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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worthwhile, But Eclectic Mix, August 18, 2001
You can always count on Rhino to put together nice compilation CDs. This one is no exception. However, rock fans might be a bit thrown off.Although labeled "Rock Instrumental Classics," there are perhaps only two or three tracks that fit that description. Partially a reflection of the period covered, most of the tracks have a stronger disco or jazz flavor. As long as you come in understanding that and are not thrown off by the title, you won't be disappointed. Truth be told, this particular volume of the five CD set is quite eclectic. Listening to this and the following volume ("Soul"), one wonders if some tracks should have been switched. On this collection, it seems that "Sun Goddess" and "Pick Up the Pieces," while both fine tracks, would have fit better in the "Soul" CD. Some pleasant surprises on this set were "Apricot Brandy" by Rhinoceros and "Whole Lotta Love" by the late King Curtis. The former track is definitely rock, so you can forgive the fact that the song is actually from 1969. Simply put, the King Curtis track is jazzy fun. On the disco front, a hidden gem was "K-Jee" by the Nite-Liters. After hearing this snappy track, you'll want to play it over and over again. It's also got several very familiar tracks. "Rock and Rock, Part 2" by Gary Glitter is a standard of marching bands across the country. Lighter tunes like "Popcorn" and "A Fifth of Beethoven" are sure to bring back memories of the era. A curious thing about this compilation (along with the "Soul" one) is the fact that they avoid the late 1970s altogether. That's a shame, because this compilation could have also included another hidden gem, Mandre's "Solar Flight - Opus One," but I guess that's too obsure, even for Rhino. Another Motown track that has been left off for the 1970s is "Machine Gun" by the Commodores. Overall, this is a very decent compilation. There are really no filler tracks here, but perhaps a few could have been switched around or replaced with better choices. However, in the long run, these are only minor complaints.
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~ Rock Instrumental Classics (Series)
~ Rock Instrumental Classics (Series)
~ Rock Instrumental Classics (Series)
~ Va-Great Instrumental Hits
~ Various Artists
