"Diamond in the back, sunroof top; Diggin' the scene with a gangstalene, ooh ooh..."
597703
Although sprinkled throughout with rock, pop and country rock, K-TEL's 1975 compilation album of SOUNDS SPECTACULAR (TU 240) is primarily a showcase for funk, early Disco and latter-day Top 40 soul tracks.

Often here, there's just a fraction of a second between songs, but one cut never overlaps another. Considering the nearly half-hour side times, audio quality is good with just slightly lower than standard output and some noticeable frequency range drop near side ends. Egregious K-Tel edits are kept to a minimum. See running times for some indication of which songs are most affected.

Among the many familiar tunes are (to these ears) a few obscurities. "Up in a Puff of Smoke" is by England's Polly Brown. A hit internationally, it received little airplay in my hometown (New Haven). Bubblegummy "Sugar Baby Love" was a a #1 hit in the UK only. Fanny's "Butter Boy" peaked at #29 on Billboard's Hot 100, even as this girl trio (plus keyboardist Nickey Barclay) was falling apart.

"Doraville," the Atlanta Rhythm Section's first charting single, topped out at #35. New Birth's cover of "It's Impossible" made it to #12 on Billboard's R&B chart. Finally, mention of a US #1 (R&B) and #4 (Hot 100), a phenomenon in its day. William DeVaughan's "Be Thankful for What You Got" is in retrospect a wry comment on the many blaxploitation crime action films popular in that day, with such lyrics as:

"Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls, TV antennas in the back
You may not ha-ave a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall"

...and its subsequent refrain (that is this review's title).

SIDE ONE
[2:53] Never Can Say Goodbye - Gloria Gaynor
[3:02] Free Ride - The Edgar Winter Group
[3:18] Fire - Ohio Players
[2:33] Roll on Down the Highway - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
[2:55] Radar Love - Golden Earring
[2:20] Come and Get Your Love - Redbone
[2:21] Polly Brown - Up in a Puff of Smoke
[3:20] Butter Boy - Fanny
[2:00] Sugar Baby Love - Rubettes
[2:44] Do It ('Til You're Satisfied) - B.T. Expres

SIDE TWO
[3:26] My Eyes Adored You - Frankie Valli
[2:40] Shame, Shame, Shame - Shirley & Company
[2:08] Get Dancin' - Disco Tex & the Sex-o-lettes
[2:36] Nothing from Nothing - Billy Preston
[3:15] Doraville - Atlanta Rhythm Section
[1:57] The South's Gonna Do it Again - The Charlie Daniels Band
[2:20] It's Impossible - New Birth
[2:35] Be Thankful for What You Got - William DeVaughn
[3:04] Just Don't Want to Be Lonely - The Main Ingredient
[2:26] My Maria - B.W. Stevenson

TOTAL TIME: 53:53
1224635
<div id="video-block-R8SP9Z9Y3A8BS" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1MbNTCQKUS.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/811i2ZMxv4S.png" class="video-slate-img-url">&nbsp;I remember driving my first car around, just to be driving, grooving on Frankie Valli's falsetto in the 60's. And Grease in the late 70's. One of those perfect songs that always existed - just waiting to be conceived, written, and performed. And&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Baker-Street/dp/B00000JCZZ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Baker Street</a>&nbsp;by Gerry Rafferty came out about the same time, so it was a pretty good year for pop music. I think that's why both always lift my spirits immediately on hearing.

I give this album a 5 because it is Frankie Valli and I see a lot of enthusiastic fans really like it, so if you're still in doubt, check out their reviews.

I'm doing a video review so I can demonstrate JumpRock and how great Grease is for jumping.
3870376
This is a great song with a catchy beat and clever lyrics written by best song writers in the business along with Rihanna's amazing voice.  Lyrics like "Feels so good being bad" and "Whips and chains excite me!"  Go Barbados!

Update: 03-2012

I'm liking the Rihanna music more all the time.  I read that her last album was recorded in studios in the US and Europe!  Check out the recent Nicki Minaj song "Fly" which heavily features Rihanna.  The video is weird and I had to watch it 6 or more times before I warmed up to it.  I like the new single "We found love" but it is overly repetitive and the video has enough 80's style sex, drugs, and rock and roll to be a soft core porn.
4414115
In my posts and in conversation, I've described the period between 1983 up to very recent times as "the dark ages of Black music," for R&B and Soul music in particular when true singing, writing, and instrumentation gave way to jerri-curled synthesizer bangers passing as musicians, stupid chants replacing lyricism, booty-shaking non-talented rumpmistresses passing as diva singers, and worst of all the gangster (c)rappers who turned our anthems of the love of life into hymns of hatred and death. There are almost no R&B Cds from this era in my huge collection.

While these disgusting assaults on the eardrums and contributors to air pollution and bad music are still fouling up the airwaves, in the past ten years or so, Alicia Keys, Jahiem, Reuben Studdard, Heather Headley, India Arie, and the whole "Neo-Soul" movement has slowed this downward slide and brought light at the end of the tunnel with Cds that one does NOT want to use as frisbees or for target practice. I would include John Legend as one of these wonderful new artists.

A few weeks ago, I was on a country drive when I heard what I thought was a remake of a song by the Classics 4 that was popular in my childhood. Turns out that it was "Save Room" by John Legend.

Last week, I was a nightclub in Columbia, SC and saw this jaw-droppingly beautiful and sassy sister shimmying and sashaying in her sumptious skintight sequins to "Save Room." The song was good enough on its own, but this memory sure helped add to my enjoyment.

So I listened to the whole thing at a friend's house last night. THIS IS GOOD STUFF! Essentially, this is the kind of CD you can play all the way through without skipping over songs. "PDA" is a nice groove that will remind anyone of a pleasant love affair and the "Maxine" songs will put a smile to your face, as will the whole CD. "Coming Home" in particular is a nice way to cap off the proceedings.

John Legend is on to something here. It's called "making good music." May he continue to do so.
4280943
As with all the Bettman and Halpin albums, Diamond is very special and a joy to listen to. It has become a regular in our car-listening assortment of CDs. Stephane and Luke are very talented.
4901277
"It's A Compton Thang" is the 1990 debut of Compton's Most Wanted, a West Coast rap group consisting of MC Eiht, Boom Bam, Tha Chill, Ant Capone, who was later replaced by designated scratcher DJ Mike T, and producer DJ Slip. The Unknown DJ was also a producer for the group though not officially a member.  Why do I love this album and spent almost $40 dollars (which I remind you money well worth spent)?!?  Good memories when I was in the military during my years in Fort Gordon, GA and South Korea.  Listening to the hardcore West Coast bass in some of the songs. Out of their 11 tracked songs , I had six favorites which is unheard of nowadays if you are fortunate to get at least three good tracks from today's 15 to 20 album tracks!!! These are my favorites:

2. "I'm Wit Dat"
3. "Final Chapter" (took samples of James Brown "The Big Payback" and PE's "Welcome To The Terror Dome")
4. "I Give Up Nuthin'
6. "Duck Sick" (Didn't know they were dissing about DJ Quik)
7. "Give It Up" (Took samples from the movie "She Got A Habit" from Spike Lee and hardcore bass)
8. "Late Night Hype" (Took sample of Anita Baker's "Will You Be Mine")

I give this album a hardcore 5 out of 5 stars!!!

Get this album
419280
He's here, he's [gay], and he's in your face. Power In The Darkness recalls the memorable words of that Great American Philosopher, Jerry Seinfeld, who once said "I'm not one. Not that there's anything wrong with it." Even if you discard 'Glad To Be A Bugger,' Power In The Darkness contains more than enough confrontation and hang-the-king material to appease the most ferocious rock hound. The album rocks-on like an out of control Metro train with a cocaine-crazed driver at the controls (hey, that happens weekly in Baltimore). Robinson is seething with frustration, and rather than "sing," he spits-out venomous lyrics with a heavy British accident. Lines such as "yer best mate getting paki-bashed" makes absolutely no sense to me, but what the heck: the message is secondary to the delivery, and Robinson boils over with vigor.
The band is as contentious as the MC5 and the Sex Pistols (Ain't Gonna Take It, Right On Sister). The rhythm guitar work is technically simple, but filthy (and that's good) - see 'Long Hot Summer,' 'The Winter Of '79,' and '2-4-6-8 Motorway.' Turn up 'Don't Take No For An Answer,' and the machine gun drumming will shake the baby right out of the crib. 'Martin' is a sissy sing-along, but I wouldn't repeat the word "sissy" in front of this live audience. They're quite an enthusiastic lot.
Buddy, if you're going to do Protest-Rock you'd best better be sincere because I can smell pretension a mile away. I haven't paid any attention to politics in rock for the past three decades. Tell me, how does a rock star (unlike Robinson) sitting in his mansion in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean write about government hypocrisy? I just don't buy it, but I do buy Tom Robinson - hook, line and stinker.
1919998
This is old but all da Homies love it yo! I be like, DAMN dawg chill! Fo' real. And they be kickin funky-dope lyrics, knowhatimsayin dawg? I bump this in my ride all the time. The Honeys be jockin' like whoa! If you own this U gotta get Jay-Z's new blazin' shiznit dawg, aiight? Word, keep it thorough, nucca!
3688355
This film has it all: bad-boy road trip, conniving one-dimensional female character with cute kid, splashy-bloody Vegas heist, unrelenting comic book-style violence, car chases, missing money, bloodbath ending a la Scarface, happy ending for the survivors, and - oh, yes - really cool, in-your-face metal-meets-Elvis music soundtrack.  This exemplifies exactly what the Hollywood movie machinery has deemed what the public wants (and apparently, judging by the other reviews here, does):  a music video director directing name stars playing shallow characters in a shoot-em-up technical showcase with loud accompanying music. If this is your cup of tea, enjoy...
2522618
This cd is a classic dirty looks sound with attitude and you can tell the chemistry between the 3 of the original members , plenty hooks and riffs , nicely produced and henrick pushes the envelope on the singing, really gives it his best i think since "5 easy pieces" or "chewin on the bit", this lil gem should be in any dirt looks` collection 4 sure, songs like "bring me down" & "million miles away" will bring you back to the early days of the band, has all elements of" cool from the wire" to "chewin on the bit" , it trips the trigger & `07`s "gasoline" too is along same vein...fun rock done right, ROCKIN!
729736
Nick BAHh has it... This album kicks some ....

This kid has to hit the top....New,Fresh and great new sound.
Like the lyrics say when he brings Hip Hop Back from the Dead...

"When I put the pen on the page
I told people, I'm a threat when I'm jottin'
I ain't writing verses I'm writing out doctrines
Top notch, I'm the best as it comes
If hip hops the breath than I'm the damn lung!"

Way to go Nick BAHh
1280398
Album is very good throughout, pop synth with a reggae feel on some tracks. Most reviewers have said her voice reminds them of Gwen Stefani, it took a few listen before it came to me, it really sounds more like Dale Bozzio, the lead singer of Missing Persons (if some of you can remember that far back or have caught them on Remember the 80's. Definitely an album to purchase. PS Santogold was name of really bad gold plated jewelry you could buy on late nite tv.
2415848
The benchmark of hip hop longevity, Gangstarr,collectively Guru and DJ Premier,are one of the few reasons why I am still a hip hopper. In this era of bling bling and me-me rap acts, these two will outlive all of these current flavors of the month, and even some of the bigger acts of today. They are back with a vengance with their new album, The Ownerz, as as usual the music is nothing short of excellent. I will say this though; it seems that the group looked to go the commercial angle, as you can see with some of the guests but it's not as obvious, as say Jay-Z and Missy Elliott. There are so many good songs to name, it's
hard to single them out, but Rite Where U stand with Jadakiss of the Lox is one of Primo's best beats in a long time. Gangstarr probably won't ever sell millions of records like the MTV/106 & Park MC's out there, but at least they'll be here when my kids are growing up. Peace.
729939
Covers aren't something I usually get excited about. But when it's one that seems unlikely for an artist to work-- such as an established roots-rocker covering a classic new wave tune-- that gets my attention. The artist is obviously taking risks, stepping out of their norm, and therefore putting their talents to a true test. Bonnie Raitt nailed it here. This normally polished dance/pop tune from Talking Heads gets a gritty blues-rock treatment and actually rocks harder than the original.  I was always surprised it wasn't chosen as the single from Road Tested; it seemed to get a lot of play on stations local to me back in the mid-90s, and when I first heard it, it blew me away and is still my preferred version, despite my admiration for Byrne and company. I bought The Best of ... On Capital, then used Audacity to fade this track's opening audience noise in, then out at the close, so I could insert it at a great point into that comp's sequencing for a perfect Raitt play list. This track is just that essential, in my mind.
3552863
One Of the Most Unique Rappers in the game, let me quote "I treat bitches straight up like +Simon Says+
Open (...) put ya legs behind ya head
Cop me Air 1s hon lime and red
You got pets me too mines are dead
Doggy fox minks gators that's necessary
Accessories my closet's pet cemetery
I get approached by animal activists
I live in a zoo I run scandals with savages" Down And Out Verse From  Killa Himself.

 Shout Out to Juelz Santana A!!!!!!!!!!!
3217562
Here's to an underrated musical talent, and here's to saying 'My old impression was wrong'. CD came and it sounds great. Chillin' out sipping some Californian Beaujolais, David Hasselhoff's booming tones filled the den. Some of the mellower songs, like "Yesterday's Love", deliver varied emotion, but "It's 11 o'clock and we're ready to rock" ... let's you know the rock anthem of the Northern hemisphere is upon you: "Hot Shot City". With the audio image of that chick in a red Ferrari burned through my ear, into my retina .. and then comes a chorus (which many find particularly good), letting you know all the fist-pumping splendor that music could be, should have always been ... and could be. Pick up this compilation of literally ageless music, you'll be amazed.
3078782
Full of glitzy intrigue, glamour, action, car chases, gun battles, murder, mystery, and sexy actors, all set amongst the wild and flashy casinos of Las Vegas--the detective-drama "VEGA$" was an immediate hit! "VEGA$" introduced TV audiences to suave but tough, no-nonsense private detective Dan Tanna in April of 1978. Tanna drove a bright red 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible throughout the ritzy streets of Vegas, chasing and taking down the bad guys who dared to try and "darken" the dazzling world of gambling and showbiz. Helping Dan are Bea Travis--Dan's loyal secretary & friend, Binzer--a goofy but devoted leg-man, Angie Turner--a somewhat ditzy but loveable assistant to Bea, Philip "Slick" Roth--Dan's eccentric millionaire casino boss, Twoleaf--a Native American friend of Dan's with some extra muscle, Lt. Dave Nelson & Sgt. Bella Archer from the LVPD, as well as a few other interesting friends, con-people, and tons of famous guest-stars. This set contains the first several episodes of the 3rd and final season. For some unexpected reason the series was cancelled after this season. They don't make shows like this anymore--shows that actually entertain you and are fun to watch...unlike most of the sick, twisted, and perverted garbage that's put on today! For those who miss the "good" days of TV, or for those just discovering it, this TV series is a must!