best compilations?

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Nuggets, Imaginary Landscapes, what else?

― A Nairn, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Zoolander OST

― Keiko, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've heard nothin' but good about "Tougher Than Tough: The History of Jamaican Music" or whatever it's called.

― Nate Patrin, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Sun Records box; "1-2-3-4: Punk and New Wave 1976-1979" (think that's the title); ROIR's "Singles" compilation; a Sub Pop comp from 1990-ish feat. singles from pre-"Nevermind" Nirvana, Mudhoney, Mark Lanegan, Screaming Trees, L7, Tad, Afghan Whigs, etc.; "Nuggets" (definitely); Rhino's "DIY" series, especially the two "American Power Pop" collections.

― Jody Beth Rosen, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The recent Electro Breakdance album is fucking lush... okay, it's packaged in a "Now" kind of way, which is kindof irritating, but it has pretty much all the key Electro/early Hiphop hits you need. The follow up Vol2, is a pitiful cash in however.

― dog latin, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the two leamington spa comps, try a little sunshine(comp of greek pop), the first doo-wop box set

― keith, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Wanna Buy A Bridge? No contest.

In the second rank, No New York and The Waaaaaaah! CD. Cheating a little: James Brown's Funky People, pt. 2.

― Douglas, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Soul Jazz deserves a mention here.

― J Blount, Tuesday, 21 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Wild Things, Back From The Grave.

― di, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

tropicalia.

can you buy 'wanna buy a bridge' on cd?

― minna, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

nuggets definitely, though i would go for the "strange things are happening" series for british psych rather than nuggets 2. fond of ace's "at the club" myself, flying nun's "pink flying saucers over the alps" was a personal wonder though the "topless women talk about their lives" soundtrack is a better introduction. "folk routes" is a great sampler of british folk rock musicians...

― commonswings, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

you can download its tracklist and burn it yourself. likesuch:
1. Stiff Little Fingers: "Alternative Ulster"
2. Delta 5: "Mind Your Own Business"
3. The Slits: "Man Next Door" [[NOTE: the 45 version, NOT the live version that most frequently floats across the digital ether]]
4. Essential Logic: "Aerosol Burns"
5. Television Personalities: "Part Time Punks"
6. Swell Maps: "Read About Seymour"
7. The Pop Group: "We Are All Prostitutes"
8. Spizzenergi: "Soldier Soldier"
9. Kleenex: "Ain't You"
10. Cabaret Voltaire: "Nag Nag Nag"
11. The Raincoats: "In Love"
12. Young Marble Giants: "Final Day"
13. Scritti Politti: "Skank Bloc Bologna"
14. Robert Wyatt: "At Last I Am Free"

― M Matos, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

at last i am free is a nice, nice song there, mmm hmmm

― Ron, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

For British Psyche the Rubble series is unmatched, particularly Rubble 1 - The Psychedelic Snarl and Rubble 2 - Pop Psyche Pipe Dreams.

― Dr. C, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Another vote for Nuggets - i assume yr talking about the 4cd set.

― dan, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I found the first Macro Dub Infection album for 5 bucks this weekend. It's really good. Hmmn. The original Nuggets is better than either of the weighty boxed sets (too many songs you can hear on the radio and a lot missed gems on the first and a messy theme and multiple trax by well-known artists most fans already have on the second). Both boxed sets are still worthwhile. The Asian volume of the Love, Peace and Poetry series is really good, as are both of the G.S. I Love You Japanese garage rock discs.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Best compilation: Obviously the one I just made for Alex! Clever White Youth 4:31 Marc Ribot
forest fire in your left el 1:44 Smegma
El Espectro 3:39 Scratch Acid
Agitated 2:10 Electric Eels
Flip Flop Fly 3:25 Lucia Pamela
Life 4:46 Flipper
Three Sisters 3:19 Jim Carroll Band
Ain't It Fun 5:56 Peter Laughner
Unheard Music 4:49 X

It isn't finished yet. Might add some Gun Club, This Kind Of Punishment, Gary Lucas and Glands of External Secretion to make it more mainstream.

― cuba libre (nathalie), Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

hmph - at least Alex gets a track list...

Re the question: Back To Mono

― Jeff W, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Hey Keith, my old band (Groove Farm) are on the Leamington Spa comp...& I've neither seen nor heard it.

I'll go for Pillows & Prayers, btw.

― Jez, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The 'Dazed & Confused' ST is a near-perfect snapshot of a music and an era and gives me more pleasure than 'The Harder They Come' ST. The only duds are "Cherry Bomb" (OK but doesn't really fit, why didn't they include "Sweet Emotion" instead?) and "Tuesday's Gone", which is complete shit and maybe 9/11 was worth it just to have it banned from the radio. (Oh, and Black Oak Arkansas' "Jim Dandy" is so unbelievably bad it's almost comforting - whenever one despairs about the state of music today, one listen to this abomination confirms that there was no shortage of abject wretchedness back in the good ol' daze)

― dave q, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I've got the original Nuggets CD and a single CD Sun Records retrospective, both are great.

To get alot of those cool surf guitar instrumentals, I couldn't find one disc that covered the bases. Rhino put out two compilations that makes a good set: "Rock Instrumentals Vol. 5 -- Surf" and a "Guitar Player: Legands of Gutiar Surf Vol.1" that gets it pretty good. I think there is only one song on both collection.

Something a bit more recent that I really enjoyed was "Warp 10+1: The Influences".

I've been on the lookout for some of those Blood & Fire reggae compilations, as they are supposed to be great, but I haven't seen any before.

I'd also wish someone would put "No New York" back into print sometime. I just wouldn't drop the cash for the only couple of vinyl copies I have seen.

― earlnash, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

No New York is in print in Japan. You'll have to drop $30 or so for it though. I gots me mp3s of it.

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Waaaaah CD is seconded here, along with "Pillows and Prayers", plus "Temple Cloud" and any of the first five or so Rubbles LPs, though the two cheap sampler LPs Bam Caruso did ("Illusions from the crackling void" and "It's just a passing phase") cherrypicked the best of their output and are therefore ten times better than any individual compilation LP. I've always had a soft spot for "Ambient 3" too...

― Rob M, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Nah, Alex, that NoNewYawk reissue was a one time thing. Captain Trip did that, if I am not mistaken. I am patiently waiting till my friend brings me back the VU boxset (Doug Yule material). Although I was emotionally scarred by the dross that is Squeeze, I couldn't resist asking her to get me that boxset.

― cuba libre (nathalie), Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Rob - 'Illusions..' wasn't really a Rubble best of, as several tracks were not on any of the main Rubble albums (Mandrake Paddle Steamer, Hearts and Flowers, Montage, Pretty Things).

Also most of 'It's Only a Passing Phase' was exclusive to that album.

― Dr. C, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Completely forgot despite lack of decent liner notes, a terrible covah Trojan's Rebel Music is one of the most stellar compilations of early seventies talk-ovah and roots stuff. Easily as good as any of the Soul Jazz releases (based on the music anyway-- again the packaging is AWFUL).

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

40 perfect songs

― Graham, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The Times Square soundtrack.

― Jody Beth Rosen, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

A lot of small label/distributer samplers are amazing (and they are often free)! Surefire's summer 2001 sampler is pretty good.

― A Nairn, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Routes From The Jungle

― Paul, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm very keen on the old What's Happening Stateside (not similar to the new one) and This Is Charley Soul. The two Rhythm Divine disco comps were great.

― Martin Skidmore, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Most influential, to me, is the _...One Last Kiss_ (1992) compilation on spinART. It introduced me to the Magnetic Fields, Lois (through her old band, Courtney Love), Small Factory, Swirlies, Wimp Factor 14, and Black Tambourine, among others. It's a solid compilation and probably the best snapshot I've seen of early 90s indie pop. Crayon! Velocity Girl! White Town, fer chrissake!

_Human Music_ (1988) on Homestead introduced me to a ton of great bands: Yo La Tengo, Urinals, American Music Club, Half Japanese, the Embarrassment, Great Plains, and a slew of Flying Nun acts (Tall Dwarfs, Chills, Verlaines, the Clean). I'm still catching up with it.

― Ernest, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

My first, "22 Explosive Hits", a K-Tel cheapo circa '72. Highlights: Chi-Lites "Power To the People" / James Brown "Honky Tonk Pt. 1" / April Wine "Could Have Been a Lady" / Hot Butter "Popcorn" / Derek & the Dominos "Layla" (KILLER punk-length edit!) / Detroit Emeralds "Baby Let Me Take You" / Giorgio "Son of My Father" / Millie Jackson "My Man, A Sweet Man" / Osmonds "One Bad Apple" / Daddy Dewdrop "Chick-a-boom" / Sammy Davis Jr. "Candy Man".

Mercenary and arbitrary TV-order LPs like this made pop seem strange and surprising, an effect I often find lacking in comps based on theme, style or label affiliation.

― briania, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ooh! Forgot "Small Beginnings" by Flash is on there, too, in another brilliant two-minute edit.

― lyriclash, Wednesday, 22 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The '70's box-set by Rhino, complete with shag carpet, "Convoy," "Popcorn," and "The Streak." Mmmm.

― Brent, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

'Cosmic Kurushi Monsters' - Essential Japanoize comp (the 'Tokyo Flashback series on PSF also v. gd).

'Jazz Satellites' - Kevin Martin's superb selection of sci-fi jazzers.

The 'Modulation and Transformation' series (esp. Vol. 4) and both 'Clicks and Cuts' comps, all on Mille Plateaux.

Robert Gordon's 'It Came From Memphis' comp, tied into his bk of the same name. See also: Guralnick's terrific 'Sweet Soul Music' disc.

Any of the 'Flashback' series on the German label Trikont - themed blues/gospel/jazz comps. I particularly like Vol. 1, 'High and Low: Drug Songs 1917-1944'.

'Early Modulations: Vintage Volts' - gd collection of early electronic music, and a 'useful' companion to the 'Ohm' box set.

And of course, Harry Smith's 'Anthology of American Folk Music'.

― Andrew L, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

V/A Plea For Peace Take Action comp.

― kate, Friday, 24 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

ten years pass...

or you can download it here (made available by a poster on xgau's Consumer Guide site):
http://goo.gl/2nvgX

mp3's sound like they're copied from the vinyl - but the sound quality is v. good.

― Campari G&T, Friday, 31 August 2012 20:32 (thirteen years ago)

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