Compilation albums

I've got loads of decent compilation albums...the Darla ones are good, the Motown ones etc.

there are lots of good compis.

i) Creation's "Doing It For The Kids" ii) that end of Creation label summarising compi iii) numerous SoulJazz compis, eg "In The Beginning There Was Rhythm" iv) the Sonic Mook Experiment's "Future Rock 'n' Roll" compilation (the one with the rudest record cover EVER)

etc.

I think most compilation albums are good. Maybe not the really cheap ones like Ian Levine's £3.99 northern soul horrors. But otherwise the Compi is by definition a great idea - loads of singles all in one place. Why do you think it's a contradiction?

i think the babsis of a good compilation is that it revolves around some kind af movement - struts disco not disco or the larry levan at the paradise garage are perfect examples (i agree with the soul jazz stuff as well) they offer an experience of what it sounded like

the perfect compilation tho goes to the cadet/argo RESPECT series - truely perfect soul music with that charles stepney sound (minnie ripperton, rotary connection, phil upchurch, terry callier) the vinyl was suposedly all destroyed in a fire after a high court decision - if you can find 1-4 then get them - and sell them to men as i only have 5

tom i think the compilation as "good" can be a contradiction in terms because of the generic arse that is thrown down our throats - it the staple diet of woolworths top 40 - yet they are all the same - nevermind the quality look at the package type affairs - it is a shame that it takes small labels to market the quality whilst the bigger labels who have more punch and would be able to license quality rare tracks shy away from the format. as a result smaller labels often have to place fillers on as its an easy license to obtain - i mean i must have at least 10 peices of vinyl with MAW nervous track on it - i dont blame the small labels but jesus - variety please

Thank u! Def a contradiction when you consider comps that are available to the masses. If u remove classic, soul/motown comps (not all great) nowadays, u are left with absolute rubbish. Different variations of the same thing! U find a great idea for a compilation album, it has a few good tracks on it & the rest is just arse!

The thing is though that each individual compilation tends to be on its own terms good, it's only when you realise that 60% of the same songs are on all of them that you get annoyed with the compilation 'genre' as a whole.

For instance if I had never heard any early 80s pop and bought Fantastic New Romantic 80s Vol.1 then I would think it was absolutely GREAT because almost all the tracks on it are good! Then when I bought Amazing Hairstyle Pop 80s Vol.1 from a different record co. I would be annoyed because so many of the tracks were the same. But this isn't actually a reflection on the quality of either comp. The idea I suppose is that you stick with one series - Fantastic New Romantic 80s Vol.2 will have all different tracks on.

I would so love to have a complete run of NOW CDs.

comps that are available to the masses

What, in shops you mean? UURGH!

I meant in chains like HMV etc as opposed to smaller record shops!

Speaking of compilations and HMV, a big public recommendation for The Best Of Bollywood, 2 CDs of great 90s filmi music which is in the current sale for a fiver!

I'll sell you a home-made compilation tape for 1 euro. I'll put on anything you want.

That's a better idea, cos u can put everything on it that u want, without have to skip a couple of tracks cos they're jst rubbish fillers!

probably to the masses who look no further than buying world cup compilations during the world cup, christmas compilations during the seasons greetings and 80's comps for the office party (oh and all woman for the bedroom)

there is so muchg out there - re-packaging of the same comp is a total shame but then it is sometimes an avoidable predictive genre - hip hop = the message, house music = jack your body, soul = respect, reggae = buffalo soldier.

these arent the best but they are kinda what comes to mind - and of cousre the further you go in to the genres then the harder it gets to be more diverse and individulistic

but i like em - as a dj i can take loads of great tunes and my bag doesnt way a ton - viva la compilation but god a whole set of the now series ahhhhhhhhhhhhh (except the ones with the house martins on)

oh it seems to have moved on oops

Thanx j! x

Track for track, loads and loads of compilations are brilliant, even the Big-Indie ones. If you didn't have most of the music on those comps, they would truly be a feast of excellence. Compilations, I defend thee.

I'm def not condemning all comps, jst the more commercial ones that are readily available now. Mainly all of the awful 'Ibiza' comps!! I love old indie comps cos it reminds me of certain points in my life.

compilations rock my house, my car too. if i ever bought any new modern music (i don't but) it'd prob'ly mostly be those r'n'b compilations that get advertised on TV.

do those CDs ever turn up in Cash Converters? bet they do. remind me to go look.

good comps:

the darla comps, troubleman mixtape, the deeper concentration series, the dj kicks series (although, my attention has wandered away from here.), v/a if the 21st century didn't exist..., elefant's "colección de las ciudades" has been must haves, the freestyle files, soul jazz has released several must have comps if you're into those sounds, some of the us pop life comps, and i could go on...

comps are great in that you get to sample a lot of stuff that you might not otherwise be able to hear ...if you're not getting sent promos or if the band is obscure enough to not be on any of the filesharing apps....

m.

I love compilations, personally - I have over 500 of the things (commercial ones, not home made), and loads of them are terrific. Of course I bought many of them in major record stores like Virgin and HMV, and some include hit tunes, so I'm probably talking nonsense.

Compilations are the first things I go through at the record store (especially the big stores with the hit tunes!). I love them. Check out the comps from Strut ('Nigeria 70'!), BBE, Nuphonic, SoulJazz and Creation ('Flowers in the Sky' is even better than 'Doing it for the Kids'). I love the curatorial aspect - even if the preface reads simply "Best Footie Anthems in the World...Ever" - and the value. Since the dawn of mp3, most of my music purchases are compilations that provide a bunch of obscure gems with good design and liner notes.

best compilation I've ever heard: Rough Trade 1978-81 - Swell Maps, Slits, Raincoats, Red Krayola, Monochrome Set, James Blood Ulmer, the Normal, Robert Wyatt, Television Personalities, The Fall, Scritti Politti, This Heat, Young Marble Giants, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!!

I just got a used copy of Postpunk Chronicles: Left of the Dial, which is great. I was too young to hear the songs on it in the 80s, so I didn't recognize a lot of the artists on it, but I figured any compilation that was combining Cocteau Twins and Mission of Burma was worth $5.00 to listen to.