Customer Reviews

Best of

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are two very different Best of Lobo compilations and this review, like all the others, is listed with both of them. There are only a few tracks on both, although they are the most important tracks. The budget-priced Curb compilation includes tracks from different record labels, while the Rhino compilation, which actually contains a greater number of songs, focus exclusively on his best period from 1971 to 1975.

His three American top ten hits were Me and you and a dog named Boo (a novelty song, but brilliantly done), I'd love you to want me (a song he offered to the Hollies before deciding to release his own version after they wanted to change it and take half the songwriting royalties) and Don't expect me to be your friend. The first two of these were also huge hits in Britain. He had several other lesser American hits, but no more UK hits.

Lobo's style could variously be described as soft rock or folk-pop. Actually it was a mix of all these elements. If you like Bread, but you'd like something a bit more folksy, Lobo may be just what you're looking for.

As to which Best of Lobo to buy, well, you could buy both if you're really keen as there's not much overlap. If you only want the three famous songs, you may as well buy the Curb collection as it's cheaper. If, like me, you like to explore beyond the hits, the Rhino compilation is worth the extra cost.

Lobo is one of those talented artists from the Seventies that everyone has heard of, but can't place. His most famous hit was, "Me And You And A Dog Named Boo", a number one hit with a romantic breezy feel with simple chords and lyrics. "I'd Love You To Want Me" was also a big number with Robert Johnson guesting as back-up falsetto vocalist.

The rest of the album is a smart selection of love songs and low key poetic verses of the typical Top 40 genre, but presented extremely well. "A Big Red Kite" is masterful in it's simplicity and mood and "A Simple Man" contains Lobo's earmarked guitar work. A special selection is "Rings", a huge 1971 hit by the group Cymarron that Lobo sings with the same magic.

If you like one of the songs on this collection, you'll like them all. It's first rate seventies pop.

There are two different CD's with the same title "The Best of Lobo", one released by Rhino and the other released by Curb. For some reason the reviews for one CD show-up on both listings.

The Rhino release is the best Lobo compilation available. It includes nearly all of his hits and some of his better album cuts. It is however missing two of his last hits from 1979's Lobo album, "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love" which reached 23 on the Billboard singles chart and went all the way to number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and it's follow-up "Holdin On For Dear Love" which charted in 1980. Other than those oversights, this is a good summary of Lobo's career. Nothing groundbreaking here, just some fun folk-pop songs and some melancholy ones that probably would have been bigger hits had Lobo been a country star. A pretty good collection - 4 stars.

The Curb CD contains the latter two hits along with re-recordings of his earlier hits, which are not as good as the originals. Only 2 stars for the Curb CD. The only reason to purchase the Curb CD is if you want the 1979 songs. Otherwise, stick with the Rhino release!

Lobo was one of my favorite singers. Although he didn't last as long as some of the other greats of the 70's, his songs have stayed in my heart since those days. I haven't ever been able to find any of his recordings until now, and it's such a treat to be able to hear them again. I also have the "Best of Lobo" on the "Curb" label, but it was a little disappointing because of the decidedly disco flavor he adds to the album. When you buy a "best of" cd, you want the REAL stuff! Boy, does this take me back.

In addition to the aforementioned "Midnight Ghost" (which I've actually never heard), there is another great track missing from this set: the upbeat, disco-tinged "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love?" from the Summer of 1979. Since that happens to be my favorite Lobo song, I gave the Rhino set only 3 stars and chose the 1990 WEA/Atlantic 'Greatest Hits' compilation instead. Though that set has fewer songs, all the ones I really like are there.

Sometimes characterized as a one hit wonder, Lobo actually accumulated 8 top forty hits during the 70's. While his voice is a bit thin he covers for it with better than average lyrics, which vascillate between recalling wistful memories and lamenting melancholy relationships. His popular style of country-pop mixed lovely acoustic guitars with fat basslines, sunny background singers and a touch of strings. This Rhino disc is superior to the Curb edition ... for me the price increase alone is justified by the wonderful liner notes and vastly superior song selection. Lobo's self depreciating quotes in the booklet add a greater understanding behind the man who wrote the fantastic "It Sure Took a Long, Long Time"

This set is beautiful. Lobo wrote most all the tunes on thisfolkish collection of soft rock hits. The songs are so achinglybeautiful, they almost defy description. Lobo wroted, "I'd Love You To Want Me" for The Hollies, but Alan Clarke balked on recording it because Lobo wouldn't change a few lines he objected to. The end result- Lobo recorded it himself and had a monster hit. And a string of hit single successes to boot. All the songs are on this set, with exception of "Me And You A Dog Named Boo" (the only song on this set I dislike) carry on in this tradition. A richly romantic song of beautifully heartfelt songs- with nary a synthesizer in sight! Wonderful, wonderful music!

The previous reviewer is incorrect, these are the original recordings. Rhino does an excellent job documenting all of the pertinent information in the booklet. It documents the recording data, including which albums the songs came from, the chart positions for each song (and album) and the remastering information. The only 're-recording' (if you want to call it that) is his solo version of 'Rings', originally recorded by Cymarron in 1971. His solo version was released on his 1974 album 'Just A Singer'.

I've been a Lobo fan ever since the mid 1970's (I often wonder what ever happened to him). As others have stated, there are two "Best of Lobo" albums. This one (Rhino) focuses on his work form the earlier part of the 70's, while the other (Curb) is mainly from the later part of the decade. But what the hell - at these great prices, I bought them both. Only 3 songs (his 3 biggest hits: "Me and You And A Dog Named Boo", "I'd Love You to Want Me" & "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend") are duplicated on both albums.

What makes this one so great is that it contains my 2 all-time favorite albums cuts of his: "Rock And Roll Days" & "Goodbye Is Just Another Word" from his "Calumet" album. I wish all of his original albums were made into CD's. He really put out some great work on them back then, and the public is being robbed by not being able to enjoy them today.

Ive been listening to Lobo for years. For anyone wanting to escape the hard rock crunch or just want to just Rock n Roll, this is one of the best pieces of work Ive heard.