Customer Reviews

Very Best of

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is very good if not excellent, but what keeps it from being perfect is the fact that it is still missing alot of the other songs from "More Today Than Yesterday". Sure, Paragon added several of Spiral Starecase's early obscure singles into this CD, in stereo (that is reason enough to buy the CD), but I'm sure many Spiral fans still feel incomplete by not having the other songs from the original Columbia release. For of those of you who want all 11 tracks from More Today Than Yesterday (Columbia CS 9852), there was a CD released by Sony Music Philippines titled "Our Day Will Come... Spiral Starecase Revisited" (1997,catalog number 487703 2). This is the only Spiral Starecase release on CD that I know of that contains all the original tracks from the 1969 LP. In addition, it also includes the same bonus singles that are included in the Paragon release (The Very Best Of). The 11 original tracks do not sound like they were newly remastered like the Paragon tracks, but the bonus tracks sound like they are identical to the Paragon remasters. I do not know if this CD is still available (in the US at least), and I cannot verify its authenticity, but it appears to be the real deal as far as being masters reissued from Sony Music (who owns Columbia by the way). It even contains the complete lyrics to all the songs in the liner notes, which I thought was a very nice touch. In my opinion the tracks could have been remastered a little bit better, but I can live with the sound quality as it is.

There is also a Swiss bootleg CD that was released by a company called Green Line Records (1994, catalog number CD-GLP 544). By all means avoid it because the sound quality is just plain awful, besides the fact that the stereo channels were incorrectly swapped during mastering. It was definitely mastered off a vinyl copy, because the pops and ticks are quite obvious in playback. Sony Music Philippines also released a cassette version of More Today Than Yesterday earlier back in 1992 (QCL-S-22160), but I don't know if a CD version was simultaneously released there as well. If you're totally into digging up original out-of-print Spiral releases of More Today Than Yesterday, an 8-track was released by Columbia (18-10-0752), as well as a reel-to-reel (HC 1215). Columbia reissued More Today Than Yesterday in a limited edition LP in the mid-70s under the catalog number LE 10172.

I do vinyl LP restoration as a side hobby, and I am currently in the process of archiving my father and grandfather's 5000+ LP collection. More Today Than Yesterday is certainly one of my all-time favorite records. I have been a fan of Spiral's music ever since I was kid when I first heard it on my father's 8-track player. Some music grows on you and eventually you get tired of it, but I can honestly say that I've never grown tired of listening to this music.

How could I not love this cd? I grew up singing "More Today Than Yesterday" and "Broken Hearted Man"....after all, Pat Upton happens to be my daddy. There are songs on this CD that I didnt even know exist. If anyone is interested....Pat Upton has another recording, by Lynnwood Music, called Then and Now. And incase you are wondering...his voice is still awesome!

A relatively short-lived group, Spiral Starecase nee Fydallions, managed to see three of their releases crack the top 100 but are essentially relegated to one-hit wonder status with their top-20 "More Today Than Yesterday". Taragon Records has gathered up those three singles along with some non-charting sides and album cuts to present this "very best of" collection.

While the CD lives up to its title, if a criticism had to be leveled here it would be that there are only ten tracks total on this CD. That's less than what would often be found on a typical lp, never mind a CD collection. This issue aside, the production is excellent, as has come to be expected from Taragon. All tracks are in stereo and have been taken from the original session tapes, save track ten which was taken from the original stereo mixdown master.

The four-page liner notes booklet contains a page of background on the group as well as production credits and a discography. An excellent, if bare-bones track count-wise, collection from this group representing bouncy late 60's pop at its best.

I had been waiting for this CD to come out for the longest time; I somehow wished that the original "More Today Than Yesterday" LP would be remastered because it is truly a great record. There are songs that are on that record that are not on "the Very Best Of..." such as Our Day Will Come, a great cover of Ruby & the Romantics, but overall this compilation is a great addition to any fan of Spiral Starecase. As a bonus you also get rare, extended studio session versions of More Today Than Yesterday and Broken Hearted Man. A must-have CD. Pat Upton we've missed you!

I knew of the song More Today Than Yesterday, but did not know that Spiral Starecase ever existed until I met Brenda K. Starr, Harvey Kaye's daughter who is a famous pop Latin singer. Harvey was the group's pianist. I quickly purchased this CD, and absolutely love it. Too bad the group didn't last long.

I grew up listening to the Spiral Starecase and now my children listen to it. I am interested in finding any other music Pat Upton has if anyone can help?

actually i have not baught it yet but i'm going to. i'm looking for anybody who can get me info on the original band. my name is bobby raymond II the son of you guessed it,,,,, "BOBBY RAYMOND I" i would like to get all the recordings that i could. please reply.

One-hit wonder with their top-20 hit "More Today Than Yesterday" is my favorite song. Good album overall. I am very pleased with this album and recommend it to anyone looking for music within the same genre.

Unfortunately, I had to obtain the album via a more reliable, professional source other than "packman1000" who is a regular dealer within Amazon.com.

So, "buyers beware". Packman1000 has manipulated his profile ratings section to give the impression that everything is just great with his slimy selling tactics. A most unique public relations campaign, I must say.

I tried to purchase this album from Packman1000 and paid top-dollar in advance for it. All I expected to receive is what I paid for - I don't think anyone would argue with that, as you should also expect the same. What I got, in fact, was not what was advertised, or described, or ordered. I received, under the disguise of the front cover of the Spiral Starecase full length album, a single song CD Spanish Cover tune - that's it! As I'm not fluent in Spanish, I couldn't tell you what the song was about. But, bottom-line is that I got taken to the cleaners by Packman1000. After numerous attempts to rectify the matter with the seller, I was accused by Packman1000 of running a scam on him; which is a load of garbage. I did everything possible as a responsible consumer to correct the matter in a civilized manner. However, I did not receive that kind of treatment in return - other than ridiculously rant laced e-mail lectures in how I should be more understanding about the issue and also questioning my integrity as a person. It got to the point that I had to report his e-mail address to my online web provider as Spam to spare myself the comic sessions of reading his diatribe. I returned the CD fast delivery in good faith to Packman1000 in return of receiving full money back and to be done with this deal gone bad, but to no avail. I lost shipping & handling charges associated with my good-faith efforts to receive what I paid for. Coincidentally, just less than a month after I wrote my true-to-detail review of the transaction, I see another review (6/19/2005) praising the seller for what would go against and contradict, from my experience, his previous selling practices - to boot, he decided to use "my name" as the buyer rating Packman1000 in that farce of a review. Not sure how that could happen since I refuse to get taken again by this unfit seller. Take a read for yourself and laugh at the imbecilic-type mentality of the seller as he tries to backtrack and fool the unsuspecting potential buyer. Packman1000 then tries to weasel his way out of the dilemma he has put himself in by adding his idiotic comments (tagged 10/4/2005) to my initial review. With that said, I can only tell you "buyers beware" of Packman1000.

I am very pleased with this album and recommend it to anyone looking for music within the same genre.

great album i play over and over such a shame there isn't more of their music can't seem to find other albums but this is a winner

I am currently playing in a "new" band with Pat Upton, former lead singer of the "Spiral Starecase".

I purchased this CD and found the quality to be superior.

Pat Upton and all of the rest of us guys in his band are very excited for this CD to be on the market.

For current information on Pat Upton and his "new" band, send Email to berrys@charter.net or gosss@airnet.net