Search - Chords :: This Is What They Want: Chords Anthology

Highly Recommended Vital Power Pop

Dee Sharp | Long Beach, CA United States | 10/25/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Chords were to The Jam what The Who's John Entwistle was to Pete Townsend: a very good band at the same time and place (and label) as a great one. Their sound and style quickly aligned them with the Mod Revival of 1979, which, at the time, was a good portal for cheif composer/lead guitarist Chris Pope's stinging power-pop and his observations of "the British way of life." On more than one occasion Pope out-power-popped The Jam's Paul Weller: "Maybe Tomorrow" is a chaotic tour de force; "The Way It's Got To Be" a tender ballad that isn't compromised by the band's maximum speed approach. Their interpretaion of The Beatles' "She Said She Said" is one of the best covers I've heard - lush guitar work backed by manic drumming that maintains the song's spirit while truly becoming a Chords tune. In 1981, with a new lead vocalist in place, the band's sound began to evolve, with Pope's composing showing a startling maturity and finesse. But as they foretold in one of their own tunes, no one was listening anymore, and the band splintered. Compiled by Buddy Ascott, the band's drummer, 'This Is What They Want' gathers nearly all of the Chords' output for Polydor (missing is the original version of the debut single "Now It's Gone," represented by a re-cut of the tune they did for the bonus freebie 7-inch given away with the 'So Far Away' album). What keeps this collection from being 5-star is the inclusion of the demos, which is only for the most frothingly rabid of fans. Nevertheless, this collection is highly recommended for aficionados of late-'70s melodic power-pop, which had the brightest yet briefest shine between the Sex Pistols and Spandau Ballet."

Finally!

Brian Maitland | Vancouver, BC, Canada | 04/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you were a big fan of Brit Mod revival bands of the '80s, you know this CD has been a long time in coming. It features everything you need from the Chords on two discs. If your idea of music is power chords galore then this is the goods. Disc 1 has their classic SO FAR AWAY LP plus some extras like the brilliant One More Minute single. Disc 2 has most of their non-LP singles plus B sides. Pricey but well worth it if you were a Jam fan but never glommed on to the second wave of bands like these guys, the Purple Hearts and latter Secret Affair."