Review:'Various artists' 'Play On: A Raspberries Tribute'
- Label: 'Think Like A Key Music'
- Genre: 'Pop'
- Release Date: '12.9.25.'- Catalogue No: 'TLAK1212'
Our Rating:
Play On is a double album tribute to Cleveland power-pop legends the Raspberries, one of those bands I never really got into, only owning 4 or 5 songs on compilations, so I can't compare these covers with the originals. In keeping with all good tribute albums, it gathers a good assorted cast of well-known acts and people you've never heard of, but may end up wanting to find out more. The cast was assembled and produced by Fernando Perdomo and Ken Sharp.
Go All The Way opens this Raspberries tribute with Rick Springfield really going for it, this has multi-level harmonies and glorious guitars, Rick makes clear he wants you to be with him tonight, before he explains how she's changed him for the better. I Wanna Be With You by Vicki and Debbie Peterson give it the perfect girl group wall of sound of love, they didn't even need a gun toting producer, the brass interlude ups the fun on this great lush classic. Let's Pretend is the first of two songs by Lemon Twigs, chamber pop plea to spend the night with you, trying to get sophisticated, lush harmonies have a beach boys edge, before getting a bit more strained.
Come Around And See Me by Katie Ferrara has languid piano/organ with a mandolin plea for love, from someone who isn't at least initially open to all the begging, no amount of rejection cools her ardour, on this tale of delusional suitors for whom no is never no. Going Nowhere by The Caulfields cool country power pop feel, love not quite happening, the girl your chasing has gone out before you arrived for your date, she's off out with someone less boring than you, He's left to obsess about why he's stuck at home alone. Don't Want To say Goodbye by Robin Taylor Zander full of the sadness at the end of another love that's gone away, gently building keyboards, sweet vocal harmonies, laying bare all the emotions, being left outside, while declaring they will try a little harder, even if it really is too late for that the damages was already done.
Might As Well by Jesse Bryson Feat The Kennedys supper sweet teenage lover boy giving in, saying he loves you AAH! Very catchy infectious pop song. It Seemed So Easy by The Spongetones sounds like it could almost have been recorded at a similar time to the bands 40th Anniversary concert, nice, burnished feel, describing those golden days when you were both still in love with each other. I Saw The Light by Adelaide Estep a piano ballad that could have been by Elton John, with a wistful Olivia Newton John for this rather sad downbeat song, they return home from a nasty experience, when the strings come ethereally for this rather beautifully sad song.
Ecstasy by Eric Dover sounds not unlike Porn star turned rock singer Ben Dover does, bar room rock plea for some sexual ecstasy, rather than the party drug, giving this just enough sleaze to work, it needs more sleaze than the Skynyrd break. On The Beach by Darian Sahanaja is one of the songs I recognize, Darian turns it into a Scott Walker Macarthur park style baroque pop epic, wooing you all night long On The Beach, they'll show that Neil Young Fella what for. If You Change Your Mind is the first of two songs by Ken Sharp the albums producer, soft soulful pop trying to turn an unwilling object of desire into a more than willing one, will they fall for all the tinkling glockenspiel hits, harmonies in a Alessi Brothers vein.
Nobody Knows by Chris Price a sweet soul version, a little bit Chi-Lites very 70's vibrant shirt pop. I Reach For the Light by Bird Streets like mid 80's Alex Chilton in places, pledging to be chaste, so have they seen the light and got religion, or have they realised they have been dumped again, swearing off good times for a while, licking their wounds at the sight of you with that bloke. Drivin' Around by Popdudes is possibly the most Beach Boys sounding tune here, it might not be over-produced with catchy harmonies.
Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak by P. Hux straight-ahead heartlands rock, for sadness they feel at the end of the affair, they want your love to pull through, they still don't get why you'd dump them though, trying to apologise by carefully picked brief guitar solo. Waiting by Olivier Rubini sparse reflective piano led heartbroken ballad, strings swell pain of rejection pouring through, regrets at having to walk away tug at your heart strings beautifully. I Can Remember by Karla DeVito Carpenters style piano ballad of love and devotion, building to full-on blowsy love and desire, building and building to a huge, orchestrated climax.
Tonight by Lou Gramm gloriously glammy guitars and heartfelt vocals making his statement that tonight he's gonna make love to you, seem like he really means it, even if he might want you gone in the morning. Play On is the second song on the compilation by Lemon Twigs and title track of this tribute. a lot heavier than Lemon Twigs first song, a cross between a John Lennon solo song and Wings while they hope they can Play On, endlessly touring and having a blast. I Don't Know What I Want by John Waite heartlands rock to its core, coarse throaty vocals and greased up guitars rocking to its Townsend conclusion.
Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) by Shoes takes one of the Raspberries biggest hits, slows it down, a more languid twist, the only non-love song on the album, about becoming overnight sensations with a number one record, could this push them over the edge, on Smooth radio possibly. All Through The Night by Hudson Brothers takes another Raspberries classic honky tonk blues rocking out a barn of a lace with a full brass section, everyone is drinking and dancing in time with this. Rewind the selector!! Should I Wait by Marshall Crenshaw makes laid-back country rock, chiming guitars battling conflicting feelings, asking the question amid all the heartbreak he wants to take you away from.
Cry by Kasim Sultan soft rock 10CC style regrets, for the way she made you look like a fool, but you may have deserved it? He certainly doesn't convince me he was worth staying with. Making It Easy by Brasko great chugging power pop stomp of a riff, typically sweet song of love and lust for yet another brief encounter. Last Dance by Evan Stanley would never be my choice of Last Dance song, this is soft bland middle of the road begging for a Last Dance, coming from bloke that gets ignored because he really doesn't have it. This is a skip. I Can Hardly Believe Your Mine by John Powhida says everything he thinks you need to hear, so he can have his evil way with you, falsetto opening your soul.
Rose Coloured Glasses by Rob Bonfiglio see saws from chugging rock into more wistful piano passages, getting hazy dreams, an incredible affair, perceived through those Rose Coloured Glasses. I'm A Rocker is the second of Ken Sharps tunes, oozing with Bolan boogie, perfect to get down and get with it too, more fun that Springsteen’s tune of the same name. Great fun. Party's Over by The Chefs are not The Chefs who are signed to Damaged Goods records, Georgia Satellites style great blues rock kiss off, with raspy vocals, bucking great guitar solo, this grooves a must hear tune. Cruisin' Music by Ronnie D'Addario has sleigh bells on it like they thought it might be an Xmas song, rather than another beach boys obsessed song about Cruisin' in your car looking for the next conquest.
Startin' Over by Tori Holub a Carpenters style sophisticated song of love and desire, orchestration adding layers of beauty, her imprecations to start all over with you, sun goes down to the baroque folk pop on the most sensitive song that needs to be heard over and over like she wants to repeat her relationship. Hands On You by Cherie Currie brings the Runaways rocking vibe, only with more maturity, Cherie gets good and sensual for this song about wanting a threesome, Cherie makes it sound real, even in the floaty middle part where they are on a cloud somewhere. This needs to be heard at a club or on the radio very loud indeed.
Every Way I Can by The Toms are saying everything they can to get that girl to date them, they are down on knees, saying they will be faithful, if they have to, if only you say yes and go out with them, this is all about the crisp guitar solo for me. With You In My Life by Willie Wilcox a vaudeville musical, big song and dance routine for all the girls and guys to find someone to lay out your rather over the top plan for the trajectory of the romance, that sounds a touch controlling to me. The album closes with Please Let Me Come Back Home by Bambi Kino sounds like very early Beatles boy band Mersey pop, telling your latest love, she'll be better off without you, the freak out ending is well worth hearing.
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