrets	Montreux	1985
On The Threshold Of Liberty	Mark Isham	1983

Disc Two:

Song	Artist	Year
Welcoming	Michael Manring	1985	✔
The 19A	Nightnoise	1984
Montana Half Light	Philip Aaberg	1985	✔
Shadowdance	Shadowfax	1983	✘
Pittsburgh 1901 (Theme From Mrs. Soffel)	Mark Isham	1984
The Calling	Stein & Walder	1986
Gwenlaise	Scott Cossu w/Eugene Friesen	1986
Dolphins	Mike Marshall	1985
Wishing Well	Schönherz & Scott	1987	✔
Theme for Naomi Uemura	Philip Aaberg	1986	✔
Toys Not Ties	Nightnoise	1987
Close Cover	Wim Mertens	1986
To The Well	W. A. Mathieu	1987
Hot Beach	Interior	1982	✔
New Waltz	Malcolm Dalglish	1985
Processional	William Ackerman	1986
Woman At The Well	Tim Story	1987

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

---

First post, 2010: Paul Simon - Graceland (1986)
1st anniversary, 2011 (post #378): Electric Light Orchestra - Time (1981)
2nd anniversary, 2012 (post #694): Seal (1994)
3rd anniversary, 2013 (post #948): Fun Boy Three - Really Saying Something: The Best of Fun Boy Three (1997)
4th anniversary, 2014 (post #1127): Ultravox - Quartet (1982)
5th anniversary, 2015 (post #1231): Soul Hits of the '70s: Didn't It Blow Your Mind, Vol. 5 (1991)
6th anniversary, 2016: no post
7th anniversary, 2017: no post
8th anniversary, 2018 (post #1461): Pat Metheny - Watercolors (1977)
9th anniversary, 2019 (post #1524): Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever (1989)

Devo - Oh, No! It's Devo/Freedom Of Choice (1982/1980)

1993 Virgin reissue, printed in Holland.

Full disclosure: 73 minutes of Devo is a bit much to absorb in one sitting, so this listening was done in three stages while following the CD's sequencing: 1982 album, 1980 album, 2 bonus tracks.

No liner notes other than track listing and publishing info. C'mon.

---

OH, NO! IT'S DEVO (1982)
Tracks 1-11, bonus track 25

I'll be honest, as a teenager I thought of Devo as a novelty act - the costumes, the artwork, the quirkiness - so I never paid them much mind beyond Whip It. In The New York Times, they were once compared to Kiss:

two highly theatrical concept rock groups — Devo and Kiss. Devo has smarts and, so far, no overwhelming commercial success. Kiss has dumbs and lots of commercial success.

But once you get past all that, they occasionally would throw out a worthwhile tune that you'd catch yourself humming later in the day. Still not something I necessarily enjoy as a complete album, but if I happen to hear the right song at the right time in the right mood, it's perfect. I could complain that it's all the same speed and orchestration, but I can't imagine a string-drenched Devo ballad so I won't.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "high-tech dance rock"
• Rolling Stone (★★★): "Nobody should be able to stretch a spud joke out for this long"
• Smash Hits (2 out of 10): "sounds like a collection of those "new wave" dry-roasted peanuts TV commercials"
• Stereo Review: "Rank hucksterism"
• Trouser Press: "The band seems to pay more attention to silly costume changes that its music"

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #47
Peak on CashBox album chart: #47
Peak on the Rolling Stone chart: #28

Tracks: The singles were Peek-A-Boo (peaked #13 on the Dance charts) and That's Good (#6 Dance). Neither charted on the Hot 100 and I'm not much for the former, but That's Good is without a doubt the best cut on this album. I also dig Out Of Sync and Big Mess. I don't know if I just get tired of listening or the quality of songs declines, but for me, the album kind of falls apart at the end. However, all the tunes are highly danceable and if any of these tunes had been played at one of my high school dances in 1982, I would have been on the floor.

Bonus track (track 25): The Dance Velocity 12" remix of Peek-A-Boo.

---

FREEDOM OF CHOICE (1980)
Tracks 12-23, bonus track 24

It's ridiculous to think about, but we thought Freedom of Choice was our funk album. That's as funky as Devo gets, I guess.

-Mark Mothersbaugh

From top-to-bottom, a much better album than Oh, No! It's Devo and not just because of the inclusion of Whip It. More guitar and real drums plus the tempos vary to a greater degree. The band denies it, but to these ears this album is heavily influenced by both Get The Knack and The Pleasure Principle and would go on to greatly influence Whammy! (not that there's anything wrong with any of that). I'm on record as not paying much attention to lyrics, but these caught my ear and I gotta admit there's some funny stuff here.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "The band's odd world vision is still present though it is not as irksome this time around."
• CashBox: "Record buyers, by now, either want to get silly or they don't."
• Rolling Stone: "suspicious emptiness"
• Record World: "an LP full of life"
• Smash Hits (6 out of 10): "there's little here that's truly impressive"
• Trouser Press: "conceals as much as it reveals"

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #22
Peak on CashBox album chart: #23
Peak on the Rolling Stone chart: #24

Tracks: Twelve 2½ minute gems. My top cuts are Girl U Want, Whip It, Snowball, Gates Of Steel, That's Pep, and Planet Earth.

Bonus track (track 25): Turn Around, the b-side of the Whip It single. Not bad - it certainly works as a 13th track to this album.

I recently read the 33⅓ book about this album and will say it is one of the better editions in the series. Each track gets a chapter in which particulars of the song are discussed for a few pages before being used as a point of departure to provide band history and background info. Well done.

---

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Devo performing That's Good at Muffy's Bat Mitzvah on the classic TV series Square Pegs.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Greatest Hits (1990)

Barbra Streisand - The Concert (1994)

I prefer Barbra's late '70s - early '80s pop and disco output and it doesn't seem like I'd purchase a concert CD with track titles like Therapist Dialogue #1 and/or Disney Medley, so I'm unsure how this 2 CD set got on my shelves, but here we are - let's give this thing a spin. On a related note: it seems some of you like to break into my house at night and put random CDs on my shelves. I don't mind that so much, but could you also leave some baked goods or bourbon alongside? Thanks.

Stereo Review, January 1995, pp. 133, 135

There's no arguing that she can belt it out; Babs brought the goods. It's all very scripted, tasteful, polished, and professional (much credit to arranger/conductor Marvin Hamlisch) - the crowd at Madison Square Garden that evening obviously loved every minute of it - just not my preferred Babs. Give me The Main Event or a duet with either Barry Gibb or Donna Summer.

Streisand has subsequently released five more live albums: in 2000, 2007, 2010, 2013 & 2017.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #10

Tracks: Lots of show tunes on this setlist as well as an Overture and Entr'acte that contain some of Barbra's hits which, oddly, don't actually appear on the album. On the first disc (Act I), my pick cuts would be Can't Help Lovin' That Man and Evergreen. From "Act II," I prefer The Way We Were and Not While I'm Around.

The single from the album was Ordinary Miracles by Marvin Hamlisch and Alan & Marilyn Bergman (disc 2, track 7). It did not chart, but was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Pop Vocal, Female, eventually losing to All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Broadway Album (1985)

Bruce Springsteen - Greatest Hits (1995)

Other than the four new songs tacked on to the end, this compilation now plays like the Cliffs Notes version of The Essential Bruce Springsteen. It's mistitled - there's at least 8 'hits' missing - it's more like it should have been titled "Bruce Springsteen: Favorites Plus Four" Don't get me wrong, I dig most of it and Springsteen's legendary status is well-deserved, I'm just disappointed because it could have been better. With 7 top ten singles, the Born In The USA album could be a greatest hits release in itself so picking tracks from that one would be a difficult task, but I'm really missing the title track from Tunnel Of Love, Springsteen's last great single (yeah, I said it).

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #1

Tracks:

Song	Hot 100	Rock
Born to Run	23	-
Thunder Road	-	-
Badlands	42	-
The River	-	-
Hungry Heart	5	-
Atlantic City	-	10
Dancing In The Dark	2	1
Born in the U.S.A.	9	8
My Hometown	6	6
Glory Days	5	3
Brilliant Disguise	5	1
Human Touch	16	1
Better Days	16	-
Streets of Philadelphia	9	25
Secret Garden	19	-
Murder Incorporated	-	14
Blood Brothers	-	-
This Hard Land	-	-

Top 40 omissions: Prove It All Night (#33), Fade Away (#20), Cover Me (#7), I'm On Fire (#6), I'm Goin' Down (#9), War (#8), Tunnel Of Love (#9), and One Step Up (#13).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Essential Bruce Springsteen (2003)