Customer Reviews

Very Best of the Move

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This group, from Birmingham in England, was formed in 1965 and proved to be very successful for a few years, scoring ten UK hits between 1967 and 1972, seven of which made the top ten with two others only just missing. Problems within the group caused it to disband, but three of its members regrouped to form the Electric Light Orchestra, though this group soon hit problems and about half its members split to form Wizzard. The Move were, in some ways, a typical late sixties rock group (albeit with a distinctive identity), very far removed from the glam-rock of Wizzard or the unique sound of ELO.

This compilation focuses exclusively on the music of the Move up to 1970 (when they were subsidiaries of the Decca label), though if you look up Roy Wood, you'll find other compilations that span the Move, Wizzard and Roy Wood solo tracks, perhaps including early ELO as well.

It took a couple of years from formation for the Move to get a chart record but they made up for lost time by having three top five UK hits in 1967, these being Night of fear, I can hear the grass grow and Flowers in the rain, the last-named being the first record ever played on BBC Radio 1, which was by far the most influential radio station in the country for many years. Another top five hit, Fie brigade, followed in early 1968. Their next hit, Blackberry way, topped the UK charts at the end of 1968. The five hits they had in 1967 and 1968 are the ones they are best remembered for, but they continued to make great music.

The Move never again made the UK top five, but they twice peaked at seven (Brontosaurus, California man) and had two other major hits (Curly, Tonight) that just missed the top ten. Chinatown was less successful, stalling outside the top twenty.

This compilation contains their first seven UK hits. The last three (Tonight, Chinatown, California man) were recorded for a different record label (Harvest) in 1971 and 1972 but they are, in any case, of less importance than the first seven. You also get their cover of Higher and higher (Jackie Wilson) and some interesting but obscure original songs.

If you enjoy late sixties rock music, you should definitely listen to the Move.

You may have never heard of the Move. If you like sixties rock, you are missing out on some great stuff. These guys were great, with Roy Wood surely ranking as an unsung great from that era.

If you like the Who, the Kinks, the Beatles, or any number of other better remembered bands, you are sure to love this stuff. My big regret is that I bought this single disc comp, when there is a 3 CD box called "Movements" that apparently includes everything the band released. BUT, at this price you get a great sampling-- 63 minutes long. The liner notes leave something to be desired, not too extensive... but they do point out which songs were hits in Britain. The band somehow never reached a big audience in the U.S. Shame, because there are some classic tunes; melodic, well-structured, full of inventive twists and turns. Oldies and classic rock stations SHOULD be playing this stuff.

By the way, in case you didn't know, Jeff Lynne (pre-ELO) joined this group late in their existence.

but since the beggining of the album, I felt in love as I did with E.L.O.
This cd I bought while i was in Cambridge - England, for studies. The main excuse to bought this cd was that I never even heard a single song of The Move, and I heard this cd during full month, didnt want to spend money buying more cds, but finally i said to my self it was an excellent idea, I hear all the song from this cds, and made myself bought also Movements [BOX SET], it was quite expensive I spend almost 30 pounds, buying it, but never felt regreat of it. I was thinking that I would never see this box-set in Argentina, so that was the main reason to buying.
This compilation its also great, I felt in love of "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" a beatiful song, one of the greatest song that I heard, also its "Blackberry Way" and "Brontosaurus", songs that i will love for all my life. The Move, move myself to a next level of music. You must buy this cd or if you are able to spend a few more $$$, buy the Movements [Box Set], that is also a excellent cd, but if you are not able to buy it, this cd will draw you near of what its really The Move.
Also this cds its a must have in your cd library if you are a fan of E.L.O and Jeff Lynne, even that he came to the band in the endening of it, and pushed Roy Wood to creat Electric Light Orchestra, that in the first cd (No answer or no title) have a little of this sound, a Move sound, which is great.
Buy it, and make yourself a perfect gift! =)

This album is for the true fan who really loves the Move. It shows the band that would later turn into the supergroup ELO! Good mix of tunes from their first album up through the last one.It shows how the Move tried to use different sounds...eventually strings the basis of ELO.

This is not a "Best of" collection, as the title suggests. In fact, there is not a single one of their hits on this thing. Great band, but a misnomered CD.