Search - Various Artists :: Billboard Pop Memories: 1920's

All original recordings... all still sonding great!

Nigel D. | 06/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like silent movies and alot of things that came out of the 1920's, but before now I had never really heard any of the music. I knew it consisted of Al Jolsen and other guys, but again I really never gave it a good listen. This all changed when my school put on a play that was set in the 20's. The teacher that worked on the play (who which also is my Social Studies and French teacher) got the CD to give the play alot more sense of realism (which it did). When I heard the music during the play and intermission... I really thought highly about it. It was the original recordings and they were digitally remastered from the best source availible to company that produced it (it sounds REALLY clear for being over 80 or so years old). The next day, I asked my teacher if I could borrow it and she just handed it to me and told me that she didn't need it any more and that the school had bought it for the play and didn't need it any more, so I could keep it. I took it home and really listend to all the songs and they were really good. It's got a varity of fast and slow songs and all of them stayed on the charts for at least 8 week and there are some ranging to 13 weeks on top at #1. Theres Al Jolson, Gene Austin and alot of other great sounding bands of that time. My personal favorites are "Valencia" and "Charmaine!" (which are both the fastest songs on the album). There may be better 20's albums out there, but this is the first one that I have heard and I really liked it. Again, all the songs are digitally remastered and have that great 20's beat to it. It's great for a beginner to listen to for that great sound of the 1920's!"