The Best of Marshall Crenshaw: This Is Easy

Marshall Crenshaw

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00004UEIW
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,463 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Rock > Power Pop

Track Listings

1. Something's Gonna Happen

2. Someday, Someway

3. There She Goes Again

4. Cynical Girl

5. Mary Anne

6. You're My Favorite Waste of Time

7. Monday Morning Rock

8. Whenever You're on My Mind

9. Our Town

10. For Her Love

11. I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)

12. Little Wild One (No. 5)

13. Blues Is King

14. Like a Vague Memory

15. Calling Out for Love (At Crying Time)

16. This Is Easy

17. Somebody Crying

18. You Should've Been There

19. Someplace Where Love Can't Find Me

20. Better Back Off

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Marshall Crenshaw never again scored the commercial success he saw with his acclaimed 1982 self-titled debut, but he kept the knack for writing melodically rich, evocative, touching songs. Culled from releases over a 15-year period (from the explosive '81 single "Something's Gonna Happen" to the fine Miracle of Science), This Is Easy leans heavily toward the pensive side of Crenshaw's oeuvre. Whether nicking an old B.B. King album title ("Blues Is King") for a generalized lament or facing specific questions raised by the everyday ("You Should've Been There," "Better Back Off"), Crenshaw always offers a riff, a hooky chorus, and a thoughtful outlook to ensure each of these songs their long lives. With many of their source albums out of print, This Is Easy fills a real void. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic collection, August 20, 2000

By	J. Powell (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The liner notes say it all - "the fact that... any of the... songs on this CD aren't pumping out of every pop radio station in these United States is not only a mystery but a miscarriage of justice."

Marshall Crenshaw is one of the best rock and roll songwriters of the modern era, and during the 1980's (and continuing today), he created a number of "should-have-been hit singles" - beautifully crafted songs with clever lyrics, perfect pop hooks, and top-notch musicianship - practically year after year... but after his 1982 splash and the moderate success of "Someday, Someway" - radio began ignoring him, despite continued critical success and albums which were often artistic triumphs.

I have been waiting for a collection to truly represent Marshall's music and to introduce people who may have heard one or two songs to his large body of top notch songs and also to give fans a good not-too-concise collection for their Marshall fix. This is the collection I have been waiting for. Since I purchased this CD, it has moved from my house to my car and back on a regular basis. Rhino always does a nice package - great liner notes, a good selection of songs. They don't disappoint here.

If you are pondering purchasing this CD, then I must tell you - ponder no longer. This CD is worth every penny. You will not be disappointed. Marshall Crenshaw writes great songs, and you will enjoy his music if you enjoy a good well-crafted catchy pop song. There's many of those here.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A National Treasure !!, September 8, 2000

By	paperbackriter (USA) - See all my reviews

Thanks a million to Rhino Records for releasing this fantastic --and long overdue --collection!! The great Marshall Crenshaw, a grossly underappreciated American Treasure has, for two decades, produced some of this country's best pop music. Sadly, though, he remains a fringe cult figure ignored by radio, the public and the trend-seeking media. Yes, a guy who creates beautiful pop confection a la Buddy Holly and John Lennon can't get arrested while the airwaves are polluted with gangsta rap, Eminem and the Backstreet Boys. That's tragic!!

Hopefully, this "Best Of" compilation, which chronicles much of his career, will introduce Mr. Crenshaw to the droves of fans he so richly deserves. Most listeners will be familiar with "Someday, Someway", which propelled Marshall into the limelight in 1982. While the irresistable "Someday" was his only big radio hit, many of the tunes on this collection are equally catchy and ultimately, just as deserving of recognition. First time listeners will be blown away by the pop craftmanship so evident on tracks such as "Mary Anne" and "Starless Summer Sky". And who wouldn't be moved by the clever tongue-in-cheek antics of "You're My Favorite Waste of Time", or the deliciously comic overtones of "Cynical Girl"? This stuff's so perfectly written, it ought to be titled "Songwriting 101". If you like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Tom Petty or Fastball, chances are you'll dig Marshall Crenshaw. And chances are you'll be miffed as to why this guy, who belongs in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, has been virtually ignored.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, much-needed compilation, August 17, 2000

By	T. C Lane (Marina, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's hard to believe that this is the first compilation on Crenshaw's careeer (not counting a promo-only release in 1991). But the folks at Rhino have done a great job. Seven of his eight studio albums are covered. The only one not covered is his 1999 Razor & Tie effort (#447). But, otherwise this picks up all the highlights. What you get are catchy, hook-filled songs that are hard to shake from your brain once you hear them. These are some of the best pop-rock songs of the 80's. He wrote or co-wrote all but 2 of these, and while there are no unreleased tracks we do finally get the B-side of "Someday Someway": the homemade demo of "You're My Favorite Waste Of Time", which is definitive and "Something's Gonna Happen" which was only released as a 12" single. Crenshaw has often been accused of being a Buddy Holly rip-off, but his music touches base with Power-Pop as much as it does with 50's Rock and Roll. If you've always been curious about Crenshaw then this is the perfect introduction. From there, pick up his debut self-titled album. There's only one other Warner Brother album in print, the fine Field Day, and his 2 Razor & Tie studio efforts, and a live and Demos album, but all of his other Warner and (one) MCA album are out of print as of August 2000. So, this is the way to go. The liner notes are by the late, great Cub Koda with Crenshaw adding song-by-song notes. One of 2000's best reissues and a must-have for your collection.