It's no secret i love compilation albums, however there are so many poor compilation albums out there, and it's very easy to clog up your disc library with albums that have only a few real tracks that you truly want, this double disc set is an exception to that rule, it's packed full of really good 'Rock anthems', plus the rarities on disc are very welcome also, there's some nice gems here, all brought together in one package, that is a joy to listen, throw it on random mode, and sit back and enjoy.
This compilation was made in 1993, the front cover shows an electric guitar buried in a strata of rock, a guitar fossil if you like, on the back insert the track listing is well laid out, nice and clear and easy to read.
Well lots of tracks really impressed me, i was left constantly thinking 'wow, that's a fantastic track', the tracks that really impressed me were 2, 4-5, 8, 16, 21 & 26, with tracks 2 & 26 the real cream of the crop, and i would like to discuss these two tracks here,
2 The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon - One of my favourite songs, and a real stunner from Mike Scott and the Waterboys, in the background there's this constant piano hammering out chords, the lyrics are great, and slowly the song builds up a real tension, Scott gets the delivery right, 'i was dumbfounded by truth' is staggered out as 'i - was - dumb founded by truth', a great emphasis on 'i was dumb', and 'you saw Brigadoon', 'you swooned', etc etc, i like the way Scott make a rapid list of lovely things,
26 Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness - I'm not a great fan of early Manic Street Preachers, but this song is an exception, there's a certain vista to the whole thing, it's that constant lead electric guitar that fills in the vocal silences, it works perfectly, and it comes in straight away at the beginning, and its that wailing guitar effect the second time that is really affecting [0:08-0:15], James Dean Bradfield constantly throws in an extra emphasis on the word at the end of every even line, which is excellent, very lyrical, but their next album [The Holy Bible] would plumb the most darkest depths, and would be their masterpiece.
Well lots of tracks really impressed me, i was left constantly thinking 'wow, that's a fantastic track', the tracks that really impressed me were 2, 4-5, 8, 16, 21 & 26, with tracks 2 & 26 the real cream of the crop, and i would like to discuss these two tracks here,
Unicorns and cannonballs
Palaces and piers
Trumpets towers and tenements
Wide oceans full of tears
Flags rags ferryboats
Scimitars and scarves
Every precious dream and vision
Underneath the stars
especially 'flags rags ferryboats', the way he has a rhyme within a line instead of at the end of every even line, that works so so beautifully, the song constantly builds up into a real anthem, so what's the meaning of the words?, i think the clue is in the singer 'wandered out in the world for years', while his nemesis 'just stayed in their room', the crux is you don't have to go out into the world to find the meaning of life, it's simply right where you are, like Paul Simon says in 'I Am A Rock', 'i have my books, and my poetry... hiding in my room', i know it's insular, but it strikes a chord with me, the unusual things are found in the usual places, and the usual things are found in the most unusual places, it's not a matter of outer dimension, but the inner dimension, it's a great song.
