"The Compact 2 Tone Story" (1993)

The Compact 2 Tone Story (compilation)
release date: 1993
format: digital (4-disc box set)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Chrysalis / 2 Tone Records - nationality: England, UK

4-Disc Box Set compiling all A and B-side singles released on legendary 2 Tone Records. The album is basically an expanded reissue of the '89 album The 2 Tone Story, which was a double vinyl album containing 26 tracks released by Chrysalis / Two-Tone.
The album contains 68 tracks of which 32 are credited The Special A.K.A. / The Specials - which more or less is the same band. The name The Specials was used on the band's first two full-length studio albums, but the moniker 'The Special A.K.A.' had been used in the formative years and for the early single releases of "Gangsters" and "Too Much Too Young" (both 1979), which were included on the first album by The Specials ('Gangsters' only on non-UK versions), and the name was then re-used again after the major split of the band in '81, when the three vocalists Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding formed Fun Boy Three leaving the remainders to continue as The Special A.K.A. and releasing one studio album in '84.
The remaining 36 tracks are with various important and lesser known artists associated with the 2 Tone label. Major artists like Madness and The Beat only released one single each on 2 Tone before signing with Stiff and Go Feet respectively, which is why there's only two songs with each of the two. Also, one single by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down" / "Girls Talk" was released and subsequently withdrawn due to legal rights issues, as Costello was on contract with F-Beat; however, the songs are included here, despite, not really being 'ska revival' songs like nearly all other compositions on the album. The Selecter is another important band of the period, and they contribute with 7 tracks, and then there's a long list of various artists like The Bodysnatchers, The Swinging Cats, Rico Rodriguez, The Appolinaires, The Higsons, The Friday Club, and JB's Allstars, all of which contributed with just one or two single releases on 2 Tone before dissolving or morphing into other bands.
The album is a difficult listen - partly because of inconsistency of quality material, but also because of a wide span of stylistic expression. That said, the release is of high importance as a music historical document of an important time and musical expression.

"The Best of Country and West" (1967)

The Best of Country and West, compilation

release date: 1967

format: vinyl

[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

producer: ?

label: RCA Victor - nationality: Germany

Compilation album of classic country songs in a German pressing. The album comes with various different covers, and it was originally released in Germany only. Later it has been issued for the Dutch, the Italian, Swiss, and Norwegian markets.

This particular issue was part of my parents' record collection, and I recall playing this at age 6-10 years old on a portable turntable. At an early age, it was actually one of my favourite albums. It's not that country music as such was something my parents listened much to - perhaps I really enjoyed this because I also happened to really like watching western movies. I still recall a few of my then favourite tracks: #A1. Charley Pride "Detroit City", #A3. Hank Snow "The Golden Rocket", #A6. George Hamilton IV "Steel Rail Blues", #A7. Skeeter Davis "The End of the World", #B2. Norma Jean "You're Driving Me Out of My Mind", and #B4. Floyd Cramer "Hey Good Lookin' ".

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

"Sexy & Dirty House Music Vol. 1" (2011)

Sexy & Dirty House Music Vol. 1 (compilation)
release date: Oct. 19, 2011
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

Album excerpts: 1. Johny S "Can't Get Enough (Original Mix)" - 5. Chantola "Chicago (I Need You) (Original Mix)" - 8. Johny S "Smooth Operator (Chantola Remix)"

A compilation album of club house. This may be a series in many volumes, but this specific album is surprisingly quite good.

Cliff Martinez "Drive" (OST) (2011)

Drive (soundtrack)
release date: Sep. 27, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Track highlights: 1. Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx "Nightcall" - 2. Desire "Under Your Spell" (4 / 5) - 3. College "A Real Hero (feat. Electric Youth)" (4 / 5) - 4. Riz Ortolani "Oh My Love (feat. Katyna Ranieri)" - 5. Chromatics "Tick of the Clock" - 6. Cliff Martinez "Rubber Head" - 7. Cliff Martinez "I Drive" - 14. Cliff Martinez "Hammer" - 19. Cliff Martinez "Bride of Deluxe"

Original Soundtrack album made for the fine full length feature film "Drive" (2011) directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. This is a fine soundtrack, only, I wish they would have made it as a 2-disc release, or in two versions. The thing is, Cliff Martinez is a great composer of film music BUT the first 5 tracks are of other artists doing their electronic synth pop as "normal" pop music, and they are fine tracks. The remaining 14 tracks are Martinez' own film score, which are totally different in style, and what makes it a difficult listen. His music is instrumental ambient progressive electronic (no pop) close to modern classical.
[ film trailer ]

"This Is England" (OST) (2007)

This Is England (soundtrack)
release date: 2007
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5]

Track highlights: 7. Al Barry & The Cimarons "Morning Sun" (3,5 / 5) - 9. Toots & The Maytals "Louie Louie" - 10. Toots & The Maytals "Pressure Drop" (4 / 5) - 12. The Specials "Do the Dog" (3,5 / 5) - 15. The Upsetters "Return of Django" (3,5 / 5) - 20. Percy Sledge "The Dark End of the Street"

Original Soundtrack compilation album made for the fine full length British feature film "This Is England" (2006) directed by Shane Meadows. The movie is an interesting and disturbing portrait of working class England in the early 1980s, and the soundtrack is likewise interesting but also very varied. Best tracks are the reggae and ska tracks by Toots & The Maytalls (three tracks), Al Barry & The Cimarons, The Specials, and The Upsetters.
[ film trailer ]

"Erotic Lounge (Vol. 1)" (2003)

"Erotic Lounge (Vol. 1)", 2cd compilation
release date: Apr. 8, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]

Album excerpts: Disc 1) 1. Tosca "Honey (Spatone 1 Dub)" - Disc 2) 4. The Maxwell Implosion "The Upper Left Hand"

A 2 cd compilation album of primarily electronic, lounge, and trip hop. Disc 1 is labelled "Soft & Lazy", and Disc 2 "Quick & Dirty". It's not really any good. Erotic Lounge is a rather vast category of music of varied quality and I've heard many poor attempts of the genre. There's simply way too much new age in it for my taste.

"Red Hot + Blue (A Tribute to Cole Porter)" (1990)

Red Hot + Blue (A Tribute to Cole Porter)
released: Sep. 25, 1990
format: vinyl 2 lp (gatefold - CHR 1799) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: various
label: Chrysalis Records - nationality: UK

Track highlights: A) 2. Neville Brothers "In the Still of the Night" (4 / 5) - 3. Sinéad O'Connor "You Do Something to Me" - 4. Salif Keita "Begin the Beguine" (4 / 5) - 5. Fine Young Cannibals "Love for Sale" - - B) 2. Kirsty MacColl & The Pogues "Miss Otis Regrets / Just One of Those Things" - 4. Tom Waits "It's All Right With Me" - - C) 1. U2 "Night and Day" - 2. Les Negresses Vertes "I Love Paris" - - D) 3. Jimmy Somerville "From This Moment On" (4 / 5) - 5. Aztec Camera "Do I Love You"

A double vinyl album of various artists in tribute of Cole Porter. The album was released as focus was high on Aids. The full title is: Red Hot + Blue - A Tribute to Cole Porter to Benefit Aids Research and Relief. The artists represent various styles and genres and the result is a bland experience but it also contains truly great interpretations, and my absolute favourites here are the tracks by The Neville Brothers, Salif Keita, Fine Young Cannibals, Kirsty MacColl & The Pogues, and Jimmy Somerville.

"The Blues Brothers" (OST) (1980)

The Blues Brothers (soundtrack)
release date: Jun. 20, 1980
format: vinyl (ATL 50 715) / digital (1995 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Bob Tischler
label: Atlantic - nationality: USA

Soundtrack album for the John Landis comedy hit film "The Blues Brothers" (1980) starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd - a film based on the characters, The Blues Brothers, invented by Belushi and Aykroyd for the Saturday Night Live comedy show in '78. The album may also be seen as the second of three albums by The Blues Brothers, who made their album debut in Nov. '78 with the live album Briefcase Full of Blues.
The music on the album is a mix of tracks either featuring The Blues Brothers, or some of the stars featuring in the film, which includes Cab Calloway, John Lee Hooker, Chaka Khan, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin. The soundtrack is a great collection of original 'soul' and 'rhythm & blues' made with sheer dedication, admiration and respect for the music.

"Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid" (1985)

Sun City - Artists United Against Apartheid (compilation)
release date: Dec. 7, 1985
format: vinyl
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Little Steven and Arthur Baker
label: Manhattan Records - nationality: USA

Compilation album released in support of The Africa Fund, a charitable trust based in New York City and registered with the United Nations. The album only contains 7 tracks but it mentions 52 featuring artists with the addition of many starring names amongst the technical personnel.

"National Lampoon's Animal House" (OST) (1978)

National Lampoon's Animal House (soundtrack)
release date: Jul. 28, 1978
format: vinyl (reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Kenny Vance
label: MCA Records - nationality: USA

Soundtrack album to the comedy film "National Lampoon's Animal House", or just: "Animal House" (1978) directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi.

"Buster" (OST) (1988)

Buster (soundtrack)
release date: 1988
format: vinyl
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: WEA - nationality: England, UK

Soundtrack from the film "Buster" (1988) directed by David Green featuring Phil Collins and Julie Walters is the official soundtrack by various artists.

"Cocktail (OST) (1988)

Cocktail (soundtrack)
release date: 1988
format: vinyl
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: Elektra - nationality: England, USA

Soundtrack from the comedy film "Cocktail" (1988) by Roger Donaldson featuring Tom Cruise, Elisabeth Shue, and Bryan Brown is the official soundtrack by various artists.

Abstract Magazine - Issue 5 (1985)

Abstract Magazine - Issue 5 (compilation)
release date: Mar. 1985
format: vinyl (plastic sleeve - SAM 005 / AM05)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Sweatbox - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Abstract Magazine featuring the following artists The Test Dept, Colourbox, Swans, Gene Loves Jezebel, And Also the Trees, The Wolfgang Press, Cindytalk, The Jazz Butcher, Nyam Nyam, 400 Blows.

"Rough Trade Records / MNW" (1983)

Rough Trade Records / MNW (compilation)
released: 1983
format: vinyl (MNWX 3)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Rough Trade / MNW - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. Aztec Camera "Pillar to Post" - 5. The Gist "Love at First Sight" - - B) 4. The Go-Betweens "Cattle and Cane" - 5. Robert Wyatt "Shipbuilding" (live)

An interesting compilation of various artists by Rough Trade / MNW from the early 1980s showcasing some new tendencies in music styles. The album is a Scandinavian release only and issued with Scandinavian label MNW.
I think, some of the artists and tracks are of little interest but the album really contains fine music, and thanks to this album, I came to know of Aztec Camera and The Go-Betweens. I'm not particularity a big fan of Robert Wyatt but his version of Elvis Costello's wonderful classic is another fine tune [here's the original].

"The Kids Are United" (1983)

The Kids Are United (compilation)
release date: 1983
format: vinyl (MFN 4)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Music For Nations - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album issued by British label Music For Nations (and manufactured in France) is a collection of compositions by UK punk rock bands of the late 1970's and early '80s. The album consists of 15 tracks and has taken its title from the first track by Sham 69 "If the Kids Are United", which like the title of the album references "The Kids Are Alright" by The Who. Several bands appear with two songs: Sham 69, Cockney Rejects, Angelic Upstarts, The Exploited, and Toy Dolls.

"Pillows & Prayers (Cherry Red 1982-1983)" (1982)

Pillows & Prayers (Cherry Red 1982-1983) (compilation)
release date: Dec. 1982
format: vinyl (Z RED 41) / digital (2000 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. Five or Six "Portrait" - 2. The Monochrome Set "Eine Symphonie Des Grauens" - 4. Tracey Thorn "Plain Sailing" - 5. Ben Watt "Some Things Don't Matter" - - B) 1. Marine Girls "Lazy Ways" - 2. Felt "My Face Is on Fire" - 3. Eyeless in Gaza "No Noise" - 4. The Passage "XOYO" - 5. Everything but the Girl "On My Mind" - 6. Attila the Stockbroker "A Bang and a Wimpey" - 9. Quentin Crisp "Stop the Music for a Minute"

Compilation album released on Cherry Red Records as a collection of the label's artists. The album was quite well-known, perhaps mostly due to a sticker on the front cover reading "Pay no more than 99p", which ensured good promotional sales. I believe I came across the album around '85 or there about, and bought it because it features Felt, Tracey Thorn, Ben Watt, Marine Girls, and Everything but the Girl, and because the music I associated with Cherry Red were basically interesting artists.
The music is simply too diverse to make a great album, but it has its moments and mostly functions as a fine historical document. In 1984, a sequel Pillows & Prayers 2 was released in Japan only, and in 2000 both albums was issued together as Pillows & Prayers (Cherry Red 1982-1984), and with that title an award-winning 4-disc package of 3 cds and 1 dvd was released in 2007, which went on to win the 2008 MOJO Award for Catalogue Release of the Year.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

"Walt Disney's Junglebogen" (1968)

Walt Disney's Junglebogen

release date: 1968

format: vinyl (KELP 116)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: ?

label: His Master's Voice / Disneyland - nationality: Denmark

The Danish release of Disney's "The Jungle Book" (1967) with the voices from the Danish version of Disney's adaptation of Kipling's classic. The Danish voices have been selected among familiar names from the stages, from variety shows, and from music, which include Sejr Volmer-Sørensen as narrator, Preben Uglebjerg, Ove Sprogøe, Carl Ottosen, Freddy Albeck, Ole Monty, Ulrik Neumann, Kirsten Rolffes, Svend Asmussen, Ulla 'Sniff' Neumann, and Joachim Clausen in the role of Mowgli.

This copy was part of my parents' record collection, which they had purchased for me and my older brother after watching the Danish version, which premiered Dec. 1968. I actually reacall watching the film at the cinema. Probably not until a later stage as I would have been 3 when it first came out. I recall listening to the album at 6-10 years of age.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

"Somewhere Outside - Etellerandetstedudenfor" (1983)

Somewhere Outside - Etellerandetstedudenfor (compilation)
release date: 1983
format: vinyl 2 lp (Irmg 8) (gatefold)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: Irmgardz - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: A) 1. Moral "Frosty Nights" - 3. Moral "Whispering Sons" - - B) 1. Escape Artists "The Pain" - 2. Escape Artists "The Voice" - - C) 1. Næste Uges TV "Hvide flag" - 2. Næste Uges TV "Ærlige brugte"

A double vinyl compilation album of various Danish post-punk artists released on Irmgardz as 'IRMG 08, 2LP'. Side 1 features Moral, and Inspiration for Scanners. Side 2: Escape Artists, and Crap. Side 3: Næste Uges TV, and Tristan T. Side 4: World in Motion, Poets of the Signature, and De Tilfældige Fra Igår. The album is a rare 2 lp featuring bands of the Danish music underground.
Moral, Næste Uges TV, and also Poets of the Signature later showed more substantial material with full length albums and with Jens Unmack (from Næste Uges TV) forming the successful band Love Shop and with Poets of the Signature becoming The Poets.
The production is not poor, the punk era considered, but the material varies to a large extend. However, the compilation stands out because of its contribution as a remarkable musical and historical evidence.

[ collectors' item - 'near mint' 1st pressing - from ~ €80,- ]

"Life in the European Theatre" (1981) (live)

Life in the European Theatre (live) (compilation)
release date: 1981
format: vinyl (58412)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: various
label: WEA - nationality: England, UK

Compilation of various British 'punk rock' artists from live recording collected against nuclear arms and power. From the album notes: "Half of the recording artists royalties from this album go into a fund for projects opposing nuclear arms and power, allocated by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Anti Nuclear Campaign, Friends of the Earth and the European Nuclear Disarmament who are working with contributing artists. The other half of the recording artists royalties go direct to those four campaigns".

"Sound d'Afrique" (1981)

Sound d'Afrique (compilation)
release date: 1981
format: vinyl (MLPS 9697) / digital (1989 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Mango / Island Records - nationality: various African countries

Tracklist: A) 1. Mekongo President "Me bowa ya" - 2. Eba Aka Jerome "Massoua mo" - 3. Kambou Clement "Dounougnan" - - B) 1. Pablo "Bo mbanda" - 2. Etoile de Dakar "Jalo" - 3. Menga Mokombi "Moboma"

Compilation album later aka Sound d'Afrique, Vol. 1 with six different artists and only six tracks but it's not just a Mini-Album as it has a running time of 44 minutes playing time. The six artists come from [as listed on back cover]: Cameroun, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Zaire, Senegal, and Congo.
This is perhaps the first African compilation album I have come across, and I think I must have found it at the library around 1982 or '83. I just fell for the energy and wonderful original songs. The first track just... makes me feel happy, I guess. The original vinyl album was re-issued on cd in '89.
Highly recommended.