Album Description

The ultimate anthology curated by the band, 52 songsincluding 'Don't Let's Start', 'Birdhouse In Your Soul' and the Grammy-winning 'Boss Of Me' plus a full color book with lyrics, discography and essays by the band and NPR's SarahVowell. Digipaks housed in a slipcase. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The Way Compilations Were Meant to be Made
For all those They Might Be Giants' fans hoping that "Dial-A-Song" will attract new fans, well, I'm one of those newbies. Before I picked up "Dial-A-Song", I had only heard a tiny amount of TMBG material ("Istanbul", "Particle Man", "Boss of Me", "Dr. Evil") but I loved all those songs. So, I walk into my local music store, pick it up and listen to it and I am duly impressed. Since, I didn't want to purchase a studio album by then, I opted for this instead and it's now in heavy rotation around my house. I couldn't believe I was missing out on such great songs like "Doctor Worm", "New York City" and "Man, It's So Loud in Here". I was also amused by the humorous second disc, which featured some of TMBG's more obscure works like "I Can Hear You" and the three new live tracks. Add a new fan to your tally, folks!

Incredibly thorough compilation
I never really got into TMBG until I first heard this compilation. The main problem was that I had only heard a few of their songs that didn't really appeal to me. But the Dial-a-Song 20 year box set shows the wide varaiety of the Giants' style. From the poppy "Don't Let's Start," to the hoe-downesqu "Number Three," to... well, what ever you want to classify "Boat of Car" as. The only real flaw I can hear is that some songs that really aren't so great (Spy, James K. Polk, Minimum wage) made the set, while some of the Johns' greatest songs (Kiss Me, Son of God, Destination Moon, We Want a Rock) are nowhere to be seen. Still, that's really not enough reason for you not to buy this set.

Among the best of the "Best of" records!
I bought "Dial a Song" expecting a run-of-the-mill "best of" compilation, hoping to fill in the cracks in my small collection of "Giants" recordings. Well imagine my surprise to find a beautifully assembled compilation of the best of "They Might be Giants"! I mean this in the sense that they didn't just pick out their most popular recordings, but truly the BEST of their recordings. And they didn't stop there! Because instead of simply plopping the songs onto a CD in chronilogical order (as so many do), they arranged them in a sequence that actually makes many of them sound BETTER than they did on the original recordings. The songs flow from one to another with almost eerie smoothness, pulling you into the music and making you bop around the livingroom oozing joy.

Really. A great record. You need it now.

A Great Way To Get Acquainted (or catch up)
In 1999 the band released _Severe Tire Damage_, a disappointing 'live' album that attempted to act as a career retrospective. It did feature many of their best-known songs, but in relatively subpar renditions. This 2-disc anthology is very welcome. It's got ALL of their singles, in the original studio incarnations, plus a good number of classic album tracks ...even a few rarities. Well-sequenced and remastered, too.

Best compilation ever!
This is a good compilation if you are new to they might be giants, it will make you love them!the first cd is kinda like their greatest hits, I love all but one song on this CD.The second one is all of their best songs that weren't hits.Has a lot of live songs and alternate versions too!Oh, and this isn't a collection of dial-a-song songs either, just an anthology and other stuff. If anyone told you not to get this anthology, don't listen.Well worth your money.If you like weird al, devo, or anything of the sort, you'll love this! ... Read more

Album Description

You want your '80s! Fer sure! This is the mother of alltributes to the era of skinny ties, Reaganomics, andPac-Man! Seven CDs, 142 hit songs, from New Wave to Pop toR&B to Hip-Hop to Novelty, including an incredible 49 #1tracks! Starring Queen, New Edition, Duran Duran, RichardMarx, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Men At Work, Toto, The Cure, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams, Simple Minds,Bangles, New Kids On the Block...and many more. Plus a90-page book with hundreds of historical photos, facts, and memories from the decade that wanted it all! Limitededition sculpted rubber cover! Approx. 10 x 8 x 3/4 inches. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Doesn't compare to Rhino's 70's box
Okay, I'll concede this point: If you like a lot of 80's pop, from "new wave/new romantic/synth pop" to metal to plain-old top 40, you'll enjoy the music. I'll also concede that the art direction is both amusing and top-notch, in typical Rhino style. Their box sets are beyond compare in terms of presentation.

The problems: Almost all of these songs have been released on other 80's compilations, and many on Rhino's own product. Billy Crystal's novelty song is probably the rarest thing here. This is a general beef with Rhino, which reissues the same one or two tracks by a certain artist over and over as opposed to picking a lesser known hit. My guess is that most people likely to buy a package like this probably has at least some of Rhino's "Just Can't Get Enough" series, perhaps some of their Billboard 80's discs, and some other companies' compilations. I end up feeling like I pay $10 to $20 per song, or end up buying a package because I like the packaging! (It's true -- suckers are born every minute.)

What's most disappointing, however, is that Rhino did a much better job with their 70's box set. The 70's box set DID contain a few rarities from some big name artists. In fact, their "Have a Nice Decade" box is the ONLY place I'm aware of that one can buy the single version of David Bowie's "Fame" on cd. Similarly it was one of the first cd's to feature the single edit of Gladys Knight and the Pips' "Midnight Train to Georgia." These are just two examples. The only unusual sounding mix I heard on this box was the Romantics' "Talking In Your Sleep", and I didn't listen closely enough to be sure that there was something different about it.

The 70's box also had many interesting sound bites from the 70's (Nixon, Patty Hearst, etc) placed at amusing points during the program. The 80's box contains NO sound bites. This makes this box set more of a collection of tunes and less of an "experience." Sure, the music alone evokes nostalgia but sound clips from Reagan, Bush, Quayle, or "Murphy Brown" would have been interesting. Imagine a soundbite from the news of the shuttle exploding right before Peter Shilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)". That's the kind of fun the 70's box provided.

I also thought the first essay in the booklet was lame, but that's neither here nor there.

I know that my critique may seem overly harsh to some. If I were reviewing this only for people who didn't have any 80's music on cd and wanted a great amount and variety of tunes, I'd certainly recommend this at the 5-star level. Somehow I don't think that is the primary market envisioned for this.

Is this enough '80s music for you?
My biggest gripe is this: there are seven CDs in this package, and my CD player only holds five CDs! :-(

OK, seriously, this is quite a comprehensive collection of 80's music, and just about every genre is represented to some extent. There's Eddie Rabbit, Blondie, New Edition, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Devo, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, just to name a few. Of course, though, it is heavy on the pop numbers, and it certainly brings back memories of high school for me, particularly since the collection seems to lean heavily toward early to mid '80s music. There's not much on it after 1987, which doesn't bother me personally, but I would have liked, for example, "We Didn't Start the Fire," by Billy Joel.

Indeed, that is the one problem with this collection, but that can be said for any collection. For all the wonderful songs on there, so many more were left off. There's nothing by A Flock of Seagulls, Journey, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and each artist that is there is represented only once. Why was The Thompson Twins represented with "Lies" and not "Hold Me Now" or "Doctor Doctor"? Where was Howard Jones? Still, it was well worth the money.

Now, I just need a CD player with more spaces . . .

Nice overview - may be addictive...
Be forewarned, the sugar-coated empty calories found in the LIKE, OMIGOD... box set from Rhino will just leave you wanting more. 142 tracks across seven CDs and it just scratches the surface on a shallow, yet oddly endearing decade.

LIKE, OMIGOD... hits almost all of the popularly acknowledged high points, including "867-5309/Jenny," "Tainted Love," "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," - as well as great novelty numbers and underground tunes like "Pac-Man Fever," "Da Da Da," and "Turning Japanese." While not in strict chronological order like Rhino's 70s set, HAVE A NICE DECADE, LIKE, OMIGOD... is well-sequenced and provides a relatively satisfying trip - as well as a great set for any party. No need for "random play" here - just load this set, hit "play" and dance away.

While this set is almost certainly a one-stop shop for the music fan simply looking for a well-balanced 80s collection, the completist and discerning collector will no doubt view this as the tip of the iceberg. Those such as myself, more enthralled with the simultaneous New Wave movement, will find lots more to love (approximately 300 tracks worth - with minimal duplication) in Rhino's 15-volume JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH 80s collection. Even then, LIKE, OMIGOD... will spur you on to fill up your shopping cart with with entire albums by Billy Squier, Duran Duran, The Fixx, Pretenders and more.

The only downside to be found is that LIKE, OMIGOD... also forces the listener to take the bad with the good (or the worse with the bad?), presenting end-of-the-decade stinkers such as New Kids on the Block and Richard Marx toward the end of the seventh disc. For this listener, those musical tragedies are still too recent, too terrible to revisit with any degree of nostalgia.

As gaudily packaged as the decade it represents, LIKE, OMIGOD... is presented in a hardcover book format identical to HAVE A NICE DECADE and contains a similar full-color booklet complete with essays, trivia, 80s timeline and notes on each of the performers and songs included. The sound of the CDs, as with all Rhino product, is pristine. As for the sound of some of the music - well, you can't blame Rhino...

FREAKIN' AWESOME COLLECTION!
I can't tell you how many 80's compilations I have and, aside from each of them usually having the same couple songs, like The Fixx or Squeeze, (which isn't on here), you're always surprised when you listen to a compilation by which songs you hear that you never knew the name for and all of a sudden you're "like, omigod! (no pun intended) That's THAT song!?! I KNOW that song!" LOL...hearing a lot of these brought back some great eighties memories for me, even though I was only a kid back then. This compilation had most of my fave 80's songs on it, so I could just copy the one or two songs off my other compilations, make one CD out of them, and sell the rest. I advise anyone who's interested in this to do the same. But read Amazon's list of songs first, if you haven't already, to make sure your favorites are on here. Definitely worth the money, considering you're getting seven CD's, so it equals out to about ten dollars or so per CD, (I got mine for $73). As further proof, I'm letting my co-worker listen to disc 6 right now and she's so impressed, she's downloading it to her hard drive at work and will be purchasing it with her next check to bring it home! :-p If you love 80's, get this compilation. No collection is complete without it. Plus, the awesome booklet it comes with gives you a little info on each song, a historical timeline following the songs, and many many many colorful photographs! Impressive and worth it!

A must for any 80s fan!
Like, OmiGod! This set is awesome! It has almost every song that came out from any one hit wonder during the 80s like You Dropped a Bomb on Me (The Gap Band) and Turning Japanese (The Vapors). It's definitely a pop culture box with its songs on General Hospital, Pac Man and Valley Girls. This is a must for anyone who still dwells on the decade of E.T. and The Breakfast Club. Not to mention that I'm a huge Star Wars fan and it has a medly from The Empire Strikes Back. ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Quite simply, the best album ever recorded
Synchronicity is The Police at their peak, weaving a complex tale of topics together that are not entirely related to each other. Of course, the classic Every Breath You Take is on the CD, but the real high point of the CD comes later. Wrapped Around Your Finger is perhaps the finest song ever written to get a lonely college student through his four years of shear torture. Two songs from the CD, Synchronicity I and Synchronicity II are fun to listen to. You'll wish Mother wasn't on this CD, but that's half the fun of it...if the CD were perfect, you might eventually tire of it. Tea in the Sahara will make you want to run out and buy the book that it is based upon (The Sheltering Sky). For many years, King of Pain was my all-time favorite song. This is the CD that brought it all together for The Police, and surely their crowning achievement of their 5 albums. I have listened to it hundreds and hundreds of times, yet I learn something new about me or our species e! very time I listen to it. An absolute must-have for every living, breathing human on this planet.

Evolved Police
"Synchronicity" was The Police's last studio album and their most commercially successful. As with most critically-acclaimed acts, The Police continued to evolve throughout their recording career and "Synchronicity" is the culmination of that evolution.

"Synchronicity" does not contain the pop love ballads of previous Police recordings. Instead, "Synchronicity" is a brooding ensemble of near-pretenious songs. On "Synchronicity" The Police run right up to the edge of the overblown rock star cliff with such songs as "Walking in Your Footsteps", a song about dinosaurs, and "Mother", an ear-piercing rant about ringing phones, only to pull back in the nick of time with such classic Police hits as "Every Breath You Take" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger".

"Synchronicity" contains one of the greatest four song stretches in rock history. Starting with track six, The Police recorded "Synchronicity II", "Every Breath You Take", "King of Pain", and "Wrapped Around Your Finger". Many other albums contain four songs that are just as good; but, it is difficult to find one where they are placed in order on the record. With the advent of compact discs this may not be as important as it once was; but, for someone who originally owned this album on cassette tape, it was significant.

Synchronize Your Music Collection With This Amazing CD
While Synchronicity may not be The Police's most musically technical album, it is their best. The songwriting on here is nothing short of amazing, even the non-single songs. "Every Breath You Take" is an ultimate classic, "King of Pain's" upbeat melody and melancholy lyrics are amazing, and "Wrapped Around Your Finger's" intense groove will all blow your mind. As previously stated, there's real jems here that weren't singles, such as "Synchronicity I & II," "Murder by Numbers," and "O My God." The technical production on the album is also fantastic, with a clear, punchy sound, a stark contrast to the bloated deep rumble of late 70's rock and disco. This album is essential for any fan of The Police and/or 80's music, and should be required listening for anyone trying to start their own power trio.

snow blind please!!
MADONNA'S AMERICAN LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER> NO WONDER YOU GO BY SNOW (BLIND)......................look at what you listen too!

police's best album
wow!i am unable to get enough words to shower praise on this great album featuring my best songs every breath you take and wrapped around your finger.highly recommended ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Power, Corruption & Lies established New Order's identity separate from its previous incarnation as Joy Division. Containing "Blue Monday," one of the most sacredly important dance songs of all time, this album truly stands not only as New Order's most defining moment but perhaps as the most standard-setting moment in alternative dance. Yet as definitive as they may be, New Order have outsmarted any copycats. Owing in substantial part to Peter Hook's prominent and melodic bass lines, New Order's songs have always aspired to a complexity that maintains the band's timelessness. Rarely formulaic, New Order's songs are seldom overwhelmed by a four-on-the-floor throb. But interesting rhythms are just one facet of this musical diamond. Their foreboding, grim, and often just plain heartbreaking lyrics present a contradiction to most dance-pop songs, whose lyrics are almost always uplifting or even evangelical. With this album, New Order cut a path for themselves that was rarely, if ever, explored by other artists. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Excellent, but these other reviewers are way wrong!
First things first, this album came out in 1983, not 1988 (it made it to the CD format that year). Its fab, but I must say Low-life and Technique are better, especially when you consider that Blue Monday and its b-side, the Beach were NOT on the original album. Thats why you never heard of it back then! They were added to it when it was put on the CD, email me if you don't believe me, I've got it on vinyl, with just 8 songs. 586 was Blue Monday's precursor and appears here originally and on this one, note the keyboard similarities? Anyway, a fab album by New Order. Age of Consent still rocks.

Not their best, but very close to perfect.
Right then, another album, another review. This is the start of New Order for real, not their confused (yet superb) beginnings. Basically, I own all their CD's (nearly) and I can safely say this is their second best album (After Technique) Simply because my incarnation of it does not have BLUE MONDAY on it. But that's alright as it's on substance. This is actually a blessing in disguise because with Blue Monday the Album is overshadowed by its sheer inspired nature (not to mention the fact that 586 is an even less subtle re-hash of it when placed right beside its better brother). It would, for instance be all too easy to forget the fantastic Age of Consent, the beautiful " Village" and the serene wonderful and amazing "Your silent face" possibly the best album track they ever recorded (Though this is contended by "Face Up" and possibly "Dream Attack") the rest of the songs on this album are catchy and likeable, the highlight being "Ecstasy" as, unlike low life's "Elegia" and Republic's last track it is actually an istrumental that it is fun to listen to. Surprised? All in all, it was an amazing development in the Pop Music world and without Blue Monday (probably one of the top ten singles of all time) Rave, Madchester, even Modern Music as a whole would never have existed. Not bad for the same bunch of lads who started Grunge, eh? Just skip 586. It's really not that worthwhile.

"A Thousand Islands in the Sea, It's a Shame."
this is one of my favorite albums of all time. (look in my "so you want to..." lists to see what accompanies it if you want to). I'll tell you what about 1/2 of the other reviews already have, and that is that the original album didn't include "blue monday" or "the beach". it's true that the album does flow together more smoothly without them, but they aren't entirely unwelcome (though the last song really SHOULD be "leave me alone"; it's like adding something on after "some girls are bigger than others", know what i mean?) this is very moving music that never, ever feels smarmy. it's cold and detached while being warm and involving. i know that sounds impossable, but it's true. ok, yeah, as previously indicated, "age of consent", "the village", "your silent face", and "leave me alone" really are the best songs on the album, but the others aren't bad songs at all, it's just that these songs are so superb. these songs are all etheral stunners, and this album was the first masterpiece of the new genre.

Overrated
I don't understand why people seem to consider this album a classic, or New Order's best. Summer's voice just hasn't quite matured yet, as evidenced on 'We All Stand' and 'Ultraviolence' and others; he still sounds uncertain. Lyrically, as in the future, many of the songs are weak; a lot of them are just vaguely existentialist nonsense laid over some pretty music. It seems like the pall of Joy Division is still over them - the same dreary mood, without the genius of Curtis to make it work.

That said, the only way it seems to me that you could form the idea of this album being a classic is if you only listened to the first track, 'Age of Consent,' which is a masterpiece in every way; music, vocals, lyrics. 'Blue Monday,' of course, is also strong, and 'The Village' is a catchy and endearing track, with more interesting lyrics than most. The others songs, though, have either decent lyrics or strong music, and some are just unlistenable. I don't think that by any means New Order peaked with this album; God help the if they did. Thankfully, they kept evolving.

New Order's best
While Movement is an excellent record, the vocals and lyrics are like Joy Division watered-down. This record represents a clean break from the band's past, and more importantly, the songs are brilliant.

While the vocal ability of the singer is questionable, even with the heavy straining in Age of Consent, the songs are very appealing. I especially love The Village, Blue Monday, and Ecstasy. This record is one of the best of the 1980s. It stands head and shoulders above most other New Order records (especially Brotherhood), although Technique is pretty good.

The only sore spot on the CD is "The Beach" - which wasn't on the LP I gather. It doesn't belong on the CD - at least not without a big "empty space" between it and the true last song. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

SUPERB LISTENING
Now where can you find FRIDA & FALCO on the same disc? This is an excellent selection of songs. The version of SAFETY DANCE is exceptional, a rare find u probably won't find anywhere else...trust me on that. Highly recommend this CD.

The Ultimate 80's CD!!!
This is the one CD that you will never get tired of! With hits like Safety Dance, Rio, and Walk Like an Egyptian it's pure fun. It's great to dance to!

pretty good
good disc TEARS FOR FEARS and FALCO are always good but first CD was better

the first one was better
More Pure 80's is a great album, but it has mediocre content. The first album was much better and it included better songs. The song that I am really disappointed with is the song from the Eurythmics. Why was "Would I like to you" featured on this? "Here Comes The Rain Again" was a bigger hit than that.

Good 80's Music
Although IMHO, More Pure 80's isn't as good as the first one, there are several great songs on there from the gecade of excess. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There was a time when you couldn't step into a dance club without hearing at least part of this recording booming over the sound system. The often over-played hit, "Situation," was a bubbling caldron of nasally synth noodlings, a whopping bass line, and drum machine wallops. Alison Moyet's looped laugh in the middle of the song ended up as a sample, over-used a thousand times over. Yaz was an interesting blend of Moyet's smoky blues and jazz tinged vocals with Vince Clarke's digital disco. Moyet's voice alone was instrument enough, and the melodies here perfectly showcased her incredible range. Upstairs easily moved between energetic dance floor exuberance ("Don't Go" and "Good-bye Seventies"), blues-inspired wailers ("Midnight"), and icy electronic minimalism ("Winter Kills"). It was an explosion of a debut, touching upon '80s gay disco, synth pop, and diva-ism in one fell swoop. The CD closes with the overlooked "Didn't I Bring Your Love Down," an infectious barn burner with a call/response break that blows the roof off of Eric's little techno-pop room. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Catchy 80's Electro/Pop At It's Best!
Yaz appeared on the "New Wave" scene in 1982 with the hits "Situation", "Don't Go" and "Only You". Fronted by Vince Clark (ex-Depeche Mode) on synthesizers and an unknown female vocalist named Allison Moyet, Yaz (originally Yazoo) created catchy electro/pop. Yaz's debut album "Upstairs At Eric's" produced several huge club hits with "Situation" (here in it's entire "Club Mix" version), "Don't Go" and the moderately successful "Only You". The first two songs are synthesized discoish club tunes with strong vocals courtesy of Moyet. Club jocks pumped these songs thru their sound systems to packed dancefloors (I know cause I was one of the jocks that spun both these tunes, sometimes several times a night) worldwide. But the album also had other great songs such as "Bad Connection", "Goodbye Seventies", and "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" to name a few. If you enjoy artists such as Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, New Order, Human League, Heaven 17 and Ultravox then this cd is a must have. Highly Recommended!

A tentative 5-stars
Usually, every track has to sparkle to warrant 5 stars, but there are so many perfect moments here that it gets 5.

The problems? Someone should have known better than release "I Before E Except After C." "In My Room" sounds harsh, and meanders so much in its backing vocals that the entire track is annoyingly destroyed. "Goodbye Seventies" is a fluff song.

That's about it, though. The rest of album wavers between very good and utterly captivating. "Don't Go" and "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" are masterpiece dance tracks, with Alison Moyet's giant voice pushing over whatever synth lines Vince Clarke can throw at her. "Only You" is, quite simply, the best ballad to come out of the decade (that's a conservative estimate...maybe a hell of a lot longer than that). "Winter Kills" is almost as interesting, as Moyet whispers, hisses, and blasts her way through a spare background. "Too Pieces" and the very '60s-ish pop (vocally) of "Bad Connection" are the rest of the standouts.

The other tracks, "Midnight" and "Situation" are very good, but each has a slight flaw. "Situation" is a tad too long for the stark instrumentation to carry, and "Midnight" is one of only a few songs where Moyet ever sounds like she's crossed the border into histrionics.

Don't Mess Around...
Definitely an album that stands a strong testament to the 80's. It was (without doubt) one of the best releases back then and by merit and achievement-- it could easily qualify as one of the top 100-Best albums in the history of all music and time. Simply because it rocks!

I dig Alison Moyet's deep and dominating voice which shimmers perfectly along with Vince Clarke's semi retro rock, synth, electro and digital devotion. It's also not one of those outdated-sounding album's that sinks in its repetitive and minimal production value.

My favorites here are; Situation, Don't Go, Goodbye 70's and Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I).

I heard a rumor that this entire album would be remixed for the year 2004-- dare I say it's true, because-- How I yearn to see this album in remixed form today, especially when there are Soooooooo many great producers/dj's to choose from. I'll wait patiently until that day comes.

Go buy yourself this excellent Vinyl. It's got a bit a everything in it, and it's put together so well, with a really good voice...Those are 3 good reasons to buy this. Enjoy!

Yeah Yeah Yaz.
This album seemed a bit ahead of it's time in 1982, or maybe more like a sign of that time. It's a great blend of pop, goth, electronica, and new wave, topped off with strong vocals from Alison Moyet. There's a few upbeat dance numbers like the excellent "Situation", "Don't Go", and "Bring Your Love Down (didn't I)". There's also the morbid track "Winter Kills". But most of it's just good synth-pop. Any big fan of early 80's stuff like myself should love "Upstairs At Eric's". That's why I have this on cd, cassette, and vinyl.

Masterpiece
The most exciting and enduring synthpop albums were made in the early 1980's in England, and this one is without a doubt one of the very best. The renewed interest of late in minimalist beats and simple synth production are a direct throwback to Kraftwerk. Where Yaz (Yazoo) improved upon the Kraftwerk formula was with the addition of a singer--and what a voice! I could sing the praises of this group all day. "Situation" quite simply defined dance music in 1982, and helped mark the transition from disco to the golden era of 80's "dance music." It has been endlessly sampled for a reason. If you like a rich, soulful voice over a spunky synth backing, by all means, get this album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Few filmmakers managed to capture the awkward coming-of-age catastrophes of '80s teens the way John Hughes did, just as few soundtracks encapsulate the sound of an era better than this one does. It's not the best 1986 had to offer, but it's a cohesive whole, transporting the listener to that other time, imagined or otherwise. There's enough variety to ensure that it doesn't become wallpaper, and very little filler. "Left of Center" by Suzanne Vega, with Joe Jackson on piano, is tremendous and transcends generations. Psychedelic Furs frontman Richard Butler has long been bemused about Hughes not taking Molly Ringwald's character's name from the title song, which inspired the film, but everyone was paying too much attention to what Ducky was wearing to notice anyway. --Scott Wilson ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Excellent Movie! Excellent Soundtrack!
If you love good 80's pop, and non-pop like The Smiths or New Order, then you will cherish this CD. I'm a big fan of the movie "Pretty in Pink", and this has all my favorite songs from the movie.

However, if you are looking for Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" (Duckie sings this to Molly in Trax), or if you are looking for songs performed in the club by that group with the big hair (heheh), DON'T LOOK HERE!! The group in the night club is The Rave-Ups and Amazon has their CD to purchase (it's an import), and you will just have to buy an Otis Redding CD to get that song.

My favorite song is of course, "If You Leave", but "Wouldn't it Be Good" and "Get to Know Ya" (this guy sounds frightingly like Prince!) are some of my other favorites. What are you waiting for?! Buy this album!!

The ultimate 80s soundtrack
I'm not a huge fan of movie soundtracks, but you couldn't take this CD away from me without a fight. Pretty In Pink's music did much to make it the great film it was. Although some of the artists featured on the soundtrack weren't really mainstream or famous, the music epitomizes the late great 1980s. "If You Leave" by OMD was one of the biggest hits of the entire decade, and it sounds as good today as it did back then. The title track by The Psychedelic Furs remains immediately recognizable by its opening notes. Both of these two songs still spark a nostalgic memory of my angst-ridden teen years. I must thank the compilers of this soundtrack for including the short but emotion-laden track "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by The Smiths. Were it not for this CD, I probably would never have discovered the weird yet cathartic music of Morrissey and The Smiths. "Left of Center" is one of Suzanne Vega's best songs, just as "Do Wot You Do" represents INXS at that band's peak. These songs are a pretty eclectic mix, but all of them are fun to listen to even today and could probably fill a dancefloor with young people as well as not so young people who watched Pretty In Pink and listened to the soundtrack over and over again in our young, carefree days. For me, each song sparks a memory and keeps alive a small piece of a time in my life I will be trying to remember and relive until the day I die.

I wish more soundtracks were like this one
Normally with a soudntrack, you get one good song--two at the max. The rest of the disc is just the producer's brother's gargae band, or a studio knock-off of a classic hit. and maybe a reissue of a classic 1960's tune thron in for laughs.

This disk more tyhan transcends this patter. It has achieved apotheosis. In fact, I believe that aetheitically, this soudntrack is better than the film.

Every song is great and is a hit in its own right, but this anotholgy gives you something more. It is a slice ofr life of the mid-1980's music scene. My generation became fully alive with this music.

We have to relive the 1970's with that dumb TV show. but in the '80's, we had fun, and we knew we were having fun while we were having fun. This disc proves it!

Brings Back Beautiful Sweet Memories
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Pretty In Pink and I am now enjoying listening to the soundtrack. Two of my favorites are, If You Leave and Wouldn't It Be Good. This cd brings back the beautiful sweet memories of my life with my husband and raising our two boys during the 80s decade. I'm a sentamentalist...what more can I say. ;)

If you enjoyed the movie, you should enjoy this CD. Well worth the price for a bit of time-travelling.

This album will bring you back...
My husband and I attended both high school and college in the 80s, resulting in us being huge fans of the decade's music for life--we even had all 80s music at our recent wedding! This album is part of our vast 80s music collection; it's such a must-have that we bought a replacement when our old CD player destroyed our original copy. The songs wil take you back both to the movie and to the decade, starting with the title track, "Pretty in Pink," a huge mainstream hit by a non-mainstream group, the Psycedelic Furs. Other hits from the album include OMD's "If You Leave" and "Left of Center" by Suzanne Vega. My favorite, however, is "Wouldn't it Be Good," a Nik Kershaw tune nicely covered here by the Danny Hutton Hitters. Finally, fans of more obscure 80s groups such as New Order are likely to enjoy the remaining songs on this tape. For the sake of both nostalgia and the music itself, this album is a must-have addition to any 80s collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Way back in 1980, the original wave of Talking Heads fans were pleasantly stunned to hear Remain in Light, produced and co-written by Brian Eno, on which Byrne and company are joined by guitar god Adrian Belew, and funk legends Bernie Worrell (keyboards) and Steven Scales (percussion), among others, for a fuller, funkier sound nobody imagined they had in them. The first three songs are long, layered, full-body dance parties, with incessantly repeated phrases (musical and lyrical), and increasingly catchy melodic hooks that won't let go for days. "Once in a Lifetime" was the big hit, but the rockingest track is the third, "The Great Curve," after which the songs get more linear and subdued. It's still great stuff, right through to the especially Eno-like droner, "The Overload," but the second half is maybe better to sleep to than dance to.Which is fine: after the exuberance of the first three songs, you'll need a little nap. --Dan Leone ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Amazing. The Talking Heads' best work!
Remain in Light is perhaps the Talking Heads' best album. Technically it is flawless, and as far as music goes, Remain in Light unifies electronica, African rhythms, guitar riffs and Bryan Eno's signature minimalism to hypnotic effect. The music is captivating and melodic - great dance music, but also great careful-listening music - and David Byrne's halting, discordant voice and thoughtful lyrics transcend each song to a more intellectual and compelling level. Ultimately, Remain in Light is a piece of art as well as a piece of music - Byrne and Eno have carefully layered music, vocals and thoughtful lyrics to create perhaps one of the best albums of the eighties.

The first three tracks are primarily dance tracks, but each one is subtly constructed and multi-layered. 'Born Under Punches' combines repetition, African rhythm and a variety of eclectic instruments Tom Waits would be proud of. The end result is a dance track with a political slant: "Take a look at these hands... I'm a tumbler/ I'm a government man... I'm so thin... all I want is to breathe." 'Crosseyed and Painless' is another dance track, however the weakest of the three. 'The Great Curve' is perhaps one of the Heads' best work - it is an exemplary piece of music that showcases the great song-writing and compositional aptitude of the band's frontman, David Byrne. The Great Curve is a haunting, melodic and multi-layered work that stays with the listener for a long time - but, if you like, you can get up and dance to it because it's got one hell of a rhythm pounding through it.

The next five songs are exceptional, however the focus shifts from dance to more of an art-rock. 'Houses in Motion' is brilliant, 'Seen and Not Seen' is a spoken conversation piece and 'Once in a Lifetime' was the big hit from the album, and has a very catchy and musical chorus. 'Listening Wind' revisits the African elements of the album and is quite a haunting piece of music, and finally, the album anti-climaxes with the Eno-Byrne collaboration 'The Overload', which fails to live up to it's initial horrific promise.

But altogether Remain in Light rivals Speaking in Tongues for the Talking Heads' best album. It exemplifies their artistic and musical ability that started to mature with the advent of the captivating Fear of Music, yet still retains the pulsating rhythm of More Songs About Buildings and Food and Talking Heads '77. Remain in Light is a unique listening experience - one that you can dance to and listen to all the same - and is a worthy addition to anyone's music library.

Finest Talking Heads album
Talking Heads like their contemporaries XTC were never really part of the punk scene or new wave. Yes, they wore the sticker but David Bryne's ambitions for his band were much larger than the genre ghetto they were initially put into. Remain in Light stands as the band's masterpiece. The songs are overflowing with African rhythms, unusual melodies and song structures and melodic pop decorations. The only other albums I can compare it to are The Beatles' Revolver and Xtc's The Big Express. Both albums are genre breaking releases that incorporate music and sounds outside of mainstream rock adding them to its musical vocabulary.

The unusual guitar playing of Adrian Belew along with contributions from members of Paraliment and Eno himself helped the Heads to create their most exotic, beautiful album. The band made many fine albums after this and some that are almost its equal (Speaking in Tongues and Little Creatures both have their charms and feature top flight songwriting).

Clearly influenced by The Beatles, 1972-74 King Crimson, Roxy Music, David Bowie and Brian Eno (who co-produced and co-wrote many of the songs), Bryne manages to take rock conventions and turn them inside out. Along with Peter Gabriel's Melt album Remain in Light was the best album of 1980.

more like one million stars
i cant believe how incredible this album is
once in a lifetime and seen and not seen say it all
absolutely the best album ever made
wow

Where were YOU?
Everyone remembers where they were when they first heard the news of the murder of John Lennon, the taking down of the Berlin Wall, and the attacks of September 11. I believe that everyone remembers where they were when they first heard Talking Heads "Once In A Lifetime"; it seems that historic.

Several of the songs on REMAIN IN LIGHT, in hindsight, seem prophetic. Written and produced during the tail-end of the 1970s, it nonetheless anticipated the empty yuppie-angst of the mid-80s. It calls into question the extreme materialism and extraordinary self-absorption that the decade would come to be defined as. This is especially true of "Overload" and, of course, "Once In A Lifetime".

But even musically it anticipated the world music movement that was maybe just burgeoning, as well as the club sound--which is not to be confused with disco. Certainly the very sound of REMAIN IN LIGHT would influence several musicians, so maybe it was more a precedent-setting experience rather than prophetic. Hard to tell. Still, looking back, or listening back rather, REMAIN IN LIGHT is the defining moment of 80s music. So where were you when you first heard David Byrne's mid-sentence lyric, "And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack"?

You want polyrhythms? You got polyrhythms!
polyrhythm(n): the simultaneous combination of contrasting rhythms in a musical composition

polyrhythmic(adj): 1: having many rhythms 2: having two or more rhythms proceeding simultaneously in different musical parts

Keep those definitions in mind when listening to this masterpiece from one of the most interesting bands I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. From the galloping multi-rhythmic opening song, "Born Under Punches(The Heat Goes On)," it becomes glaringly obvious that this is very original music. After pushing the Polyrhythmic Threshold with their previous albums, with varied success, Talking Heads shatter all their previous efforts with this epic and wholly amazing album. Along with their concert DVD, "Stop Making Sense," owning this album is absolutely essential to reach a full appreciation of this remarkable band. Both are exceptional experiences. My favorites from this CD are the faster tracks but the last two songs close the album with a somber, ethereal tone. The song "Listening Wind" is haunting, while "The Overload" is like walking around in a daze amid the ruins of some cataclysmic event. For the beginning fan I would suggest buying the DVD "Stop Making Sense" first, but soon after you should purchase this excellent album in a state of euphoria. I wish more bands would embrace polyrhythms and incorporate them in their songwriting. The songs on this album are crammed with them. Thank you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"This is it: Everything the Police released," boasts the notesin the 66-page booklet included with this box set. Obsessive fans have alreadywritten to rock magazines indignantly pointing out the omission of this or thatobscurity. But everyone else will find that these four discs include all thePolice they'd ever want to own. The first two discs include all of Outlandosd'Amour, Reggatta de Blanc, and Zenyatta Mondatta in theiroriginal order, interspersed with live rarities and singles B-sides. Discs 3 and4 are more satisfying, including the band's well-crafted studio high points,Ghost in the Machine and Synchronicity, plus more outtakes andlive tunes. The set ends with "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," adismal remake of the early favorite. By this point, the musician's egos wererunning rampant and they were barely speaking. If anyone wonders why the groupcalled it quits so abruptly, this tune makes it clear that the split was smartand timely. --Jim DeRogatis ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Finally, a box set that has EVERY song from the band.
It seems that every few years, I see yet another box set released for Elvis, Led Zeppelin, or Pink Floyd. Even Jimi Hendrix seemed to create 3 albums while alive, but 40 albums after he died (which I find a bit spooky, but I digress). Thankfully, there is no such marketing scheme here with The Police's "Message In A Box". These four discs include everything from The Police, all remastered. Yes, EVERYTHING: the pre-debut songs, all tracks from all 5 studio albums, all the B-sides, songs that only showed up on soundtracks and compilations, and all the way through to their final song, the '86 remake of "Don't Stand So Close To Me". The book includes what you'd expect from a good boxset: excellent photographs, thorough history and biographies, commentary notes from the band on the non-album songs, and a complete discography (not only from the Police, but from each individual band member).

I also like the way the songs on these discs were ordered, for two reasons. First of all, the original album songs are each grouped together. Being a long-time fan, I'm used to hearing the albums as they originally sounded as separate releases, and I can do this without having to skip tracks. Second, the songs are aranged chronologically. It's fascinating to hear how this trio evolved musically over just 6 years, from their original raw punk-edged early work, through the gloomy feel of albums like "Ghost In The Machine", to the refined and mystical sounds of "Syncronicity". So many amazing songs, from a band so talented as individual musicians, yet greater than the sum of their parts. If you have any interest in The Police, just buy this box set, and get it all for one good price.

What more do you want?
This box set is comprehensive in a way that does credit to box sets. The Police had a finite recording career, which makes a complete set like this possible. If you buy this and their live album, you will have all the Police worth having. And what will you have? Something special. The Police were a peerless rock trio. Like all good trios, they really had great instrumental chops. Stewart Copeland is perhaps the best rock drummer I've ever heard, so precise and scintillating, yet with a certain degree of restraint that is admirable. Sting and Andy Summers are clearly masters of their instruments as well, and Sting's vocals remain startling. The songwriting is uneven but never uninteresting, and it's wonderful to hear the band's sound develop and evolve over time. All your favorite hits are here, sounding great in this digital remaster, plus previously unavailable gems and B-sides, including some from the very early punk days. There is an informative booklet (the Police played their asses off for years before attaining any kind of commercial success, even while making great records) that tells the band's story, and comments by band members about each of the previously unreleased songs. There are also many fine photographs. (But the set isn't bulky either, like some big box sets are.) A great band, a great box set.

this boxet is just great
well the first time that i had listened to the police was on the radio( the message in a bottle song) and it was great , i then bought the greatest hit cd but it still was too little, i had a hard time looking for this boxset but i finally got it last week and it;s the greatest thing, every single song . buy this boxset and the police live cd and u don't need anything else

As Good As Advertised
The Police's "Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings" is what it says - the complete set of studio recordings by the Police. In this boxed set, you get every song from the 5 Studio albums released by the Police, plus some B sides, live recordings, and other rare stuff put into a 4 CD collection. What is nice is that this is a pretty affordable way to get all of the Police's recordings in one package.
When I review a boxed set, I like to start by looking at the packaging since that is a key element in addition to the content. It seems that nowadays everything that is above 2 CDs that is considered a "Boxed Set". There really have become 2 categories of Boxed Sets. The first is a "Classic Boxed Set". This comes in a covered box about the size of an LP and contains CDs (sometimes in jewel cases, sometimes just on the bottom of the box) and a book about the same size. The second type is more like a 5.5" x 10" hardcover book which I term "Hardcover Box Set'. The CDs basically are stored in the hardcover binding and the book is in the middle. I much prefer what I call the Classic Boxed Set to the Hardcover format. The "Message in a Box" set is a Hardcover format. This is disappointing to me because for a 'Complete' collection, I would have liked to see the "Classic Boxed" presentation.

The book that is contained in the set is outstanding. The book opens with a profile of how things looked for the Police in 1976, just as the band was coming together. Then there are individual biography/profiles devoted to the three band members - Stewart Copeland, Sting, and Andy Summers. Right before the Summers bio, there is a section on how Stewart and Sting joined forces. Following the bios, there is a detailed profile of the history of the band. In addition to the many photos, there are sidebars that form a timeline of important dates in the band's history. Each of the sections of the history of the band is devoted to the different studio albums that the band put together. There is even a section that chronicles how the Police would dissolve as well as profiles on what the band members did after the Police. There is a small section devoted to the B-Sides and obscure releases with comments by each of the band members. Then there is a photos section of singles and albums. A detailed discography adorned with album, single, and video covers is also featured. Finally, each song in the set has a list of credits of songwriting and production credits. The nice thing is how you learn what band members wrote what songs.

As for the content, this speaks for itself. Every major studio recording is included in the set and then some. Everything is put in order on the CDs from the first single "Fallout" to the last song "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86 (released on the Every Breath You Take: The Singles" greatest hits. The rare and B side stuff is also put into chronological order as well.

A couple of minor things I would have liked to see
1) The 'Classic Boxed' Packaging (mentioned above)
2) An Interviews CD. The book does a great job at giving you insight into the band members, but there would have been nothing like having the actual voice
3) Unedited Stuff - perhaps there wasn't much saved, but I'm sure there had to be some unedited stuff to add to this.

But these are extremely minor points - the best thing is that this Boxed Set really delivers as advertised. Whether you are a beginner to the Police or a more seasoned fan, this collection should not disappoint.

BAN "Don't stand so close to me 86'"!!
I just bought this set, but I am anticipating it to be really good. will be great to have all of these songs in one set! However, I'm planning to program my cd player to ALWAYS skip track 18 on disc 4, "Dont' stand so close to me 86'". THIS
RE-DOING OF THE SONG IS AN ABOMINATION! Please, if you are a person of any musical taste, always avoid this song. Participtate in this ban!! I first heard this piece of trash when I bought the greatest hits record back in the 80's--I always wondered why they put this song on their instead of the original, which was far superior and without any need to be "re-done." Why did sting do this this? If I could break into the archives at A&M and erase the master, I certainly would--what a pleasure it would be! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Aside from the Milwaukee trio's 1981 debut, the Violent Femmes have made a career of tacking one or two great songs onto otherwise mediocre albums--so this 1993 best-of is perfect for consumers. It has all the good stuff, from the retro radio hour staples "Blister in the Sun" and "Gone Daddy Gone," plus the creepy murder-suicide story "Country Death Song," the should've-been-a-hit "American Music" and ephemera like live versions of "Add It Up" and "Kiss Off." With Gordon Gano's never-aging teen whine and a crack rhythm section, the Femmes have had brief moments as America's best rock & roll band. This collection captures some of them. --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (29)

great
This was the first Violent Femmes album that i purchased (it covers a period 1981-1993 that begins with my year of birth, so i wasnt really able to buy their albums when they came out) and since then have bought 5 of their other albums (thats how much i enjoyed this one - and the ones i have now purchased).

Whilst it might be true that the Violent Femmes have strugled to string a "complete" album together most have contained enough good material to consider them worthwhile.

But if this worries you then here is where the "best of collection" comes in. (this album doesnt cover some of their latter releases such as "Rock" (which has the "Add it Up" mark 2 song "Tonight") and "Freak Magnet" so its not srticly a "best of"). It contains all their well know "hits" #3, #4, #18, #19, #21, #21, as well as some live and/or unreleased songs.

My favourites are the ones mentioned above as well as "Waiting for the Bus", "Gimme the Car", "Country Death Song" (with its rather disturbing lyrics) and "Johnny" whilst there are only 2 songs that annoy me "Black Girls" - starts fine but just losses itself in a terrible instrumental horn section at the end, and "Vancouver" a slow boring instrumental as well.

The Femmes music is just so raw and untouched, with Gordan Gano up the front singing in a voice that swings from sweet to sour quicker than the Femmes change tempo. I love the striped back acoustic sound that is evident on all songs. If your not too sure if you want to buy a Femmes album, but you like "Blister in the Sun" so much you got to have it then this might be a good place to sart (although their self titled debut is hard to go past).

All you'll ever need...almost
This, combined with the deluxe version of the Femmes' first album, is all the Violent Femmes you'll ever need. As has been noted elsewhere on this page, the other Femmes albums tend to contain one or two good songs among easily forgettable filler. This album begins with the catchy "Waiting for the Bus". While the subject matter is not deep or earthshaking, I dare you to hear this song and then not have it run through your head every time you wait for a bus from then on. Following that are three songs from the classic self-titled debut. Everyone probably has their picks as to which songs from the first album are the most representative of the album as a whole, but to me these work just as well as anything else. They give you an idea of the sound and wit of that debut album. Following that is "Country Death Song", a twangy song with a straightforward story of a man inexplicably driven to murder his young daughter. The spare arrangements makes the song positively chilling. The next three songs comprise my least favorite section of the CD. Dealing with race, religion, and sexism, these songs treat such serious issues a little glibly, although the music is the same you have come to expect from the Femmes at this point in the compilation. The lyrics just aren't up to par, though. "I Held Her In My Arms" redeems the previous songs. Lively, bouncy, and with more instruments than the earlier works, this is a classic example of Gordon Gano's ability to write great lyrics about losing a girl, and what comes next after heartbreak. A trio of songs dealing with politics and society comes next: "I Hate the TV", a stark statement of very clear political feelings; "America Is", a repetitive and pointed social statement; and "Old Mother Reagan", which now sounds slightly dated but is still humorous. "Dance, M.F., Dance" is the strange result of the Femmes apparently trying to make a dance song. The result is catchy and almost danceable, but not quite. Then come "Lies" and "American Music", two absoulutely terrific songs. The former implies that you can't go anywhere in life without encountering someone who is lying to you; the latter covers proms, drugs, and codependence all in one song and is a great song to play in the car on your second date with someone you really like. "Out The Window" follows these, a cute enough song but just not up to par with some others on this album. Then we get live versions of two songs from the debut album, and they are terrific though they sound slightly different from the original. "Vancouver", an instrumental, is a nice break after the intensity of the live performances. But then you get "Johnny", which surpasses anything else on the album in sheer intensity. Gano's shifting volume and the theme of death make this an absolute spine-tingler for me. Overall this is an album everyone who is interested in alternative rock should own. Buy the first album and you will be set, unless you're a die-hard Femmes fan in which case you will prbably have most of this material anyway.

Items mentioned in the track list which I have not reviewed are interludes, ads, or phone messages.

Truly something ouside the norm
Appropriately, out of 23 cuts, 13 of them are from sources other than their released works. This befits a band that truly embodies the idea of eclecticism. Singing about anything that intrigues, from teenage angst to liberal anger, the Violent Femmes defy categorization. I find it difficult to like everything here, nor do I think I should considering how varied the material is. Some songs are pure juvenilia, others were probably not released for good reason, but in final evaluation this seems appropriate for this band. This really serves as a fine primer to a band that answers to no one but themselves.

nice guy punk
an immencely entertaining album, this greatest hits collection defines the violent femmes and offers the fans to get a grasp of what they are. full of curious, simple songs that address life in a comical way, but also displaying dark lyrics in light songs that seem to obfuscate their meaning. These subtle poets give songs that spin musically and intrigue lyrically. recommended for any open minded music fan who is looking for something different yet still incredably effective.

Absolutely essential for Violent Femmes fans
If you are like me and think that the Violent Femmes are one of if not the very best rock group of the last twenty-five years, you will already own this album because it is, in a word, essential. Those who may just be discovering this band for the first time, and this timeless music full of angst and fury and questions and passion speaks as strongly to the present generation of youth as it did to my own, will definitely want to procure this album as soon as possible. There is just no other band like the Violent Femmes (as the Intro to this album states in its own special way); these guys have energized and heavily influenced modern rock music as we know it now and will know it in the future, yet they stay below the radar of many a music fan out there, seemingly happy about the fact as they do their own thing their own way at all times. The popular success this band has always deserved would almost spoil everything, though; these guys are so incredible that I really don't want to share them with the mass public out there who really wouldn't understand the power of the music and lyrics.

Add It Up is a compilation album, containing a number of songs available elsewhere alongside some amazing tracks you can't find anywhere else. Much of this material draws from the band's early days. Prereleased tracks include Blister in the Sun, Gone Daddy Gone, and Gimme the Car from the incredible self-titled debut album, the unique and unforgettable Country Death Song, Black Girls, and Jesus Walking on the Water from Hallowed Ground, Old Mother Reagan from The Blind Leading the Naked, and American Music and Out the Window from Why Do Birds Sing? Add it up, and you will find eleven previously unreleased tracks, two tracks previously unreleased in the U.S., and four live performances unavailable elsewhere.

The simple yet catchy Waiting For the Bus takes us back to 1980 (this track can also now be found on the Deluxe Edition of the original Violent Femmes album). Gordon's Message is a voice mail message lead singer Gordon Gano left to explain why he was going to be late for an early recording session in 1982. 36-24-36 is an incredibly infectious, fun song recorded in 1984 for a movie that was never made. I Held Her in My Arms is an alternate version of the song from The Blind Leading the Naked, espousing a heavier and slightly more serious sound than the album track. From the mid-1980s come the short and interesting tracks I Hate the TV and America Is. Degradation is a strange, half-minute carnival-like pitch of the band written by Brian Ritchie and Victor Delorenzo. Dance, M.F., Dance is a rather weird, hard-hitting pseudo-dance song previously released only in Australia and Europe; interestingly, this version of the song turned up out of nowhere several years after the original master tape was lost. Lies is interesting because it begins with the studio cut from the album 3 and morphs into a live version of the song featuring an extended jam session. Vancouver is by far the strangest thing on here; this two-minute-plus track is an instrumental that sounds like a band warming up before a concert. With the exception of Vancouver, which was indeed recorded in Vancouver, the album closes out with some powerful live tracks. We get a rocking version of the youth anthem Kiss Off recorded in a 1990 concert in Australia, followed by a fantastic live performance of Add It Up from a 1991 concert in Virginia. I never tire of hearing the crowd erupt when Gano unleashes the first a cappella word of the song. Finally, we have Johnny, a simply amazing song written by Gordon Gano and performed in a café in Milwaukee way back in 1981; this is about as soft and tender as the Violent Femmes get, and the haunting lyrics make sure you come away from this essential album having felt your soul touched by the music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who would have imagined that the missing link between Miles Davis and Portishead would be a pasty Brit band whose synth-driven hits show up from time to time on rock-of-the-'80s collections? For those only familiar with MTV hits like "Talk Talk" and "It's My Life," this compilation is the beginning of a revelation. Talk Talk mastermind Mark Hollis is an eccentric genius whose hook-laden hits hide an equally satisfying catalog of art-rock experimentation. As Talk Talk evolved, Hollis (opting for a cut-up technique that anticipated the Pro-Tools revolution) ditched synth-pop and produced some of the most sublime late-night records ever. Think Stevie Winwood tranquilized by listening to too much Blue Nile and you start to get the picture. But fair warning: buy this album, and there's a good chance you'll end up purchasing the whole catalog. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Tomorrow Started.
Talk Talk remain a fairly obscure 80's synth band-turned-art/jazz band. Their only top 40 hit was 1984's "It's My Life", but that was a great song, and I still hear it played on 80's radio stations. The band was more sophisticated, musically, than other synth bands and they paid for it by being less commercial. I have all of their cds: "The Party's Over" (1982), "It's My Life" (1984), "The Colour Of Spring" (1986), "Spirit Of Eden" (1988) and "Laughing Stock" (1991). This hits compilation does not include anything from "Laughing Stock". Great melancholic synth-pop hits like "Such A Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "It's My Life", "Life's What You Make It", "Today", "Talk Talk", "Happiness Is Easy", "Tomorrow's Started" and "I Believe In You" display the band's depth and range. I think this band would rank next to Echo and the Bunnymen, The Church, The Call and bands of that nature. It's a good compilation by itself, but you could just as easily buy the individual cds and be no worse off.

A solid best-of collection from an underappreciated band
Not as popular as say, the PET SHOP BOYS, not as commercial as CULTURE CLUB, and not as beloved as THE SMITHS, TALK TALK is nevertheless an 80's band that really always deserved a closer look. Synth-pop die-hards remember the singles 'Talk Talk' and the sublime (and personal favorite) 'It's My Life', but there are more than a few other tracks that upon closer scrutiny are clearly as strong as those, and they are all included on this disc. Possessing a haunting, pained vocal style, Mark Hollis brings his sensitive p.o.v. to a number of songs that anyone other than hardcore TALK TALK fans probably have never heard, tracks like the hard-driving 'Living in Another World'. As catchy and memorable as any New Wave hit, 'World' to me is one of those lost classics that few have heard and should've. Clocking in at 7 minutes it's a fierce, up-tempo, break-up epic. The singer wounded and hurt but accepting and even complimentary to his lost love. Need other reasons to pick up 'Natural History'? How about the infectious and inspiring 'Life's what you make it'. Alternately funky and New Wavey it's another stand-out on a disc that has several pleasant surprises if you've been only a casual fan. Like New Wave? Order this.

The Best!
Brilliant!!...great in the 80's, even better now!

I just wish they had stayed around for abit longer.

Classic and timeless masterpieces
Talk Talk were a large part of my formative years at college in the UK and are an all time favourite. Their melancholic and ethereal compositions were in stark contrast to clubbing to the equally excellent but wholly different ABC, Pigbag and Heaven 17. Often I had (and still have to a certain extent) no idea what the lyrics are but the haunting and plaintive chord structure just tugs at something deep inside. 'Dum Dum Girl' and 'Such a Shame' stand out. This album is a fantastic introduction/nostagia trip to the beauty of Talk Talk and will undoubtedly lead the unsuspecting listener to buying their whole back catalogue. Just don't play it if you're 22, inebriated at a terrible party in Birmingham and you're relationship's just gone pear-shaped!

visionary sounds
lush and lovely songs unmatched by any other band. Talk Talk managed to cover a lot of territory on their albums - from electro pop to expansive jazz fusions. They were successful artistically at every turn.

Musical visionaries - no doubt. ... Read more

Amazon.com

While Best Of may not be inclusive enough for the avid collector because it focuses more on Blondie's new wave dance hits than on their punk beginnings, songs like "Heart of Glass," "Dreaming," "The Tide Is High," and "Call Me" display the diverse musical styles this band embraced. It's a new wave album, a reggae album, a dance album, a punk album, and a rap album. Rock-solid songwriting and Debbie Harry's sultry vocals hold the CD together despite the stylistic reaches of the tracks. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Solid collection of songs
I was never the biggest Blondie fan in the world, so I am glad to own "The Best of Blondie." It contains all of the band's top material on a single disc and is all most casual fans will ever need to hear. Blondie was first and formost a new wave pop band. Their best recorded efforts were all in their singles. And some great singles they did in fact record. The best on this collection are "Heart of Glass," "The Tide is High," "Sunday Girl," "One Way or Another" and "Call Me." All of these were staples of rock radio in the late 70s and early 80s and as well they should have been. Though their new wave sound is a bit dated today, this is still a fine collection singles.

Good, not great... but I can't complain.
The "Best of Blondie" hits package is good, especially considering the status of the many of the actual albums. Since only "Parallel Lines" was reissued in a proper fashion, hits collections are the only domestic outlet for such early classics as "In the Flesh" and "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence Dear". However, this means that other essential tracks from the lost albums will go unknown to a new audience. Sure, some are avaliable on other, lesser, hits compilations, and most of the albums are available on the import market, but this does nothing for the casual fan, and ultimatly, Blondie's legacy for the future. If any proof exists that they were more than simply a throwaway pop act from the eighties new wave scene, they are not readily available. The above mentioned songs are perfect examples of excellent ballads in Blondie's early style. The offerings from the first album ("In the Flesh" and Debbie at her catty best on "Rip Her to Shreds") are the only to feature the incredibly tasteful basslines of one time bassist Gary Valentine, who better compliments Clem Burke's drumming than any other in Blondie's history. The retro-rocker "X Offender" would have been a strong selection from this era, but is available on other disks, luckly. Another 'missing' track would be the superb "Fade Away and Radiate" with King Crimson guitar genius Robert Fripp. He adds stellar guitar to this song, which could be considered more of a departure from the pop-disco legacy Blondie has left. This omission could be excused if the incipid pop-reggae cover "The Tide is High" weren't on the album. Because of this song, Blondie's reggae influence is overexaggerated, but also appears on the equally horrible, and thankfully missing, "Die Young Stay Pretty". However, "Dreaming" is possibly one of the best songs Blondie ever recorded. This song, and the other "Eat to the Beat" offering "Atomic" make for an engaging listen, and represent that album well. Unfortunatly, the early period is underemphasised in favor of easily available "Parallel Lines" pop songs, like "Sunday Girl" and "Hanging on the Telephone", that are enjoyable, but leave a hazy legacy. All and all, a great and enjoyable album with practically no problems with what is included, and only slight problems with what is not included. Most widely released "Best of" compilations cannot even brag that.

Great songs!!!!!
This is the definitive collection! They are not repetitive like so many artists' CDs. You WILL know most of the songs on this CD.

Here are the songs you may know: HEART OF GLASS, THE TIDE IS HIGH, RAPTURE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, CALL ME, and RIP HER TO SHREDS. Love that last one!!!!

Great Songs with No Filler!
I have had this cd for a long time and it's terrific. Every song on the CD is good. Sure, the Greatest Hits may have a few extra songs that this doesn't, but this CD has the BEST songs. You won't have to skip any "boring" songs. As for the sound quality, I've never had a problem with it on my decent, but kind of old stereo, or in my car that has a really good system. These songs were made a while ago anyway. They originally came out on vinyl, so I'm sure the CD is an improvement from that. Anyway, you can't go wrong with this collection.

had it, sold it
This collection may be for the casual fan, but that said, who would want to be a casual fan of Blondie? Nearly all of their albums are worth getting. I bought this album thinking that I was getting their best stuff, but a lot of my favorite tracks are album cuts! Basically with this as my introduction to Blondie, I was left a bit unsatisfied. I would highly recommend starting with their self-titled debut album, or for those who really really just love "Heart of Glass", i suggest getting Parallel Lines. But seriously folks, these songs are great, but it's just not enough! Getting into Blondie could change your life! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

HEAVEN WAS TRULY A PLACE ON EARTH WITH HER MUSIC
Bittersweetly music by Belinda's such a guilty pleasure, all the songs had that rock and roll fast beat with a sour voice, with melancolic lyrics, this collection was rushed after the unfairly charted and judge 1991 album "Live Your Life Be Free", all charted songs are here, the hits, the non-hits, the bubbling under ones!, this collection is complete with all her releases and some great non-singles from her 4 albums, of course all the famous songs are great "Heaven is a place on earth", "Circle in The sand", "Mad About You", "I Get Weak", but my favorite one is "Leave A Light On" wow! drive with this on! what a classic, makes me sadly bittersweet and happy at the same time, the only song that I don't get is "Vision Of You" why? I don't know, I jusr don't like it, but I guess many of you will, the reason I didn't rate this album 5 stars, it's because of that song, and that they missed a biography or more photos, the album booklet it's only a folded page, simple. Besides that this album it's a total 80's must have!