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From the Vault...
08/12/2001
#746 |
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info
The Raspberries
"Collector's Series"
© Capitol Records
Year of Release: 1991
Rating:
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track listing
Go All The Way
Come Around And See Me
I Saw The Light
Don't Want To Say Goodbye
I Wanna Be With You
Let's Pretend
I Reach For The Light
Nobody Knows
If You Change Your Mind
Drivin' Around
Tonight
Last Dance
Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak
I'm A Rocker
Ecstasy
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
Party's Over
Rose Coloured Glasses
Cruisin' Music
Starting Over
Radio Jingle 1
Radio Jingle 2
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WSVNRadio Archives
The Raspberries related sites:
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The Raspberries "Collector's Series"
Capitol Records have always provided excellent "best-of" Collectors
Series CDs for the many popular artists and groups who had their success
with the label. The Raspberries were popular in the 1970s, with lead singer
Eric Carmen. To some, both these names may not exactly ring a bell, but
their hits I'm sure are well-known when you hear them: "Go Your Own Way"
and "I Wanna Be With You" probably stands out as the most popular
Raspberry tunes off the top of anyone's head. Eric Carmen would later pursue a
solo career, with hits like "All By Myself," and "It's Rock N Roll".
He also had a hit record from the soundtrack of Dirty Dancing, "Hungry Eyes."
The Raspberries music can easily be compared to The Beatles -- especially
Paul McCartney/Wings. Like McCartney, Eric Carmen can easily sing the love
song pop numbers, and scream out the rock and rollers, just as McCartney has
done. "Come Around and See Me", sounds like a fast tempo'd version
of McCartney's first solo record, "Another Day."
"Let's Pretend," "Nobody Knows" and "If You Change Your Mind"
easily gets the McCartney & Wings compared-to sound, and also "Tonight",
which definitely ROCKS, just as good as Wings' "Jet." Another great rocker
is "Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak," where this song doesn't really sound
like a Beatles or McCartney tune at first, but it definitely has the rock sound
of the 1970s. And with a name such as "I'm A Rocker," it's another
McCartney-type screamer.
More of The Beatles' influenced songs are "I Reach For The Light,"
where this one could have been penned by Paul, and "I Saw The Light,"
where John Lennon could have easily penned this one for the Fab Four, or even
for himself in his solo career (Lennon).
"Ecstasy" is a good rocker, just as good as "Go Your Own Way,"
and if you're familar with that popular song, you can easily recognize this song
being by The Raspberries. In fact, "Ecstasy" rocks just a little bit
harder. "Party's Over" really doesn't compare to McCartney and/or The Beatles
at all; it's a rocking song, as heard in common 1970s Rock. In fact, the
lead vocalist doesn't sound like Carmen (if it really is him). Yet "Cruisin'
Music" is a nice pop upbeat number, and can easily be recognized as a
Raspberries tune.
There are some wonderful harmonies (another Beatles feature) in Drivin'
Around, likewise in the pop numbers "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)
and "Last Dance." "Rose Coloured Glasses" may get the least attention,
it's a fairly good pop ballad song. Much better though, is the piano-based
ballad "Starting Over," which was the title of The Raspberries last
album. (The Raspberries only had 4 original LPs.)
The remaining two tracks are radio commercial promos for The Raspberries
upcoming albums Fresh (1972) and Starting Over (1974).
The music of The Beatles, Paul McCartney/Wings can easily be referred to
in The Raspberries music. Likewise, piano-based tunes were used by
McCartney, and even in some of the tunes found here on this Collectors
Series, some of the guitar solos could be compared to that of George
Harrison's from The Beatle-years. Even the hamronies are exceptional,
compared to The Beatles, and even a little resemblance to The Beach Boys.
Another band that was just recently reviewed here on this website,
also is compared to Beatles and McCartney: XTC.
With two Beatles reviews already chosen during the past 12 months, maybe
hopefully there's a good chance that a Paul McCartney solo release will
be reviewed here on the WSVNRadio website. (The previous McCartney solo release
mentioned on this site was Wings' Greatest, in October, 1996.)
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Capitol Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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