America - America - The Complete Greatest Hits
|
List Price: Our Price: $12.99 You Save: $5.99 (32%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $11.25 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for America - The Complete Greatest Hits
Free Music Review: This is the America compilation I have been waiting for.
Hit: 5 Stars
For those of you out there who like a Greatest Hits compilation that contains all of the songs by an artist to chart on Billboard's Hot 100, this CD is for you. I have been waiting for a compilation that contains all of their hits, yet does not include a bunch of other songs that I am not interested in. Previously they have released "History: Greatest Hits" which just focused on the early 70's hits. Then they released "Encore: More Greatest Hits" which focused on the late 70's early 80's hits. Then they released "Highway: 30 Years of America", which was a box set bloated with non-hits. For the America fanatic, I am sure all of the previous compilations were great. However, for the casual listener like me who just wants the hits, this is the CD to get. And you get all of the songs on one disc, which saves space in a CD collection like mine that numbers over 1,000 CD's. Another bonus, this CD plays the songs in chronological order of when they were hits, which I really appreciate. The liner notes are also good with a 20 page booklet with lots of full-color photos, a history of the band, and a track listing that tells where the songs peaked on both the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts.
Some reviewers have commented on how the band turned to shlocky AC in the early 80's. I think the songs from that period were just as vital as the 70's hits. And a lot of people have made negative remarks about "Muskrat Love". At least this version is less embarassing than the Captain & Tenille version with all of the keyboard chirping sounds. I recommend this CD highly for anyone who enjoys 70's and 80's adult pop music.
Free Music Review: Good overview
Hit: 3 Stars
This is a good overview of the rise and rapid deterioration of the band. Their first two albums were very good, with a kinf of CSN vocal sound and excellent accoustic guitar work. They then started doing corporate pop which included alot of synth sounds and mellow, easy listening tunes. Some worked, like Sister Golden Hair, but most were fairly lame. To get the best of America, get their second album (Ventura Highway) or their first two albums. Warning: this Hits album contains Muscrat Love, one of the most embarrassingly bad songs in pop history. Its hard to believe that its the same band that did their fine earlier songs. Free Music Review: America from coast to coast
Hit: 4 Stars
This 22 song collection supplants the old "History" by updating the America to include output from both the Warner and Capitol years (but leaving out "Silent Letter" and "Alibi" or any of the post Capitol albums, especially the fine "Hourglass"). The surprising thing is just how many of these light-weight acoustic based ditties made the top ten in the band's heyday. Even more so is just how well many of them have held up.
The CSN&Y sound alike of their first hit, "Horse With No Name," brought them their first attention. A lot of folks were shocked that this trio was actually a couple of American Army brats (Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley) who had teamed up with Londoner Dewey Bunnel and made songs out of homesickness. As the group grew in artistry, they began to include some jazzy flavors to their folksy songs (like the banjo in "Don't Cross The River") and a willingness to explore other songwriters, like "Muskrat Love."
But the band ran into creative difficulty, and Peek left after the dissapointing "Harbor." The subsequent hits were more commercial in their feel ("You Can Do Magic" and "The Border") but lost none of the - now duo's - trademark harmonies. And it was the harmonies that were what made the finest songs by America such standouts, like "Sister Golden Hair." The lyrics were frequently poetic and imagistic ("alligator lizards in the air," "spinning round smoke glass, stain bright colors," etc), adding a somewhat psychedelic flair to several of the earlier songs.
If you're searching for a collection of America hits, then this is the one to own. It will sit next to your Eagles, Cat Stevens and Seals & Crofts CDs from the seventies quite nicely.
Free Music Review: I need you, like the flower needs the rain
Hit: 4 Stars
America wrote and recorded some of the most well crafted songs (even if some of them sound simple) in the 70's and 80's, and they are songs I never tire of hearing. America consist of three men who became friends while their fathers were posted in the Air Force in England.
This Rhino remastered compilation supersedes the "History" compilation by including all those tracks, plus ten more. Some reviewers have mentioned the omission of some tracks, but all of the international hits are here making it a 'must own'.
My favourites include:
"Horse with no name" (who doesn't love this?),
"I Need You" (simple, yet beautiful),
"sandman" (turn it up loud)
"Ventura Highway".
In the 80's America returned to the charts with "You can do Magic" and the lesser known hit "The Border".
Overall, America are one of those unique groups who are a pleasure to listen to - over and over. Very uplifting.
Free Music Review: ALMOSTperfect greatest hits
Hit: 4 Stars
HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN SEE A GROUP WITH SO FEW RECORDS TO HAVE SO MANY HITS? AMERICA IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE I JUST WISHED THEY INCLUDED ALL AROUND (STUDIO VERSION)BUT THIS COPILATION IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY 70'S FAN IN PARTICULAR AND GOOD MUSIC LISTENER IN GENERAL,PEOPLE THIS IS AMERICANA 100%