Customer Reviews

Seekers Complete

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Those people who are only interested in their hits will find a single CD that contains them all. If you enjoy their hits enough to want a lot more of their music, this box is the best way of obtaining all the commercially recorded music by the Seekers with Judith Durham from the sixties to the nineties. Since then, they have re-united to record a Christmas album (which I've also reviewed). Judith has also recorded solo, while the Seekers have recorded other music without her. These recordings are outside the scope of this set.

The first three CD's contain all their music from 1963 to 1967 except those tracks that appeared on singles - they are collected together on the fourth CD. It contains the hit singles (including Georgy girl, I'll never find another you, Morningtown ride, A world of our own and Carnival is over), their B-sides and the tracks they recorded when they re-united in the early nineties. The fifth CD contains studio and concert rarities.

The first three CD's contain plenty of covers. Judith is lead singer on most tracks, but the boys are good singers too and occasionally one of them sings lead. On those tracks, Judith can be heard on backup vocals. These covers fall into two main categories - those that demonstrate their musical roots (these dominate the first two CD's and include folk songs of Australia, Ireland and America) and those that are versions of contemporary songs (these are mostly to be found on the third CD, although you will find some on the second CD).

The final CD is interesting. Their cover of This is my song was considered for album release in the sixties. It was rejected - If you go away was used instead - so this is the first time their version has been made publicly available. The soundtrack versions of Georgy girl used to open and close the movie are also included, with all their imperfections. The hit version on CD 4 has different lyrics to either of the versions here. Among the other tracks are radio recordings and songs that they recorded at the Talk of the Town in London for a live album. That album contained a lot of hits, but the tracks included here were songs that they didn't otherwise record.

This is a fascinating collection by one of Australia's earliest pop groups.

Here in the New World, Judith Durham and the Seekers were a breath of folky fresh air during a time when Top 40 audiences were literally screaming for anything with a British accent and a Beatle haircut. But, as most British groups fed the Yanks back their Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, and more, the Seekers were one of a handful of artists from the other side of the international date line to remind America of their recently bygone Folk Era by melding the sound with the jingle-jangle of a twelve-string guitar, combining with the radio-friendly warmth of Abbey Road Studios, and by being the beneficiaries of several Paul Simon songs, written during Simon's short hiatus from Simon & Garfunkel. However, this five-CD box is a too-long listen for the general listener, as most will notice many cover versions, easily identified with other artists, and by the time disc five comes around, many will find it all a bit much. The astute fan may have some trouble with this box, too, knowing the title is a misnomer - it's not complete - and several pleasures, Paul Simon's "I Wish You Could Be Here," and other possible treats, like the Coke commercials (which foreshadowed the New Seekers' "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing") are absent. But, on any CD, Judith Durham's voice, when paired with the original Seekers, is a time-stopping experience. It's a shame that the duration of their success in the States was limited to the British Invasion period, and that Durham's tenure with the group was limited as well, for with continuance and a truly "complete" Seekers compilation, their legacy would have been more widely appreciated.

First a little history....

Judith Durham, Keith Potger, Athol Guy, and Bruce Woodley make up this Folk and Traditional group from Down Under, who had great success here in the mid sixties, and were huge international stars, especially in Great Britain and superstars in their native Australia.(1963 till now).Their farewell concert for BBC is also available, (I have it) and is also a standout CD.

Recently, they had a reunion, which was very successful, and produced the new album 'FUTURE ROAD". The legend continues, they didn't miss a beat.

To the people who do not know this group, they were primarily folk and traditional, and made great use of their contemporaries including Paul Simon, Tom Springfield, and many others. They are led by one of the worlds greatest voices - Judith Durham. When you hear the voice, you know immediately who she is, and her use of lyrics is easily understood, clear, and melodic. It's hard to compare with anyone today, she's that good.

Unlike many others like Peter Paul & Mary, (another excellent group from the era), they focused also on many historical religious and gospel tunes,(Open Up them Pearly Gates, Sinner Man) and native folk songs from Australia, (Waltzing Matilda, South Australia)

Of course the hit songs are all here, such as "Georgy Girl", "A World Of Our Own", and "I'll Never Find Another You", (latter two Tom Springfield compositions with the trademark 12 string guitar) as well as all the choice cuts, (Kumbaya, On The Other Side, and many others).

This expansive collection also includes many of their early mono cuts, jingles, interesting rareties, live cuts, and much much more. This five CD set covers all the bases, and is one of the most complete collections I have ever bought for any artist. The sound quality is excellent, and I was frankly surprised by the sheer volume of their work, and the effort put into this Box Set.

The major drawback for many would be the cost. If not sure, or new to their music, you may wish to review their Greatest Hits CD (Collectable Label) also on Amazon. Much cheaper, but sticks to their well known songs, (I have this one to, its an excellent compilation and well priced, and it has a lot of tracks for the money). If a big fan (like me)then this is for you.

This would be an excellent companion to the "Peter Paul and Mary", "Kingston Trio", and "Gordon Lightfoot" Box Sets.

MOST highly Recommended..For Folkies and 60's Lovers alike. A requirement for The Folk Generation, and a band too often overlooked by US "Folkies" since they are not from the US.
You WILL like them. They are that good. 5 Stars all the way.

The Seekers were without a doubt one of the greatest folk (and pop) groups ever to record. While often thought of as British, they actually were from Australia but after arriving in England in 1964 they became so popular that they based themselves in the U.K. for 4 years before ending the act in 1968. However, with some notable exceptions, their music is deeply rooted in all forms of the American folk tradition. This collection illustrates their wonderful recordings of all forms of folk music: traditional (This Land); contemporary (Blowin' in the Wind, The Last Thing on My Mind); country (Wreck of the Old '97); island (Run Come See); calypso (Myra); traditional jazz (We Shall Not Be Moved); African (Kumbaya); negro slave (Dese Bones); spiritual (When the Stars Begin to Fall); bluegrass (Katy Cline); religious (Just a Closer Walk With Thee). The three guys in the group, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley (who is an excellent pop songwriter) more than hold their own but the driving force behind the Seekers' greatness is the wonderful Judith Durham who was blessed with perfect pitch, timing and phrasing. Her voice is a clear as a mountain stream and can be powerful and moving as on 'When the Stars Begin to Fall'; tender and lovely as on 'Morningtown Ride'; loving as on 'The Leaving of Liverpool'; or forlorn and lonely as on '500 Miles'. She is magnificent on so many songs - to mention a few Kumbaya, When the Stars Begin to Fall, Just a Closer Walk With Thee and the live version (from the 'Talk of the Town' album) of 'The Carnival is Over'. Of course, their hits are here too such as 'I'll Never Find Another You', 'Georgy Girl' and 'A World of Our Own'. They do excellent versions of Red Rubber Ball (co-written by Woodley), California Dreaming, Allentown Jail, Turn Turn Turn and This Little Light of Mine. Other highlights are Come the Day and the sweet Island of Dreams. One of the best songs is a superb version of Tom Paxton's The Last Thing on My Mind. However, it's all great and the more you listen, the more you appreciate these songs. The instrumentation is excellent too, the combination of two guitars (including 12 string and banjo) and bass while some of the songs are backed by orchestration. But nothing can compare to Durham's vocals both as lead and weaving in and out of the guy's voices. Are 5 discs of The Seekers too much? A group that only recorded 7 albums in 4 years. Not at all. Although there's some excellent early material on disc 1 (some culled from their rare Australian/New Zealand debut 'Introducing the Seekers'), almost all of the essential recordings are on discs 2,3 and 4. Disc 5 is mainly for completists (rarities, outtakes, jingles, etc.) so you're basically getting a 4 disc set and it's well worth the price. Judith Durham has recorded some excellent solo albums. They're hard to find but her 2 Hot Jazz albums, her Christmas album from 1968 and her 1997 album Mona Lisa's are all well worth seeking out.

The Seekers possess a rare talent to perform pop, folk, and gospel music in their own distinctive and inimitable style. From their pop classics "Georgy Girl" and "A World of Our Own," to folk legends "Waltzing Matilda" and "This Train," to the gospel "Sinner Man," this 5-CD set provides a comprehensive collection of their finest works.

Judith Durham is one of a kind. She combines the torch-like passion of a jazz singer, with the clarity and beauty of a folk balladeer, and the rousing persuasion of a gospel singer. The harmonies are carefully overlayed and accompanied by a bass and 12-string guitar.

You can't help but find yourself singing along with these golden memories.

The Seekers were one of my favorite groups of the 60s. This collection includes all of their hits, and them some. This 5 hour and 40 minute gem is a must for all Seekers fans. Even if you're not a true fan, you *will* be by the time you're through listening.

Judith Durham's voice is so pure and sweet. I could listen to her sing for hours. Found many songs on here that I fell in love with the 1st time I heard them. Anyone who enjoys great folk music should make sure that this is a part of their collection. The sound quality is fantastic and makes listening to this set even that more enjoyable.

In my opinion, Judith Durham had the best voice of any female singer during the rock era. Her vocals were rich and pure and no other female vocalist could do many of her songs as well as she. The harmony of the Seekers is also excellent.

Georgy Girl, World of our own, Walk with me, Morningtown ride, Love is mine love is wine, and Emerald City are particularly beautiful songs and The carnival is over, Chase a rainbow and her self-penned Colours of my life are outstanding. Some of the tracks from the Seekers earliest albums are mediocre, unless you are really into traditional folk music; thus my rating of four stars instead of five, but there are enough outstanding selections to make this an outstanding collection. Some of their covers of Pop hits are good, but not outstanding, such as Red rubber ball and The 59th Street Bridge song, as a result of the simple musical arrangements of the Seeker's recordings. A Seekers Greatest Hits CD might be the best choice for people who enjoy music of the 1960's, but fans of the Seekers should consider purchasing this Box Set.

I purchased this box set thinking I'd like maybe half of the songs and would up liking 95 per cent of them . It is unfortunate that US fans think of the Seekers as the group that sang Georgy Girl, not ever hearing their definitive version of The Water is Wide or Judith Durham's Lady. There are also several other exhibitions of Ms. Durham's talents in this set.

Why they omitted the Paul Simon song, When Will I see you again, is a mystery. It did appear on the Capitol Collectors Series CD of their best hits and is a good song.

Yes, 12 string guitar. Although the Seekers are so good, they could have gotten by on 10!