Search - Dollar, Modern Romance :: Platinum Collection

To Stephen

A. Connor | 11/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a stellar collection of Dollars Warner era. It would have been very nice to have been able to include "We Walked In Love" and the 7" mix of "It's Natures Way", HOWEVER, there are issues to be considered here:



a) space on the CD - only 2 of these songs had ever been on compact disc before so space was limited

b) licensing - Sanctuary hold "It's Natures Way" and Sony "We Walked In Love" - not Warner. Therefore with the best will in the world the expense of putting this album together would have increased with licensing, and there was insufficient budget for it. The absence of these two, very minor hit songs hardly warrants such a low review rating when this collection includes 5 top 40 hits and a clutch of other new-to-CD singles and album tracks.



"

'Dangerous Blonde'

Paul Ess. | Holywell, N.Wales,UK. | 03/29/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All things being equal (which of course they NEVER are!) the glow of Dollar would reach far into the corners of the world normally conservative in a 'rock' sense, and hearten even the most disillusioned jaded pop punter. Jolt the senses of the dreariest music slob on the wettest of wet Wednesdays, and fulfill even the most outlandish dreams and desires, forgotten and tired in a guitar screech and drum thud.



David van Day (cheese and sweat) and Theresa Bazar (God in human form) are Dollar. Remarkable in every way, shape and form you can think of, and others you probably can't. The music is revolutionary and suitably HUGE, courtesy of production master Trevor Horn, and NEEDS to be. Otherwise, what's the point? Without a vast sound, Dollar couldn't/wouldn't exist. Bazar's breathlessly sexy vocals wouldn't chill you to the very marrow of your existence, the Wagnerian piano on `Hand Held in Black and White' wouldn't fill your days with mystery and passion, and the sheer joy of 'being seriously moved by music' would tragically have one less outlet into the world.



Theresa Bazar is interesting. 5 foot nothing and a total smasher. She looks edible on the cover of 'the Platinum Collection', all creamy skin and eye-drops. She's never had a zit or an in-growing hair in her life. When she rises from her bed of rose petals and baby owl-down, there's not a lock out of place, not a lipstick smudge or blusher blot to be seen in the glorious reflected sunshine that bathes her perfection as she delicately nibbles her muesli, and seductively sips her grapefruit juice.

You can almost taste her as she sighs her way through 'Pink and Blue'. Whispering the words in a fashion deliberately designed to induce fevered goose-pimples, and coerce trembling fingers to reach for the replay button.

In every way imaginable, Theresa Bazar is a corker.



Astonishingly, Dollar DON'T rely on her. They have massive post-modern songs and a mammoth music. (Imagine Frankie Goes to Hollywood without the rotund little rat singer, and good tunes, and you're halfway there) ZTT man Horn must claim huge credit here. The earlier Wagner reference is a valid one. You can imagine a 20th Century 'Ring' with crushing, swaying synths instead of a 40 piece orchestra, and divine Bazar instead of a 20 stone batty operatic, but that's wishful thinking.



Even a cringe-worthy Jackson/McCartney style exchange in a song called 'Dangerous Blondes' WORKS big time because a/ van Day and Bazar are genuine, likeable people and not selfish, insidious rotters, and b/you can almost hear them corpsing, alerting the captivated listener to the vital fact that they're having fun.

It's not against the law, music doesn't have to equal serious every time. Theresa could laugh at me all day and I wouldn't blink an eye. I'd probably finish up believing I deserved it.



Omitting, because of space restrictions, the fact that listening to Theresa Bazar is a tangible religious experience, (stop sniggering, why is she called 'Theresa' then?) you could convocationally put your faith in this cd. It can take you far away from council taxes and speeding fines (you don't have to pay them, honest.) and instill a kind of positive positivism in the recluse and the awkward.

Feeling small isn't something I'm normally au fait with, (I'm a muscular, manly 6ft 3 if you're reading TB...) but if I do, I just reach for Theresa - even though she's just paper and plastic in my fractured reality - and I know all will be well. A drug that doesn't make you hate yourself. Cake that doesn't make you fat. Belief that doesn't make you poor - convert to Dollar, now.



Near to where I live, some pikies have (completely illegally) converted a disused rubbish tip into a permanent site for trailers and vans. It's called Dollar Park, and even though it's got a $ symbol on the sign, I'm convinced it's a heart-felt tribute to Dave and Theresa, and not a Vegas-style vulgarity to wind up the passing irate motorists.

But then, I've seen the light."