The trio America (vocalists/guitarists Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek) approximated the 1970s California pop folk sound so well that when their first single "A Horse With No Name" appeared on the radio waves in the fall of 1972, many listeners assumed it was a song by Neil Young. Ironically, "Horse" knocked Young's own "Heart of Gold" out of the Number One slot that year and jump-started America's career as a sort of lighter and less-filling version of Crosby, Stills Nash & Young. All three members of the group were competent and accessible songwriters, and their easy harmonies brought America several big hits throughout the '70s, including two produced by Beatles-producer George Martin, "Tin Man" and "Lonely People." Peek left at the end of the decade, leaving America as a duo, and they managed one more radio hit, "You Can Do Magic" in 1982. All of these are included on this collection, along with "Ventura Highway," "Muskrat Love," "Sister Golden Hair" and key album tracks.
Originally comprised of Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek, America was one of the most successful groups of the 1970s. The band blended elements of folk and rock with distinctive three part harmonies…
The definitive Jay & the Americans collection, Come a Little Bit Closer: The Best of Jay & the Americans, collects the highlights of the band's career with each of its lead singers, Jay Traynor and Jay Black. Traynor was the voice behind the group's first big hit, 1962's "She Cried," as well as singles like "Dawning," the melody of which cleverly mimics Edvard Grieg's "Morning Mood" and a laid-back version of "Tonight" from West Side Story. It's too bad that the Americans didn't wait to record that last song until Black had entered their fold. His impressive range and theatrical delivery made songs like "Only in America" sound like they were from some forgotten musical and made the band's version of "Crying" closely rival Roy Orbison's original. Along with the title track, "Come a Little Bit Closer" also features the hits "Cara Mia" – one of the best showcases for Black's vocal prowess – and "This Magic Moment," as well as sound-alike follow-ups like "Let's Lock the Door (And Throw Away the Key)," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Sunday and Me".
Despite its rather cheeky title, Greatest Hits 1977-1990 is a good place to sample the entire Stranglers output. From the squalor of the late-'70s material, to the smoothed-out gloom pop of songs like "Skin Deep" and other mid- to late-'80s neo-goth rock, this is a solid anthology that values substance over style and exhaustive track selection. For sure, a well-edited Stranglers anthology is the only way to enjoy them; they recorded way too much dross to spend time searching out all of their plentiful, marginal records.
Simon and Garfunkel are undoubtedly one of the most successful songwriting duos of the 60s, reaching a similar level of popularity to the Beatles during the latter part of the decade. This Definite Collection shows what a diverse duo they really were and how many memorable tunes they performed together. Though many were put off by the pair's more sterile folk-rock arrangements and clean choirboy harmonies, this collection shows that there was much more to their artistic palette. Songs such as "Homeward Bound", "I Am a Rock", "Cecilia" and "Mrs Robinson" all show that the duo could rock with the best of them and "The Sound of Silence" and "Bridge over Troubled Water" are just some of the beautifully timeless records the pair gave us. It may not be as definitive as it claims but this is a great collection featuring some of their best and most well known works.
The most influential and enduring progressive rock group ever, Yes has expanded the frontiers of musical onsciousness since 1968. Revered for instrumental virtuosity and bravura vocals in a signature sound fusing rock, classical, pop, folk, metal, and more, their sonically adventurous albums are matched in renown by the sheer force of their concert spectacles. Spanning 1969-2001, and a number of the band's legendary line-ups, this remarkable 2-CD compilation pulls masterworks from throughout their career for a revealing overview of their artistic evolution. 2-CD collections by legendary artists.
Greatest Ever Indie Anthems brings together the very best indie tracks from the 80s, 90s and 00s. The tracklisting boasts a veritable who s who of the indie world, with artists as diverse as Razorlight, Keane, Embrace and Cast. Whether you re hosting your own indie disco, going to the gym or heading out on a road trip in the car, this heady mix of the nostalgic and the contemporary will have you dancing your Converse off - coolly of course. Greatest Ever Indie Anthems: the weekend starts here.