New Wave Compilations music reviews

Far and above one of the best compilation CD's to date. A must have for Sunday morning lounging or an easy dinner with friends. A perfect gift for a friend!

Cover me is a great musical compilation that has something for everyone. A real treat and best of all you get great music and help out a very worthy cause at the same time.

I'm not a sophisticated music listener but have found this disc to be on "permanent play" in my car and home CD player. I really like the version of "Like A Prayer", "Jump" and Melkey Sedek's amazing voice. I'm giving these out as stocking stuffers to everyone in my family! The fact that the profits go to fight AIDS is just a bonus.

Still have the original LP!!!! Great ska compolation, nothing like the original SKA Era.

This Are Two Tone is the summary disk put out by the record company that goes by that name. It's all of the hits by famous groups of that time period.

The music is hard to explain. Some would say "ska", or others "pop-reggae." I say it's just plain good!

There are happy songs, there are sad songs. But all of them are fast, jumping songs. Serious mood-music.

highly reccommended ( if i spelt that right) for new comers into the "rude girl"/"rude boy" scene...or if you just flat out like this type of music. it has great awesome bands from the 2tone era and also has the duet with rhoda dakar and the specials aka. a must for ska enjoyers around! cheers!

Search for compilations of new wave and you'll come across a lot of CDs with songs that are more pop than new wave. If you're looking for the real gems that you rarely hear on the radio ... the type of music you loved from those 80s movies like "Valley Girl" and all the Molly Ringwald flicks, this box set will not disappoint. I honestly didn't know a lot of these songs when I bought this CD, but after a few listens I realized there wasn't a single song on this three-CD set that I didn't like. There are some unusual picks, but nothing disappointing, and there are some real standouts like "China" by Red Rockers, "Happy Birthday" by Altered Images (remember this one from the Molly Ringwald movie?), "Love & Pride" by King, "Chamber of Hellos" by Wire Train, "Doot Doot" by Freur, and "Video Killed the Radio Star" by Bruce Wooley & the Camera Club, a much better version than the Buggles' more commonly heard version, in my opinion. Don't let the low price of this CD fool you. This is one of those CD sets that's worth more than the price. Listen and enjoy!

If you like this style of music (How could YOU not!), This is a real deal ! There are some oddities, but there are also some gems. Gary Myricks stuff IS genius, as is the Psych Furs. Wire Train? Simply stunning! What a creative time in rock history. Listen for blends of reggae, punk, dance, and synth. WOW!!! At about $4-$5 per disc, you just can not go wrong. If this stuff doesn't make you want to move, you better check for a pulse!!!!

I was originally looking for the song Whirly Girl by OXO and stumbled across this compilation album. I've seen other compilation albums with Whirly Girl, but the other 80's songs were, well, in a word, yuk. This one has most of the songs I absolutely loved (and had forgotten about). Would make an excellent workout or party cd. Heck, I may have a party just to show off....

That song was the reason I got this. But i was also blessed with Pass the Duchie...

This is a great collection of new wave feel good hits of the 80's and is a hit at all my parties The sound is great and the collection is solid.

thumbs up!

A strange little collection featuring some fantastic, upbeat hits of the 80's. If you are looking for a good workout CD or a dnace mix, this is it.

Attention "Silence Of The Lambs" fans. This CD has the Ultra- Rare Q Lazzarus song (Goodbye Horses) you have been searching for! The hauntingly beautiful music playing while Buffalo Bill struts his stuff is here in all it's glory in a 6 min. 25 sec. extended version! Worth the price of this disc on it's own. However, the rest of the disc will make you want to wax up the dance floor and return to the Synth Pop sounds of the 80's!

I bought this for one song that was no longer available to buy on it's own. With that in mind, I'm glad to have the other songs too. You know how you get that feeling from way way way back in your mind and things you haven't thought about in years come back? That's what happened when this was playing in the background. Good music from the teenage and early twenties of my life.

I must admit I originally wanted this cd because of the ultra rare 12" mix of Love Parade from The Dream Academy. Many if not all are very hard to finds. I could have done without Tears For Fears on this cd but for the rest it's a true find for people looking for the real eighties dance music. A must have for any serious collector.

OOH YES I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR WEREWOLVES OF LONDON CUT 2 FOR A LONG TIME NOW I HAVE IT AWSOME I LOVE THE MUSIC OF THE 70'S A GREAT ERA OF OUR TIME FOR ISSUES AND GREAT MUSIC,I HAVE THE BOX SET OF GREATEST HITS OF THE 70'S THAT ONE IS MORE SUPERIOR THAN THIS ONE BUT THIS IS STILL A GOOD CD

Unlike other various hits collections, this CD actually presents original hits without any type of hatchet job editing. Though many of the tracks are readily available elsewhere ("If I Can't Have You," "Boogie Oogie Oogie," "Just What I Needed," and many other dance-related songs), where else could you find Flash & the Pan's cult rocker "Hey St. Peter" or the elusive #1 hit "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" by Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams? Rockers "Don't Look Back" and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" are presented in their full uncut glory.

Where could you possibly find the hits by the Buggles, Dead Or ALive, Bronski Beat, ABC, Animotion, and Men Without Hats compiled in one production? Only here. This cd is most memorable for the songs, "Radio Killed The Radio Star", "You Spin Me Round", and "Safety dance". It is really worth your money. Get it before it goes out of stock indefinitely.

Containing a few big late-70s hits like "My Sharona" and "Gold" plus some decent 70s shlock, it's one of the best volumes in the Have A Nice Day series.

Back in 1990, Rhino records commenced the collaboration of the "Have A Nice Day" compilation series. Ultimately this resulted in a 25 volume set of CD's. All of the discs contain a mixture of top charting hits and obscure classics from the seventies. Many of the discs have come together quite well with a collection of great tracks, whilst some of the other discs are as horrid as my old set of pink flares.

One of the best volumes is number 22. This one contains that guitar stumpin' classic "driver seat" from Sniff and the Tears. What about abit of dance with Hot Chocolates "everyone's a winner" and Nick Gilders "hot child in the City". Feeling romantic? There's Nicolette Larson's "lotta love", John Paul Young's "love is in the air" and Robert John's "Sad eyes". Other tracks include Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro's Duet "stumblin' in" and John Stewart's "gold". I was about age ten when many of these tracks where at the top of the charts. Nothing beats that good old seventies nostalgia. Again a disc that get's a good thrashing at my place.

One of the outstanding members of the Have A Nice Day collection, this disc captures the feel of a turning point in musical styles. Briefly...

"Hot Child In The City": Seductive, androgynous vocals here from Nick Gilder. Listeners appear to have missed the "cautionary" point of this song...everyone wanted to meet the young girl dressed in black.

"Love Is In the Air": A memorable tune from the late 70's, from Aussie singer John Paul Young. It had a brief renaissance when it was included in the Aussie film "Strictly Ballroom" in the early 90's.

"My Sharona": The Knack gave us a preview of the changing attitudes towards the "disco" late 70's with their "garage band" rock tune. Appeared in the slacker/nostalgia flick "Reality Bites".

"Gold": Great vocals by John Stewart, with backup and "ooo-ooo's" by none other than Stevie Nicks!

"Driver's Seat" and "Hold On" are complex, existentialist "mood" pieces with innovative instrumental and vocal arrangements. Contrast these with Rex Smith's bubble gum "Take My Breath Away".

Robert John's "Sad Eyes" is blessed with muscular instrumentalization and one of the finest falsettos you are likely to hear in the modern age.

Besides that, this CD will prove a "fistful of memories" (hopefully good ones) for anyone who grew up during this era. Don't miss out!

What a great collection of rare, out of print and underground dance and disco with a little bit of the classics you have heard of before like I Know What Boy's Like by the Waitresses. Soft voiced Christina's Drive My Car is a classic gem on here. I especially love her laughing in the track. Or take French Boys by Gar�ons. Another upbeat and energetic early 80's disco track perfect for a fun party. Fire is another fun track by the lovely Lizzy Mercier Descloux. Very 80's, very groovy. Overall a fun collection of tunes I had heard of before but never knew who it was or knew who it was but didn't own. Definitely worth owning.

ZE records assembles all its own underground dance stuff, in mostly full length versions, on one strong compilation. Mostly disco, and euro energy type dance tracks, the label throws in the odd track that doesn't quite fit the format, like the Waitresses classic "I Know What boys Like." A number of these songs, while not mainstream hits, were big billboard dance chart hits. Track times:

CD1
1 . wheel me out (7:08)
2. Bustin out (6:40)
3. Drive my car (3:21)
4. Annie I'm not your daddy (6:30)
5. Emile (6:48)
6. Contort yourself (6:18)
7. Funky stuff (4:12)
8. French boy (3:08)
9. Deputy of love (5:29)
10. Cowboys & gangsters (7:28)
11. Blame it on the disco (7:57)
12. Encore l'amore (8:55)

CD2
1. disco clone (4:10)
2. Que pasa (6:23)
3. I'm a wonderful thing baby (6:15)
4. Out come the freaks (7:11)
5. Fire (5:16)
6. Spooks in space (5:44)
7. Tell me that I'm dreaming (5:03)
8. Narcissique (3:36)
9. I know what boys like (3:16)
10. Re bop electronic (2:55)
11. French boy disco edit (5:10)
12. Faites le proton (5:18)

Ze Records made a significant contribution in the late 1970s and early 1980s with their artists like Cristina Monet, Material, Was (Not Was) and Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rumba Band. The original vinyl album had only six tracks so this expanded 2-disc CD is a massive improvement revealing much more of the glory of Ze.

In general, the music is a successful blend of dance and new wave. Wheel Me Out by Was (Not Was) is a sinister track with spoken vocals and an insistent chanting chorus over a nervous, funky rhythm. Busting Out has powerful vocals by Nona Hendryx over Eurodisco synths and electric guitars.

Cristina's two tracks include her interpretation of Drive My Car and her tongue-in-chic disco songs Blame It On Disco and Disco Clone. It is high time her legendary album Sleep It Off be re-released as it contains timeless masterpieces like He Dines Out On Death, The Lie Of Love and Van Morrison's Blue Money.

There is a strong mix of Latin, Big Band swing and mid-century pop in the tracks by Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rumba Band, Gichy Dan and Coati Mundi - my favorite is Deputy Of Love with Fonda Rae on lead vocal. Ze's most successful act, Kid Creole And The Coconuts, contribute their huge hits, the tuneful Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy and I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby, whilst James White And The Blacks offer the sax-heavy Contort Yourself.

The other two tracks by Was (Not Was) are also minor classics and count amongst my favourites on this marvellous album of innovative music. It's a pity about the omissions though: Cristina's poignant Things Fall Apart and Christmas Rapping by The Waitresses, two great singles from the early 1980s. This CD contains a classy booklet with many photographs and informative liner notes on the artists and the Ze label.

..if you're a fan of any of these bands then you've already got these remixes (or heard them at any 80's nite).

there are some remixes that can't be found anywhere, so buy IT!!
go KROQ 106.7 los angeles

I've been a DJ for over 10 years and frankly I'm real tired of the same old versions of the great 80's tunes we're so used to. These remixes are familiar enough to satisfy your clients AND YOU!
The extra bonus of course are the abundance of rare remixes never before seen on CD. If you're a collector, you better get this series while you can and get every one! This is a killer collection and if you look at the price you can see that they are already getting premium dollar and they are not even out of print yet! Buy as many as you can afford!

DJ B-Rad