Search - Southside Johnny & Asbury Jukes :: Fever Anthology 1976-1991

Falls a bit short

Kevin O'Conner | 09/17/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This collection appears to be targeted for the casual and the curious.



The first ten songs come from the band's three Epic albums. The track selection here is largely predictable, though a bit more balanced than other compilations I've seen in terms of how the albums are represented.



I've always felt that the Jukes were never the same after the departure of Miami Steve van Zandt (aka Little Steven); to me, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul's Men Without Women album was what the fourth Southside Johnny album should have sounded like. The Jukes and Love is a Sacrifice had their moments -- namely, "All I Want Is Everything", "I'm So Anxious", "Love When It's Strong", and maybe "Why Is Love Such A Sacrifice" (maybe) -- but were largely forgettable. Needless to say, I think these two albums are over-represented here.



The band's mid-eighties albums (Trash It Up!, In The Heat, and At Least We Got Shoes) are skipped entirely, so we don't get even the minor hits "Trash It Up", "New Romeo", or "Walk Away Renee".



Instead, the collection jumps ahead to the 1991 reunion album, Better Days, which should have been better than it was. It could have been a return to form, but ended up being (for me, anyway) another disappointment.



Consequently, I can't really give this compilation much more than an "average" rating - i.e., three stars. Though it does technically live up to its label-spanning collection claim, the omission of the songs from the aforementioned mid-eighties albums makes it ring sort of hollow.



To be fair, though, this is probably a decent (albeit slightly pricey) collection for the casual fan or the first-time listener. But, if you want a better sample of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes on record during the period covered here, I'd suggest the Epic compilation The Best of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and the Rhino compilation All I Want Is Everything: The Best of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (1979-1991). These two collections cover all the albums mentioned above, plus Southside's solo album, Slow Dance."