Expensive but worthwhile box set
Tom | Toronto | 01/03/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Record label box sets have become popular in recent years, with the release of Motown's "The Complete #1's" and "Revolutions in Sound" from Warner Bros. Now, Atlantic Records has put out a retrospective of their 60 years of music making. Surprisingly, this collection has received little press or coverage, which is a shame, because this collection is a must-buy.
The collection features 9 music CDs, covering 60 years of Atlantic recordings. During its inception, Atlantic Records was mostly an R&B and jazz record label, so you will get a fair sampling of songs by John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, The Coasters, and The Drifters, along with pop hits by Bobby Darin. The label's music expanded in the late '60s and early '70s, and it gradually introduced rock and progressive rock, so by disc three, you will hear the Allman Brothers Band, Genesis and of course, Led Zeppelin, alongside the soul hits. There are also a few songs from Aretha Franklin during her late '60s ascension to music royalty, including her iconic "Respect."
The '70s are represented by rock (more Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton), soul (more Franklin, The Spinners), blue-eyed soul (Hall & Oates), disco/funk (Bee Gees, Chic, Sister Sledge). Like most record labels in the '80s, Atlantic's sound became slicker, but thankfully Atlantic released several songs in the '80s that hold up well, particularly Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" and INXS' "Need You Tonight."
Like most compilations of this nature, there is a natural decline as the music hits the '90s, but Atlantic has released some nuggets in the past few years, including Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy."
The producers of this box set have done a good job of compiling songs for this collection; there are not too many glaring oversights, a problem which plagued WB's "Revolutions in Sound." Atlantic's major hitmakers are covered well here, although some may complain of the choices for certain artists, particularly for Genesis ("The Cinema Show," "Mama") and Led Zeppelin ("Good Times Bad Times," "Kashmir"), who only get two songs each. One surprising omission, although not a major oversight, is Donna Lewis' "I Love You Always Forever." Released in 1996, the song was a major smash and radio staple, so its omission here is a bit of a surprise.
As a bonus, there is a 7" vinyl copy of Atlantic Records' first hit "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-Oh-Dee" by "Stick" McGhee and His Buddies, as well as a DVD of the documentary "The House That Ahmet Built" about how founder Ahmet Ertegun founded the company along with Herb Abramson.
My major quibble about this set is that while it is beautifully produced and packaged (and compact), the cardboard box it came in is already chipped, so handle this set carefully.
Atlantic Records is without a doubt one of the most important record labels in music history, and this box set reaffirms its significance in music culture. Highly recommended."
Done with Love and Care
Martin | 01/04/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's obvious that this masterful box set was done with a lot of love. Spanning over 60 years of a catalog that's as rich as Atlantic's is no easy task, but the makers of this glorious box set have been able to conquer that task. It's an A++ project all the way through."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1