Customer Reviews

Rock Instrumental Classics 3: 70's

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You can always count on Rhino to put together nice compilation CDs. This one is no exception. However, rock fans might be a bit thrown off.

Although labeled "Rock Instrumental Classics," there are perhaps only two or three tracks that fit that description. Partially a reflection of the period covered, most of the tracks have a stronger disco or jazz flavor. As long as you come in understanding that and are not thrown off by the title, you won't be disappointed.

Truth be told, this particular volume of the five CD set is quite eclectic. Listening to this and the following volume ("Soul"), one wonders if some tracks should have been switched. On this collection, it seems that "Sun Goddess" and "Pick Up the Pieces," while both fine tracks, would have fit better in the "Soul" CD.

Some pleasant surprises on this set were "Apricot Brandy" by Rhinoceros and "Whole Lotta Love" by the late King Curtis. The former track is definitely rock, so you can forgive the fact that the song is actually from 1969. Simply put, the King Curtis track is jazzy fun.

On the disco front, a hidden gem was "K-Jee" by the Nite-Liters. After hearing this snappy track, you'll want to play it over and over again.

It's also got several very familiar tracks. "Rock and Rock, Part 2" by Gary Glitter is a standard of marching bands across the country. Lighter tunes like "Popcorn" and "A Fifth of Beethoven" are sure to bring back memories of the era.

A curious thing about this compilation (along with the "Soul" one) is the fact that they avoid the late 1970s altogether. That's a shame, because this compilation could have also included another hidden gem, Mandre's "Solar Flight - Opus One," but I guess that's too obsure, even for Rhino. Another Motown track that has been left off for the 1970s is "Machine Gun" by the Commodores.

Overall, this is a very decent compilation. There are really no filler tracks here, but perhaps a few could have been switched around or replaced with better choices. However, in the long run, these are only minor complaints.

ROCK INSTRUMENTAL CLASSICS VOL.3-THE 70'S: Long after 50s and 60s instrumental hitmakers Duane Eddy, Dave "Baby" Cortez, and Herb Alpert had laid down their weapons of choice, the great tradition of tunes-with-no-lyrics-but-chops-to-spare carried on through the talents of Edgar Winter's "creature feature" jam FRANKENSTEIN, Scottish funk ensemble the Average White Band's PICK UP THE PIECES, and sideman-to-the-stars Billy Preston's OUTA-SPACE. 70's radio also rippled via instrumentals laced with disco (A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN and THE HUSTLE), funk (MOVIN' and EXPRESS), jazz (Ramsey Lewis' SUN GODDESS), sex (JUNGLE FEVER), and "the final frontier" (2001 and Apollo 100's JOY). The only thing missing here is a country contender like DUELING BANJOS, but the dumb fun of Gary Glitter's ROCK AND ROLL, PART 2 and Hot Butter's percolating POPCORN are enough to make you ignore such trivialities. Bonus points for including "WHO THE HELL ARE THEY?" acts Rhinoceros and the Nite-Liters. Crank it up!

RATING: FIVE SOLOS

This is a pretty cool compilation of instrumentals from the '70s. 12 of the 18 songs here were Top Ten hits, with the rest being minor hits. The title says "rock" instrumentals, but only a few of the songs are actually rock. There is more funk and disco than rock here. One of the odder trends of the '70s was dance/pop versions of classical instrumetals, and this CD has three examples of that. They are kind of cheesy, but fun. This is the weakest of the "Rock Instrumental Classics" CDs, but it's still very good, despite not including anything from later than 1976.

as stated by the person before me, this is a collection of mainly disco and funk and very little rock. Only frankenstein by the edgar winter group is a true example of 70s rock instrumental. volume one and two are far superior to this one and the music is much better. there should have been more rock instrumentals here instead of van mcvoy and brass construction

Get out your leisure suit, bell-bottom slacks, mood ring, and platform shoes and boogie to this collection of 1970's classic instrumentals!! If you are too young to have been part of this era, then just enjoy the funky sounds! This is a fun collection (one of a series). My other favorite is the "Surf' collection. Have fun and have a 1970's party....plug in your lava lamp....and have fun.

Many of these tracks don't qualify as "rock," as the CD's title proclaims. In fact, it's closer to funk and/or disco with only a few guitar-heavy songs, one of which, "Frankenstein," is presented in a horribly edited version. Still, a few of these tracks are hard to come by elsewhere, and might be worth the price. All original versions.

This is a very well put together collection of some of the best "funk" and "jazz" from the 70's and 80's. Most notably: Outta Space, The Hustle, Sun Goddess. Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001),Pick Up The Pieces and Frankenstein. These were gigantic hits and represent a style that is very fast and strongly coming back. In big style nonetheless. Anyone who would like to be ahead of the music trends of the 2000s should consider getting this record. Bravo for this compilation

Sometimes ya need to have just MUSIC in the background -- no words. Fortunately these classics haven't lost their "touch," and this CD definitely fills the bill ! Found this CD the best when driving long distances & for getting through the drudgery of housecleaning.

OK, I'll admit, the last adjective I'd apply to some of these tracks is "rock". But as a whole, especially to a pop music fanatic as myself, this is a very interesting collection. "Jungle Fever" is an amazingly mesmerizing number, and King Curtis' take of "Whole Lotta Love" is possibly the best Zep remake I've heard. "Apricot Brandy" is an intriguing addition, and it's hard not to like tracks like "Frankenstein", "Rock and Roll Part Two" and "Pick Up the Pieces". Since disco instrumentals were more readily accepted by pop audiences than rock instrumentals, disco is well-represented by "TSOP", "A Fifth of Beethoven" and the mildly-obscure "Sun Goddess". That said, I simply don't care for several of these selections - "The Hustle" snf "Also Sprach Zarathustra" especially. Several great instrumentals of the 70's were left off ("Cool Aid", "Hocus Pocus" and particularly anything by Dennis Coffey), but who knows - Volume Two may be available any day now.

Don't you hate it when you have to buy a whole CD just to get those few elusive songs? That's what I ended up doing with this one. I will admit, the songs I wanted on this compilation were some of the ones that brought the "Rock" in the title into question. "Express," "Movin'," and "Sun Goddess" (the latter track being the main reason I purchased this CD and the biggest disappointment - it's a horribly butchered edit - I remember having the original 45 and it certainly wasn't this version). "Outa Space," "Jungle Fever," and "K-Jee" were some pleasant reminders of tracks I had nearly forgotten. But all in all, this particular volume disappointed more than it pleased.