For the Serious British Rock Collector
Kelly Izaj | Pittsburgh, Pa USA | 08/18/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Like the four preceding collections in Castle Music's BEAT BEAT BEAT series, BEAT BEAT BEAT VOL. 5 is a collection designed for the serious fan of 60's British Rock. In fact most of the tracks on this two CD set would be very unfamiliar to the casual fan. But to the serious fan/collector, it's a treasure trove of very interesting tracks from some notable and some very obscure artists.
Like the other four collections in the series, this collection draws its material from the vaults of Pye Records and its subsidiary Picadilly. And on this collection one gets British - and some American - hits from Pye's most notable hitmakers of the period; The Searchers, The Kinks, The Rockin' Berries, and The Ivy League. But even the obscure acts made some recordings that are interesting as well. Among the interesting lesser tracks include some Joe Meek tracks from The Blue Rondos, The Wolves, and Alan Dean & His Problems: two tracks from The Boys, a band who would evolve into The Action: four tracks from The Primatives, a punk R&B band in the mold of The Dowliners Sect (minus their trademark stylistic left turns): early folk rock from the Overlanders and the Lancastrians: and some decent sounding Britpop from such artists as Tommy Quickly, Julie Grant, Tony Jackson & the Vibrations, and The Monotones among others. And even both sides of a single by The Hellions which featured future Traffic members Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi
Taken altogether, BEAT BEAT BEAT VOL. 5 is an interesting collection for the serious British Rock fan. It makes one wish for compilations dealing in chronological order with the releases from such notable British labels as Decca, Philips, Fontana (Universal Music are you reading this?), His Master's Voice, Columbia, and Parlophone (EMI are you reading this?). Until that happens, this and the other four collections from the vaults of Pye/Picadilly Records will do for the serious collector."
Beat Beat Beat, v.5
Tom | Cedar Rapids, IA | 09/16/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This double-CD set is a compilation of British Invasion releases on Pye records and affiliated labels, and carries forth a series of 2-CD sets which was begun with Volume 1, from 1962 on. This fifth collection covers the period from November 1964 to January 1965. The British Invasion at this time was becoming more stylistically varied and diffuse, and as time went on less and less identifiable with the Beatles, by far its most visible representative. There are many different bands represented--some familiar (i.e. the Kinks and Searchers), some long forgotten, some totally unknown to most. The music is also erratic, ranging from the occasional classic to the totally forgettable. Though not as impressive as the earlier releases in the series, this collection has a few gems a collector would cherish. Recommended for the collector, especially along with the others in the series. For the casual listener a better buy would be the early Beatles CDs, a Greatest Hits for your favorite British Invasion band(s), and also supplemented by (or perhaps instead), a British Invasion multi-CD set that won't include many of the really important songs from that time."
