Anthology: Atomic Rooster [Import]

Atomic Rooster | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 28, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Double Classics
• ASIN: B00004SASN
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,126 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Banstead

2. Winter

3. Broken Wings

4. Friday the 13th

5. Tomorrow Night

6. Nobody Else

7. The Devil's Answer

8. Sleeping for Years

9. Death Walks Behind You

10. Breakthrough

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Head in the Sky

2. The Rock

3. Close Your Eyes

4. Time Take My Life

5. Stand By Me

6. Breathless

7. People You Can't Trust

8. Can't Find a Reason

9. Save Me

10. Ear in the Snow

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

2 CD set for a low price featuring 25 tracks including 'Devil's Answer', 'Loose Your Mind', 'Start To Live' and a alternate version of 'End Of The Day'.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Atomic Not Iron And Rooster Not Kitten, July 9, 2004

By 

Mark Champion "autumnfair" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Heavy Soul: The Anthology (Best Of) (Audio CD)

A near-definitive comp covering the first four years (five albums) of this intriguing and often misunderstood band and the late Vincent Crane. Every album gets at least 5 tracks, and one (IN HEARING OF) is presented in its entirety, minus one track. That alone is amazing enough, but what's even better is that the selection is representative enough so that this is all you might ever really need of the Rooster. If you're at all curious about the band (or, more properly, bands - - the personnel wavered constantly with Crane the Fripp-like mentor and only constant) do yourself a favor and pick this up. It might pique your curiosity even further, and all of the albums are worth your time. It's also mostly chronological, which makes for an interesting listen. Also, a few non-LP tracks (the great 'Devil's Answer' single included) are thrown in to liven things up as well. The early Rooster was mostly heavy, curiously jazz-tinged riff-rock with lots of organ and piano. Tracks like the archetypically heavy 'Death Walks Behind You' and the utterly haunting 'Nobody Else' (an interesting take on isolation) are standouts. By the time Chris Farlowe took over the vocal chores on the fourth LP MADE IN ENGLAND Crane had steered the sound toward a more soulful soft-funk format (the vocals had always leaned that way anyway) to which Farlowe was perfectly suited, fresh as he was from the ashes of Colosseum. His faux-testifying introduction to the intense, piano-driven 'Breathless' is hilarious. Most fans of the early Rooster scorn the later stuff; personally I like it all and find later tracks like the sweeping 'Can't Find A Reason' and the lovely instrumental 'Moods' quite enchanting. Atomic Rooster were analogous to King Crimson in some respects, not the least of which was Crane's continually evolving musical direction. A great collection from a fondly-remembered and missed man and his bands.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars often overlooked British prog metal band, June 11, 2006

By 

J. Talsma (Amsterdam, Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Anthology: Atomic Rooster (Audio CD)

Warning: the songs mentioned here don't appear on the Anthology 2-CD but on "Heavy Soul", also a 2-CD compilation of Atomic Rooster but altogether another one! Being originally a progrocktrio formed at the end of the sixties by Vincent Crane (organ/vocals) and Carl Palmer (on drums) of later E.L.P. fame, this band developed several musical styles but alas not to a big degree. They had ample success with only a few songs. The bandleader was desperataly looking for a perfect band and sound, meanwhile suffering from life itself. Therefore the band was never coherent and consisted of many musicians, being a trio, quartet and even quintet. This album however was made in the beginning of the eighties and saw the return of earlier members, guitarst/songwriter John du Cann and drummer Paul Hammond, who was followed up by another P.H.: Preston Heyman, on some songs on bass assisted by Jonh McCoy. From the musical point I have to disagree with earlier viewers who gave a 1 star view, because to me this music is pretty good. Lifting on the the British rock boom they beefed up their sound, cranked up their instruments and amplifiers and came with some solid old and new songs, leaning more towards metal than progrock, in this

collection. There are a few reworks of already existing songs (i.e. "Devils' Answer", "Death Walks Behind You". "Tomorrow Night" and "Sleeping For Years") which are of the same quality of the originals. Furthermore there are plenty of new songs (2 of which in 2 settings, like "End Of The Day" and "Lose Your Mind") and even 5 songs which have never appeared before on any album. Crane and du Cann, whether together or seperate, prove that they were able to write fine rocksongs with a strong melody. Crane was a wellschooled keyboardsman and Du Cann a very good guitarplayer. Although most of the time without a bassplayer you hardly notice this. Anyway, to me they deserve a far better place in musical history and not only that, because a quarter of a century later I still enjoy this fine collection of songs. Nothing to be shamed for.

5.0 out of 5 stars good music remains good forever, May 19, 2008

By 

B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heavy Soul: The Anthology (Best Of) (Audio CD)

Atomic Rooster doesn't really feature the lengthy keyboard jams that Emerson, Lake and Palmer does. Nor do they have the same kind of intense rock style of Zeppelin or Deep Purple. What they DO have going for them, however, is something that's equally as important- quality songwriting.

While the song titles initially appear to be intimidating (like you are supposed to be scared to listen to the songs because of the words in the titles) the songs themselves are actually rather tame and really just pleasant early 70's rock.

Atomic Rooster is another unfortunate forgotten band. Time goes on, but luckily great music can remain fresh and exciting as long as you do your part and purchase the music. You should purchase this album and collect some great memories for the future.