Octo_Russ

Various Artists [The Power Of Love] 

I just love these 'fatbox' compilation discs, 32 tracks of some of the best highlights of 32 Artists, maybe a few duds, but i can accept them when i know they'll be over in 3 minutes, and the majority of the tracks are very good, and some are excellent, certain Artists i would never delve a whole album into, but on these 2 discs they're actually welcome in small doses.

This compilation is really varied, but mainly covering the Eighties chart music, almost purposely choosing a balanced mix of Bands / Female Artists / Male Artists, and a great selection of genres to keep everyone happy as it were, like a box of chocolates, there's something for everyone, the front cover photo is excellent, of a motorbike and a couple, i like the use of the out of focus background, it makes the lovers in a clinch stand out all the more, and the swirling red lettering rounds out the booklet visuals perfectly.

Well the tracks that impressed me the most were 2, 4, 7, 11, 14, 16-17, 23, 28 & 30-32, it was disc one that was the better of the two, i really don't like Prince, but the warped groove that permeates through track 4 'Kiss' is tremendously inventive, and the sound of some sort of xylophone is also a nice touch, likewise those jungle beats by Kate Bush on track 14 'Hounds Of Love', are so magnetising, and the female backing singers with their 'do do do do do do do, oo oo oo oo oo oo oo' are just perfect, and track 16 'Smooth Operator' by Sade is so soulful, jazzy even, the sax makes a difference, and her voice is as smooth as butter.

But on this listen it was track 11 'Your Swaying Arms' by Deacon Blue that really hit the mark, which was a surprise to me, it's not actually one of my favourites, it's probably track 7 'You Win Again' by the Bee Gees that i like the most, but it's good to develop new favourites, Deacon Blue are a Scottish band, formed in 1985 [and i always thought they were Irish!], the intro is absolutely excellent, a gorgeous cymbal roll to start us off, and the delicate use of the cymbals throughout is a delight, and the bass comes in right away with the bass drum, and the hammond organ comes in with a swirling flourish [0:10], the rhythm guitar is nice and bubbly in the first verse, after the chorus the bass has it's irresistible return as at the beginning [1:21], it's the second part of the second verse that has some lovely meaningful lyrics, 

When your head falls softly on my pillow

No fear will make you cry or turn you grey

And we will wake so early in the morning

Knowing you'll never, never, never go away

because of listening to this properly today, it will surely be a lot more endearing to me, a great double disc collection.

Here's Deacon Blue singing 'Your Swaying Arms' on YouTube.