Customer Reviews

Hits

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

All the best BUT this album does not feature the original version of what is probably Mike +T Mechs greatest song.
It has a corny, overly produced, overly-reworked version of All I Need Is A Miracle.
Ok, maybe they had to re-record the song because of label disputes or something, but why make it worse and not better?
Avoid it if you want the original 1985 track!!!!!!

This just seems to be a reissue of M+TM's UK best-of from 1996. That means that the version of "All I Need Is A Miracle" here is not the original. When Rhino decided to re-release this, why didn't they include both? As if that wasn't bad enough, this collection doesn't even have all of the group's Top 100 US hits. Usually Rhino does a great job off nailing all the charting singles and adding extra tracks, but in this case they really dropped the ball!

The 1980's brought a great sense of pop music, as well as the case of spinoff bands. Band English was formed from members of Journey, Bad English was featured with members of Styx, and Genesis had a spinoff as well. While they were riding high with tracks like Invisible Touch, and Illegal Alien, Mike Rutherford stepped out on his own, and made a spinoff group that was unique. Mike & The Mechanics really did hit the nail on the head in the 1980's, with Paul Carrack from Squeeze as one of the leads, the group was very strong in the 80's, and part of the early 90's too. Now after almost ten years, a collection has come to the U.S. of their hits.

Mike & The Mechanics: Hits record, is a reissuing of the 1996 overseas greatest hits album. Arguably, there is absolutely nothing new on this package for anybody who bought the collection before. Nevertheless, the package really does deliver quite well, as it portraits the spinoff band so well. The album includes so many great tracks including The Living Years, Taken In, one of their early pop hits, the deep and dark Silent Running, and Over My Shoulder to name few. While so much is highlighted here, there just could've been a little bit more to add here like the original version of All I Need Is A Miracle instead of the 1996 rerecorded version, and the fact that the overseas version was not copy-proof like this packaged edition is.

Still, for anybody who is a fan of Mike Rutherford and his days of Genesis, or Squeeze, Hits by Mike & The Mechanics is a nice delight for anybody who loves great 80's pop music. I really still enjoy these guilty pleasure classics, and they still sound great today. All you should need, is their miracle.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B+

Price: A-

Mastering: A-

Overall: B 1/2+

I've always been a fan of Mike & the mechanics, and have been looking for a greatest hits CD for a long time. Found it here! The album offers both ballads & faster paced songs, with the melodys blending beautifly together. I found it hard not to like the entire CD. Definitly can recommend this one!

Good songs for all you truly nostalgic people who dwell in the music of the '80s. Has all the old favorites that you've heard played on the radio. High marks, magna cum-laude. Definitely recommend.

What rock was I under at the time of this band? I heard of Mike and the Mechanics and I saw their videos. Anyway, I love this group and their songs! I love Another Cup Of Coffee and Over My Shoulder. Paul Carrack has a great voice. I read that some did not like All I Need is A Miracle but I like it. It's not the orginal recording but it's just as good. I highly recommend this CD.

Yes, this is the long-awaited US release of the 1996 compilation that was released everywhere else by Virgin. It was FEMAed because at the time, sales declined here, and Atlantic Records dropped their US/Canada contract. I had to get the import, but that's okay. Rhino didn't want people buying another country's version, basically. Most of the packaging is pretty much the same. At the same time, they also released "Rewired" Stateside. Even with imports and legal downloads, some fans are not always aware.
These kinds of albums usually feature a new track, so "All I Need is a Miracle" was re-recorded. In Scandinavia, after Paul Young's death, EMI released "Favourites" as a tribute with the rare exclusive Paul Carrack-led track "You Never Change".
Mike & the Mechanics are, of course, the third most successful solo venture in the Genesis family, behind Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel, with Steve Hackett fourth, and Tony Banks the farthest at the Firth of Fifth, and Anthony Phillips even further down the charts.

I looked high and low on Rhapsody and iTunes for Mike and The Mechanics music to no avail. Amazon came through for me as usual. Whenever I have trouble finding something I want to purchase, Amazon is my go to place. CD was in perfect condition and arrived in good time.

THIS IS A ONE OF A KIND CD WITH SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONGS EVER MADE.THIS GUYS ARE JUST AMAZING AND SILENT RUNNING IS MY FAVORITE BUT ALL THE SONGS ARE JUST GREAT.I AM GLAD I BUY THIS CD.DO THE SAME AND ENJOY LISTEN TO IT WITH ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE,AND NOBODY KNOWS BUT WE ARE ALL BEGGARS ON A BEACH OF GOLD.ALL THE WORLD NEEDS IS A HUGE MIRACLE.BEST WISHES FROM YOUR FRIEND,BENFICA FAN.PORTUGAL

I was so happy to find this on Amazon. I was creating a playlist
for my 21st high school reunion and used many songs from iTunes.
Unfortunately, there were no original Mike & the Mechanics songs
available. At my wits end, I went to Amazon hoping to find an original
CD. It was readily available and arrived a few days later. My playlist was
complete and my class had a great time!