Tantrum/Rather Be Rocking/Breaking Away [Import]

Tantrum (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Escape
• ASIN: B000A6NQSW
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #295,464 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rather Be Rockin'

2. Don't Turn Me Off

3. You Are The World

4. Sammy And Susie

5. Runnin'

6. How Long

7. You Need Me

8. Take A Look

9. Applaud The Winner

10. Search For A Reason

11. Listen !

12. You Came To Me

13. You Are My Everything

14. Happy Yesterdays

15. Kidnapped

16. Flash Commander

17. Night On Main Street

18. Livin' My Life Without You

19. Kid Brother

20. No More

See all 30 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a re-released version of three classic albums!, April 13, 2006

By 

Trace Edward Zaber "T. E. Zaber" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tantrum/Rather Be Rocking/Breaking Away (Audio CD)

Although I don't own this particular compilation release, just the 1st two Tantrum albums on vinyl, I've had a copy of the unreleased 3rd album [i]Breaking Away[/i] on cassette since the days when the band was still together (indeed, I actually have an unmixed version of the album, since some of the background vocals had yet to be added or "upped" in the mix). Unfortunately, the wonderful 3rd album, which included such outstanding tracks as [b]"Rock And Roll Waltz"[/b] (Pam Bradley singing this live was a sight to behold), [b]"Lady In Lust,"[/b] (another sexy Pam lead vocal), and [b]"Now Or Never"[/b] (featuring Sandy Caulfield's spectacular reach-for-the-heavens voice and the gals doing overlay harmonies in the background) never saw the light of day. Thanks (NOT!) to Ovation Records, the company that went under due to financial scandal (supposedly) just before the release of this album and basically put the nails into the Tantrum coffin. I d*mn that company to this day, not to mention all the other record companies that "passed" on the band in those desperate days of trying to survive.

This group played the Chicago area for many years and I never missed a show! Even in the early days prior to the band's debut album (when they had the equally talented Sara Sachra on vocals, prior to Barb Erber joining the group). The three gals (a "rockier" Three Dog Night, female-style) were each visually "hot" (a blonde, brunette, and a redhead...what more could a guy want?), enormously talented (Barb Erber, the throaty blusier voice, Sandy Caulfield, the Ann-Wilson screecher, and Pam Bradley, the jazz-inspired crooner), and gifted live performers, their harmonies blending better than vodka and tonic and a twist of lime. Never has a band been so horribly missed, at least for me. They have been, and always will be, one of my favorite musical acts and will forever hold a special place in my heart. Heck, I still have the giant autographed "Rather Be Rockin'" poster I swiped from one of their shows, now framed and hanging in a special place in my music room at home.

I would have rated this compilation down half a star for one or two tracks on the self-titled debut album, mostly due to the lighter production quality and the rather overall "simplistic" lyrics on tracks like [b]"You Are My Everything."[/b] (Thankfully, the group's songwriting capabilities matured by the time of their second release, although I would have still loved them anyway due to their spectacular harmonic vocal blend.) Although they had minor hits in the Midwest (at least) with [b]"Kidnapped"[/b] (from the debut album) and [b]"Rather Be Rockin',"[/b] from the album of the same name, they should have been HUGE! Fate, however, was not as kind, and Ovation fizzled (have I cursed them already? Regardless, they deserve another "d*mn") leaving this amazing group to the history books. How very sad!

Standout tracks? From the debut album...

[b]"Listen"[/b] (The opening track--which they used to open their live shows also--with each gal taking the lead during various sections of the song in their trademarked "swapping lead vocals" style and slamming the listener. Good Golly, these girls can SING!)

[b]"Living My Life Without You"[/b] (A smooth ballad with, once again, the swapping of the lead vocals between the three gals every other line...the ending harmonies and swapped ad-libs as the song slowly fades still give me goose-bumps.)

Standouts from [i]Rather Be Rockin'[/i]....

[b]"How Long?"[/b] (A "Sandy Caulfield" masterpiece of vocal brilliance. I dare anyone not to have the darned chorus ringing through their skull after just one listen. An amazing track that, again, SHOULD have been HUGE!)

[b]"Searching For A Reason"[/b] (The album's closer, another swapping-lead vocal extravaganza...this is Tantrum at the height of their power.)

What's happened to the members of the group since they broke up in 1980? About the only "more major" claim to fame I know about was that the bassist (Bill Synar) joined the group Survivor (another Chicago-based act) for that band's last album. Apart from that, I know Pam and Sandy and Barb were either clubbing around the area as background vocalists for a variety of singers, or doing their vocal gymnastics for advertising jingles and so forth. Again, each deserved so much more.

Now, I'm off to pull out those albums yet again and get listening...it's been way too long.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a loud party album, November 20, 2005

By 

Tomm "Rookie" (Upstate, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tantrum/Rather Be Rocking/Breaking Away (Audio CD)

I bought the vinyl release and was immediately floored with its power. I literally played it to death. It took me years to find a copy in a used record store. If you're lookin for seventies power rock, this will not disappoint you. It will definitely grow on you. Buy it! Play it loud!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked talents finally available! Pricey,but worth it!!!, February 28, 2007

By 

J. Owens "poolrider" (TEXAS,USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tantrum/Rather Be Rocking/Breaking Away (Audio CD)

This CD set has ALL three albums released by them. It's pretty cool what they did with this package deal. First 10 songs on CD one is the "Rather Be Rockin" CD,followed by the tunes from their first release,"Tantrum".The second disc is their final release,"Breaking Away". Those first 10 songs represent them at their best,and EVERY song is a winner! Guitar driven and excellent song writing,with outstanding individual vocals by the ladies,but with awesome back-up harmonies.
The next 10 songs are way different...it's produced with the band under-neath the girls vocal's,but that's cool because these ladies are all over the place with their talent,and deserve to be up-front in the mix. The harmonies are mixed to play in the left-right of the stereo mix,with main vocal in the center channel,which is different than the second and third albums. It's amazing stuff! Sounds very soulful,but it's kinda R&B.Motown-type pop. On song 15(Kidnapped) you get a glimpse of their future direction in a more harder rock arrangement.
Next,it's disc TWO,Breaking Away,the follow-up to the massive success of Rather Be Rockin'. What they did was meld the previous two album styles,but it is a rockin' album, %100!!! You'll notice prime keyboard work,with a nod to a mix between Billy Powell of Skynyrd and Elton John.VERY tasty stuff. The female harmonies are mixed together in the center channel,instead of left/right.
Enough cannot be said about the ladies singing talents...unreal voices.
Truly unique,and they are pro's;it's obvious they had a gazillion hours of live shows under their belt.
As for the band.the four guys are awesome musicians. The liner notes give a brief story on each,but these guys deserve more. They are world class players,and you will not hear one false note played on any of the thirty songs presented. It's an amazing fact...no one this good should be unknown,and all four guys are a study in musicianship.
I would have given up sex for a month to have been able to walk into a club and see these folks live,but the beauty of this double CD is I only have to dish out 30 bucks and get the next best thing!
AWESOME mix of mid-to-late '70's power pop and hard rock,and a trip through a band's complete career.
BUY THIS WHILE YOU CAN!
(one side note-on the last CD, a couple spots sound like they got the re-master/compression ratio too hot,and there is a slightly noticeable artifact of noise.May just be on my copy,though.)