Great Music - Excellent Value
Kidamadeus | Warner-Robins, Georgia United States | 05/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In 1979, the album "Get The Knack" rocketed up the charts and became a staple of the airwaves with the hit My Sharona. Founding members Doug Fieger, Berton Averre, Bruce Gary, and Prescott Niles created a tight, hard-rocking sound that wowed audiences and critics. They were legendary in Los Angeles clubs for jam sessions with giants like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and The Doors' Ray Manzerak. When it came time to record, they wanted to capture the essence of their live performances. They hired producer (and former Sweet member) Mike Chapman, and created "Get The Knack" in 13 days, with minimal overdubs, and a budget of $18,000. What they created was one of the fastest selling hit records of all time...it went gold in 13 days, and platinum in 7 weeks. "My Sharona" and "Good Girls Don't" went to #1 and #11 respectively. The album had an energy and craftsmanship of song that has rarely been equalled. A mere 8 months later, The Knack released "But The Little Girls Understand", and it immediately went gold. A Top-40 single, "Baby Talks Dirty", lead the charge but momentum was fading. Critics began to pan the band's meteoric rise in popularity, and turned on them. By the end of the year however, the group was nominated for two Grammies. Musically, this CD captures a firey band at the top of it's form. This band was very talented (Bruce Gary's drumming is amazing!), crafted excellent power-pop songs, and influenced music for years to come. It is also an excellent value for the price, as the production remains true to the original vinyl. A must buy for fans of pop, eighties, or just fun music. Highly recommended!!"
Originally this would have been a double album
Kidamadeus | 06/16/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can't top kidamadeaus' review, but I can add the fact that these two albums of songs were written and ready to be recorded at the same time. The Knack wanted to issue it as a double album, but since it was only their first release, and double albums don't always sell that well, they were persuaded to issue half as "Get the Knack". That's why they were able to come up with another album just 8 months later after another super-fast recording session. These songs weren't as consistent as the first album, and contained no mega-hit songs, but there are a few gems there. The Kinks' "The Hard Way" is a nice cover. Combined, these albums are an unbeatable value."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1