Search - Guess Who :: Greatest of

Why bother with this collection?

Lonnie E. Holder | Columbus, Indiana, United States | 09/07/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a good overview of the Guess Who. However, it just misses too many good songs to be your best choice for a Guess Who collection. I much prefer either "The Guess Who - Greatest Hits" or "Guess Who - 36 All-Time Greatest Hits," though the latter collection is getting hard to find.



Some of the Guess Who's pop combined the mellow vocals of Bread with the more frenetic music of artists like Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. "These Eyes," "Laughing," and "Undun" all have these similar characteristics. However, this group had a range of musical styles well beyond these mellow songs. The faster pace of "No Time" and "American Woman" suggested the later, much faster paced music of Bachman Turner Overdrive, aka B.T.O, which would be formed but a few years down the road led by the efforts of Randy Bachman.



After Randy left the group, the Guess Who's music changed. The slower pace and peace and love feel of "Hand Me Down World" and similar music was quite a contrast to the Bachman years. This song in particular was a late entry into a class of music that was passe by 1970.



As the Guess Who lost their popular status they experimented with their music even more, with uneven results over the next few years. 1971s "Albert Flasher" is another rocker with a strong piano track that anticipates 10cc's music a few years down the road.



The last four songs seem to be attempts to move the Guess Who back into the direction from whence they originally came. "Clap for the Wolfman" is the best of these songs. An excellent tribute to disc jockey Wolfman Jack, this song uses the technique of speaking and singing. The suggestion of late 50s and early 60s music updated to 1974 made this song a winner and very popular for the time; one of The Guess Who's last successful efforts before their 1975 breakup.



The Guess Who ultimately became a victim of time. Their music was very mainstream and popular when it first came out. Their attempts to keep up with trends in the early 70s became less and less effective, and eventually the group must have realized that it was over. However, when the Guess Who was at their peak, and did the songs for which they were known, they were among the best groups of the day. Ultimately, they were followers, and not leaders, and when the leaders moved faster than they could follow, the Guess Who got left behind.

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The Greatest What?

Moderate Risk | Lakeland, Florida United States | 02/21/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"If you must have a greatest hits album get "The Best of The Guess Who." At least that is a brilliant collection. The Wheatfield Soul/Artificial Paradise album has far more brilliant moments."