Essential. . .but incomplete.
Jason Fisher | Seattle, WA United States | 06/19/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"For casual admirers of this British girl group, this compilation is an adequate collection of the trio's most recognizable American chart singles from their 1982-1988 period. Staple tracks such as "Venus", "Cruel Summer", and "I Heard A Rumour" are all included.For Bananarama's more steadfast fans, "The Essentials" is sorely incomplete since it contains nothing beyond the group's 80s heyday. Other compilations, such as last year's "The Very Best Of Bananarama" UK package or even 1989's "Greatest Hits Collection" cover a broader span of the group's career. Also to the detriment of this new package, the album versions (NOT the single versions) of both "More Than Physical" and "A Trick Of The Night" were used. The scarce availability of the single versions of both of these tracks on CD makes their absence from this collection a missed opportunity. Taking the breadth of material (or lack thereof) into consideration, this new package does have a couple of tracks that make the CD a worthwhile purchase.The first (and most significant) is the inclusion of 1984's "The Wild Life", hitherto unreleased on CD. This oft-forgotten single was written as the title track to a low-budget movie of the same name. The movie was a box-office bomb which probably contributed to the single's poor chart performance but it remains one of the best songs from Bananarama's collaborations with producers Tony Swain & Steve Jolley. The other noteworthy track is "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" due to the fact that the version included is the US-single version - otherwise only available on CD on the "Valley Girl" soundtrack.The overall packaging is decent enough with a small handful of pictures circa 1982-1985. The liner notes, although a familiar retread of the girls' career for most fans, are well-written, accurate and current. In the liner notes, writer Kurt B. Reighley includes mention of 2001's import release, "Exotica", and the fact that Bananarama are still recording (albeit as a duo).All in all, "The Essentials" is a suitable disc for those looking for a succint collection of Bananarama's biggest US hits and a must-have for the diehard completist looking to own "The Wild Life" on CD."
Don't it make you feel good?
Justin Gaines | 11/17/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I was glad to find "The Wild Life" on cd but disappointed on "More Than Physical" album version. This compilation is a good "primer" for the new listener, but for hardcore Rams looking for the only available US single remix of "More Than Physical" (3:20) on disc, i suggest you get "Living In Oblivion Vol. 5"."
Great introduction
Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 08/22/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Despite being a die-hard heavy metal fan, I will admit to a certain weakness for the occasional all-girl pop band like the Bangles, the Go-Go's, and Bananarama. I still prefer the Bangles' slightly more rocking approach, but it's hard to deny the kind of pop that Bananarama serves up.
The Essentials is exactly the kind of collection I was looking for. I'm not a hardcore fan by any means, so I'm not going to overanalyze the song selection. The Essentials contains the radio hits I was familiar with, and enough additional songs for me to get a good idea of what I can expect if I decide to go after some of the band's studio albums. The fact that the songs have all been digitally remastered and sound terrific certainly doesn't hurt.
The song selection, sound quality, and low price tag makes the Essentials the perfect CD for the casual Bananarama fan who's ready to hear more than just Cruel Summer, I Heard a Rumour, and Venus."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1