2007 two CD compilation from the '70s British Pop/Rock band fronted by Chris Norman. Smokie's sound was a combination of hook-laden songs supplied by top pop team Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and distinctive but unashamedly Stateside - influenced Soft-Rock harmonies. Though their very first television performance was on the Rock-credible Old Grey Whistle Test, they found themselves virtual residents on Top of the Pops as the '70s ended. This collection tells their story superbly. 36 tracks including 'If You Think You Know How to Love Me', 'Living Next Door to Alice' and 'Oh Carol'. Also includes 'Stumblin' In', Chris Norman's hit duet with Suzi Quatro!
“In the whole of pop, he’s the only man I can think of that has unnatural powers, who really knows what will hit and what won’t. He hardly misses. Under pressure, he wins out every time.” Nick Cohn
Theoretically, assembling a Jackson Browne greatest-hits collection would be easy, but The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne proves that isn't necessarily the case. Boasting 13 tracks, plus two new songs, The Next Voice You Hear contains some of Browne's biggest hits – "Doctor My Eyes," "Running on Empty," "Somebody's Baby," "Tender Is the Night" – but it leaves just as many off, including "Rock Me on the Water," "Here Come Those Tears Again," "Stay," "Boulevard," "Lawyers in Love," and "For America." Of course, singles only told half the story with Browne, and many of his greatest songs were only available as album tracks. Therefore, it makes sense that album cuts like "These Days," "Late for Sky," and "The Pretender" are present, but there are still a number of equally good, if not better, cuts that are left off. As a result, The Next Voice You Hear is merely adequate for casual Browne fans, but it's nowhere near definitive.
It’s been a little while since Eric Records’ acclaimed “Hard-To-Find 45s on CD” series visited the 1970s. And, we’ve never stretched into the ’80s! That makes Hard-To-Find 45s on CD Vol. 14: 70s & 80s Pop Classics a welcome addition to the family, as it celebrates the glittering decades that found popular music getting more popular – and unpredictable – than ever before. Hold on tight – or you might get whiplash as we survey nearly 20 years’ worth of pop rarities!