Better Times Are Coming/Satin Chickens

Rhinoceros | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 20, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collector's Choice
• ASIN: B0000AQVEG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,881 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Satin Doll

2. Monkee Man

3. Find My Hand

4. Top Of The Ladder

5. Sugar Foot Rag

6. Don't Come Crying

7. Chicken

8. It's The Same Thing

9. In A Little Room

10. Funk Butt

11. Back Door

12. Better Times

13. Old Age

14. Sweet, Nice 'N' High

15. Just Me

16. Happiness

17. Somewhere

18. It's A Groovy World

19. Insanity

20. Lady Of Fortune

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Never more than a footnote in rock history, and better known for their career missteps than for any music they actually made, there was sufficient interest in the late-'60s "supergroup" Rhinoceros for Collector's Choice to reissue its long out of print debut on CD in 2002. The enthusiastic response to their first, and best, album was encouraging enough to result in the band's final pair of discs -- both out of print even longer -- to get the same treatment, this time as a money-saving two-fer. Although the band was going through problems when these albums were recorded, including but not limited to shifting personnel, there are adequate highlights within these 22 tracks to justify their unexpected reappearance in 2003. Satin Chickens, Rhinoceros' 1969 sophomore effort is the better of the two, but still sounds rushed and even haphazard at times, a substantial change from their calculated debut. Some of the jams were written in the studio and sound it, especially on the unedited instrumental "Chickens," where the outfit hesitantly but ultimately finds a funky, Little Feat-styled groove. The group begins to morph from hard rockers to a white soul/funk outfit with occasionally worthwhile results, especially on the emotional ballad "Find My Way" and the sensually slow rocking "It's the Same Thing." Their final album, the prophetically untrue Better Times Are Coming, was a last gasp effort recorded by a group whose members had changed so critically from the original incarnation that little more than their name connected them to the early days. Like much of Satin Chickens, little is terrible, and none unlistenable, but it sounds like what it is: a bunch of musicians trying to generate a musical camaraderie that just isn't there. Still, the funky "Old Age" works up a frothy Sly Stone groove and "Groovy World" is a charming piece of let's-live-together fluff that could only have been recorded in the early '70s. They sound like a pretty good garage band trying to get a contract, rather than a once substantial supergroup in their final throws. The remastering of both albums is stunning, with sharp, crisply defined sound. Only the lackluster graphics, which reproduce the front and back covers in headache-inducing miniature (the inner sleeve and lyrics of Better Times is reproduced in print so tiny as to be unreadable) and ignore all track annotation or individual personnel, belie the budget sensibilities of the project. Matthew Greenwald's liner notes are helpful but a little too enthusiastic in their praise of these marginally interesting artifacts. ~ Hal Horowitz, Rovi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as amazing as their debut, but still essential..., May 10, 2004

By 

fraz "FunkFreak" (newark, de United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Times Are Coming/Satin Chickens (Audio CD)

Man, oh man! Never in a million years would I have expected the majors to realize what gold they had in their hands, but here it is. Not as amazing as the debut, "Rhinoceros", but still essential, "Satin Chickens" is a delightful listen even 30+ years later. As for "Better Times", it's not a great Rhinoceros album, but it still is a good album on it's own merits. Hats off to whoever decided to reissue these classics!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Set the balance, September 20, 2008

By 

70s "arrow" (uk) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Times Are Coming/Satin Chickens (Audio CD)

2 previous reviews one good the, other not, which is correct? Well I bought this awful cd on the strength of the favourable review. BIG mistake. The first Rhinocerous album was great, but oh how they lost it big time. Satin Chickens is the sound of a band in the studio with no idea what to do. Most songs start off with the drummer or guitarist tapping out a basic beat and the others joining in, sometimes you get a jam, others a mess. There is no structure, just messing around. Obviously the band was virtually done, they didnt want to be there and were just going through the motions. Better times is even worse. Awful funk type shout alongs desperately trying to raise some enthusiasm, but it is all in vain.
These should have stayed in the vault, they really are as bad as you can imagine. Do yourself a favour, if you need any Rhinocerous stuff get the first album, but please, please avoid these, I am telling you for your own good :>)

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars DOWNHILL IN A HURRY..., February 17, 2005

By 

50 "mksonic50" (hermitage, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Better Times Are Coming/Satin Chickens (Audio CD)

This CD compiles Rhinoceros's second and third albums into one completely unnecessary release. Their second alb (Satin Chickens) was a very weak rehash of their debut; their third alb (Better Times Are Coming) featured a stripped-down band with only a few of the original members left and bears almost no resemblence to the original group's music. Forget this CD and get their fine first one and you'll have everything you need by this band.