Customer Reviews

Atmospherics: Complete Career Collection 1966-1975

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While there have been some budget compilations of the Classics IV's recordings on the market and recently an excellent, superb-sounding greatest hits from the Taragon label, this effort from the small, independent Australian Raven label gathers every chart entry from this group. For the first time, this CD contains all the hits from both the Imperial/Liberty and MGM stints of the Classics IV.

After a few false starts, the Classics IV hit big with "Spooky", and then again with "Stormy" after a few more misses. Next came their signature song, the beautifully constructed and performed "Traces". Though the group found their mark with this type of soft ballad sound, they were not able to duplicate the success and gradually the chart successes waned. In spite of a label change in an effort to rejuvenate their chart visibility, their style had become passe and could not hold up during the changing musical tastes of the seventies. During their heyday though, they created a number of very catchy and memorable tunes that are all included in this excellent collection. Among the 29 tracks are all 12 of their charted hits along with non-charting singles and a few b-sides.

Sound quality is excellent except for track two and all appear in stereo except tracks one and two. The twelve-page liner notes booklet provides a detailed history of the group interspersed with a number of photographs and album covers.

This is the first comprehensive singles collection available for this group and as such, makes it the most desirable for fans of the Classics IV's recordings.

...but this is still a very worthwhile compilation. One warning: keep the CD out of direct sunlight, or the case will warp to the point of becoming worthless! I've never seen any other CD case do that. Interesting.

I don't believe it! After thinking I'd never get the songs from their album "Song" on CD, that they excluded from their other excellent anthology...here they are on CD! I am so happy! My "Song" album is scratched to bits. Now, I can just hit the "repeat" button on the CD player, and listen to over and over again..."Nobody Loves You But Me..."

This is a fairly inclusive set of songs, but I'm really surprised that they omitted one of Dennis Yost's best vocal achievements, "God Knows I Loved Her" from the "Song" album.
Strange I haven't seen that song anywhere, except on the original vinyl album.

Sure, lots of rare LP cuts on here, but the sound on this collection is kinda poor. I transferred & restored all of my LPs & singles off vinyl onto CD before these 2 new Classics IV collections came out, and it sounds as good as this. I love "Nobody Loves You But Me", but it is obvious that it is off vinyl...or sure sounds like it anyway. If you can live with the quality, it is worth adding to your collection.

When I was a small girl, the songs "Traces," Spooky," and "Stormy" were already getting airplay on the oldies stations, and my sister (10 years older than me) made sure I know them. Years later, I have decided that nothing takes the place of great songs, regardless of who wrote them rather than all the techno garbage and fake country aimed at younger people these days. Thus, in my search for great vintage music to add to my collection, I invested in this wonderful Australian anthology, and I am largely impressed.

I laughed when I first put it in because of the Frankie Valli resemblance. But was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of jazz-pop and blue-eyed soul material present on the compilation. Outside the hits I mentioned, "Traffic Jam" is an absolute piece of romantic heaven, along with the sweet crooning, swooning mood set by "Everyday with You Girl." There are a lot of songs, however, on here that sound like attempts to remake formulaic hits out of previous chart successes, which is why this collection isn't garnering a five-star rating from yours truly. Have to admit that,though "Midnight" is very similar to "Stormy," the lyrics are a bit more clever in turn of phrasing.

This group's major strength seemed to be ballads that are heartwrenching, romantic, and utterly irresistible. This carried over to some degree even when J.R. Cobb and Dean Daughtry went on to form Atlanta Rhythm Section. My favorite songs are the sad or mood-setting ones: "Rainy Day," is seductive with Dennis Yost delivering a tasty intimate vocal reading, while "Rosanna" is purely sweet, Southern romantic charm. Gut wrenchers such as "The Funniest Thing," "Nobody Loves You But Me," "What am I Crying For?" and--more than any other--"My First Day Without Her." are hard to refuse regardless of your state of mind. There's also a version of "Sweet Surrender" that equals, and mayber even surpasses, the Bread single.

Look to purchase this collection if you want quality vintage pop that is far more honest than most anything that's out today. I miss groups like this, and it is a pleasure to newly discover some of the great songs I was too young to have heard before. Recommended highly!

This compilation includes their Capitol, Imperial, Liberty, UA, and MGM hits in one place. My only complaint is it isn't long enough. I've known Dennis Yost since 1962, and this group deserves a box set!! Their other compilation from EMI's Legendary Masters Series has some unreleased Capitol sides and numerous different tracks. Buy both sets...the duplication is worth it!

Supposedly a complete retrospective - 29 songs, and they leave out Something I'll Remember?

a great band from the 60's that didn't get the recognition they should have. this compiliation is well worth the price