A career retrospective - get on your feet now!
Martin Milner | New Jersey, USA | 07/13/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The Essential Status Quo - A bouncy and fun 3-disc retrospective of the group's career
Although they can produce slow and melodic songs, the Quo, as they are affectionately known, are best remembered and experienced as purveyors of heavy, fast-tempo, danceable music, all with a driving beat that defies you to stay seated. I would dare to say that most British men (and most of Europe for that matter) know the lyrics to at least one of their pulsing songs, prime examples being "Rocking all over the world", "Whatever you want", "What you're proposing" and "Again and Again".
Status Quo have also covered in their inimitable and rousing style many pop music classics including, "The Wanderer" (Dion), "Rocking all over the world" (John Fogerty) and "Roadhouse Blues" (The Doors). These three discs then provide a great overview of the most important and creative parts of their career and will not fail to remind you of many riffs and intros that you thought you would never hear again.
The essential Status Quo considers the group's discography in an interesting non-linear format, which means that you have the group's modern and not so current hits presented together on the same disc. Most of the fans' favourites are included: "Down, Down" (their sole number one), "Rocking all over the world", "Whatever you want", "Caroline", "Again and Again", "What you're proposing", "Dear John", "Rain" ... Noticeably missing though is their sixties catalogue, including among others "Ice in the sun" and "Pictures of matchstick men." However, and to their credit, the compilers present the listener with an interesting mix of their slower and faster songs. Examples of the former include: "Living on an island", "For you" and "Dirty Water". What I especially liked was that many of the longer songs (and there are quite a few in their repertoire) were not truncated; that was indeed very satisfying. Some crowd pleasers are missing but that is also inevitable, I think, in any retrospective.
The best selections on each of the three disks are (although of course this is only my opinion):
VOL 1: Down Down, Rockin' all over the world, Something `bout you baby I like, The wanderer, Dreamin'
VOL 2: Roll over lay down, Dirty water, Whatever you want, Broken man, Lies, Caroline, Mess of the blues, Oh! What a night, Big Fat Mama, Paper Plane (the best CD)
VOL 3: Again and again, Break the rules, What you're proposing, Roadhouse blues, Dear John, Living on an island, Burning bridges, Rain
So go and enjoy once more the pounding and instantly recognisable intros and furious builds to: "Down Down", "Whatever you want", "What you're proposing", "Caroline" and many others and be happy that there are few if any real clunkers on this compilation, which provides a good selection from the group's most treasured albums. It's also a good idea to turn down the lights and sing and rock out with the group as they present for your entertainment some of the best and most interesting pieces from their long career (1960s-2000s).
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