The Dynamite Room

80s GROOVE 2 SESSIONS is 2CDs spanning the era’s rich variety of styles, from Gwen Guthrie and Cheryl Lynn’s party starters to electro anthems from Joyce Sims and Tyrone Brunson and the mellow soul of Lonnie Hill. A terrific era for dance music, which is still regularly referenced, sampled and plundered by the new soul generation.

Although his songwriting slips a little here ("PMS" was an idea that should have never been executed), Standing Room Only confirms Larry Garner's position as a tough blues guitarist and dynamic performer. Despite a few weak cuts, there's still a number of very strong songs, and Garner's flair for gritty, swampy performances makes the album quite enjoyable – it just falls a little short of the high quality of his previous masterworks.

In October 1967, Cliff Richard and the Norrie Paramor Orchestra embarked upon a fabulously successful Japanese tour, climaxing with a solidly sold-out appearance at the Shibuya Public Hall in Tokyo, recorded for both domestic and international release the following year. It's a magnificent performance, spinning through highlights of Richard's entire career, all the way back to "Move It" and "Dynamite," but eschewing the easy route of simply piling hits upon hits, by concentrating as much on rocking covers as on the expected hits – "What'd I Say," "Shout," and "Twist and Shout" make it onto the album; left on the cutting room floor are equally powerful takes on "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy."

In October 1967, Cliff Richard and the Norrie Paramor Orchestra embarked upon a fabulously successful Japanese tour, climaxing with a solidly sold-out appearance at the Shibuya Public Hall in Tokyo, recorded for both domestic and international release the following year. It's a magnificent performance, spinning through highlights of Richard's entire career, all the way back to "Move It" and "Dynamite," but eschewing the easy route of simply piling hits upon hits, by concentrating as much on rocking covers as on the expected hits – "What'd I Say," "Shout," and "Twist and Shout" make it onto the album; left on the cutting room floor are equally powerful takes on "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy."