Search - Various Artists :: Believe in Music

Very Short Edition

Plastic Salmon | 04/14/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Although this album shares the title with an earlier version by the same name (and compiled by the same record label), there are some major differences here. The original album was vinyl and contained 22 hits; this version only includes 10 songs. Additionally, only six of the songs on this edition were found on the original record: these are "Believe In Music" by Gallery, "How Do You Do" by Mouth and MacNeal, "Sunny Days" by Edison Lighthouse, "Speak To The Sky" by Rick Springfield, "Money Back Guarantee" by Five-Man Electrical Band, and "Brandy" by Looking Glass. The other four songs were not included on that original album, even though they were popular hits at about the same time as the six that were included.



A better reissue of that 1972 album would have contained at least 20 of the 22 songs that were on the original version; and maybe all 22 if a CD is able to accommodate all of them. The original vinyl record squeezed 22 songs onto a (vinyl) disk with a 60-minute capacity, and that was only possible by cutting out parts of some songs and reducing their length. A compact disc with 80-minute capacity would probably be able to hold these 22 songs at their unedited full length. Such a remake would be a great improvement over the original vinyl record and certainly a better deal than this 10-song issue. It would also have earned 4 stars instead of two."

Only Ten Songs

Tony James | Canadarocks | 12/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was surprised to find a k-Tel compilation. These were the albums we used to buy when we had missed or couldn't afford all of the originals. There are some good tunes on here including "I Believe in Music" ( also "Nice to be With You, Big City Miss Ruth Ann") by Jim Gold and Gallery, The Token's classic by high pitched Robert John "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", Willem Duyn as "Mouth", and Maggie "MacNeal" belting out "How do You do". The classic slow song "Precious and Few" (also "Life and Breath") by Sonny Geraci, Walter Nims and the reast of Climax. Canada's Lighthouse (also "Pretty Lady, One Fine Morning, I Just Wanna be Your Friend" etc.) singing about "Sunny Days" and Rick "Jesse's Girl" Springfield's tune "Speak to the Sky". Bubble gum king Bobby Sherman's cut (also "La La La If I Had You") "Waiting at the Bus Stop". Another Canadian group, The Five Man Electrical Band with "Money Back Guarantee" (also "Signs, Julianna, Absolutely Right" etc.) and Austin Robert's ( also, "Rocky, My Song") "Something's Wrong With Me". The final cut is the finest song NEVER made into a video thankfully as your imagination takes you along with "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl") with Looking Glass. (also "Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne"). When we bought the vinyl K-tel albums there were always twenty to twenty two cuts on them. Admittingly they would edit out some of the song to fit them all in but these are CD's for crying out loud so "squeezing" up to twenty songs on this compilation wouldn't be difficult. It would make the title sound more reminiscent of the 70's, there was never a ten big hits album."