Record Reviews

CLIFF RICHARD ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES PARLOPHONE 190295966263 (Barcode: 190295966263) ~ UK ~ Classic Pop Recorded: 1959 - 1961 Released: 2016 This Box Set collects the first five albums by the great British Pop icon Cliff RichardFind albums by this artist, released between 1959 and 1961. They are: "CliffFind albums with this title" from 1959, "Cliff SingsFind albums with this title" from 1959, "Me And My ShadowsFind albums with this title" from 1960, "Listen To Cliff!Find albums with this title" from 1961 and "21 TodayFind albums with this title" from 1961. Cliff Richard was an instant success and these albums all charted very near to top with the last album in this set finally capturing the very top. His velvet voice and incredible musicality catapulted Cliff Richard to the position unprecedented by any other Pop star before him. He is the most successful British male solo artist of all time and his only competition worldwide was American superstar Elvis PresleyFind albums by this artist. These albums present Cliff Richard´s work with the legendary producer / arranger Norrie ParamorFind albums by this artist as well as his first recording with the no less legendary instrumental group The ShadowsFind albums by this artist. This is simply music history in the making. Cliff Richard managed to maintain a respectable position over the years and is still active today almost six decades after he made these recordings. He proudly created a very impressive legacy, which has but a few equals. These early albums, which have been unavailable for ages, are a must to every British 1960s Pop connoisseur. An absolute must! Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: 19/07/2016

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

SHADOWS ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES PARLOPHONE 825646179749 (Barcode: 825646179749) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock This Box Set collects the first five albums by the seminal British early Rock group The ShadowsFind albums by this artist recorded and released between 1961 and 1966. The group was a quartet, pioneering instrumental Rock and their hits influenced more young (at the time) people to pick up the guitar that any other group in music history. They were also the backing band of singer Cliff RichardFind albums by this artist, which at the time meant more or less to be at the top of the world. These albums present The Shadows on their own, separate from their association with Cliff Richard, playing mostly instrumental pieces, covers as well as original compositions. Their distinctive style and sound remain fresh half a Century later, still sounding pretty unique today. The group´s lead guitarist Hank MarvinFind albums by this artist developed a completely inimitable style based on clean guitar sound with lots of echo and vibrato, which was later copied by millions of guitar player the world over. Musically these albums are of course on the easier side of the spectrum, with pretty melodies and catchy riffs, but listening attentively there is a lot of interesting stuff happening between the players, which is worth listening to, especially from such time perspective. These albums do not include the great hits of the band, which were released as singles or EPs, and are available elsewhere. Overall this is a great trip down the nostalgia lane, a piece of Pop / Rock history and amazingly a vivid proof of how popular music deteriorated over time. Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend