The Animals - Retrospective
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Free Music Notes for Retrospective
Free Music Review: clen and smooth
Hit: 4 Stars
This release was very clean and smooth. Good upper bass and midrange. Limited low bass but for this time period I thought it was well done Free Music Review: Just what I was looking for
Hit: 5 Stars
This was a gift for my husband, music from his Vietnam years. He loved every minute of it.Free Music Review: Probably the Best Animals Compilation
Hit: 5 Stars
I have researched a lot of these "best of" compilations from the 60s bands and regarding the Animals, this particular cd has it all. The sound quality is great and the song choices are very good. To me, this is the best Animals cd to buy, and I was glad I did.Free Music Review: Good collection of Animals' hits
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD includes the basic hits of the Animals, with Eric Burdon singing the songs. The first 12-13 cuts off this CD featuring 22 different cuts are mainly the original Animals. The remainder represent later versions of the Animals and are interesting to listen to so that one might compare the evolving sound as the group members changed and as Burdon and the band developed over time.
I'll concentrate mostly on the original Animals, simply because some of my favorites from the group were recorded with the personnel in place then. Some cuts that typify the Animals:
"House of the Rising Sun" (1964). Here it is. One of the most compelling and greatest hits in rock and roll history. Burdon's voice is raw, raw, raw--and that is what you want for this kind of song! No Gerry and the Pacemakers' sound here (I liked that group, by the way, but the Animals they ain't)! There is poignancy in the words of this song, melded with the music itself. The organ's playing is quite effective; the band as a whole creates a strong bluesy effect; Burdon's raw blues voice is wonderful in this song.
"I'm Crying" (1964). This is lively music, taken at the quick pace by the band. Burdon's raw blues voice is distinct and powerful. The recurring line:
"Hear me cryin' baby,
Hear me cryin.'"
"Boom Boom" (1964). This is a classic John Lee Hooker blues tune. Burdon's and the Animals' version is different from Hooker's basic, smoldering but powerful version. Nonetheless, the Animals' version works very well. Other covers of Hooker are pretty tame (e.g., Listen to the Yardbirds' "Boom Boom"). Guitars and drums set the tone at the start of this song. While Burdon approaches this song differently from Hooker, his cover is effective nonetheless. Burdon's growling voice fits the song well.
"We Gotta Get out of This Place" (1965). Another of their greatest hits. The guitar work at the outset sets the stage for what follows. Organ work, again, is great. Key line:
"We gotta get out of this place,
If it's the last thing we ever do."
Again, Burdon's voice works well.
"See See Rider" (1966). I really enjoyed listening to the Animals cover Ma Rainey's classic hit from the early part of the century. It's different from her version, but works pretty well on its own. The rhythm section lays down a nice foundation, and the organ fills well. Burdon's voice finishes the picture. Quite an effective cover of a classic blues tune.
So, this is a nice album for those who want to get a sense of the Animals' body of work. Lots of fun to listen to, and one of the rawest sounding of the English groups of the 1960s.
Free Music Review: Animals Retrospective
Hit: 4 Stars
I bought this compilation because; one, it seem to have all the hits, two, I had never heard their version of (gasp) "Inside Lookin' Out" & three, I wanted a single album & disc that best showcases this group. This does that. The only song that I wish were here is "I'm Mad". I would like to compliment the different record labels for coming together to present what can be legitimately called a 'retrospective'. All too often the fan only gets what that particular label owns. This spirit of cooperation, at the very least, makes me feel like they're doing their best to give the most complete product possible.
The Animals went through many personnel changes, the only constant being Eric Burdon. The original Animals is viewed as bing the best but later versions of the group did some worthy things also. The original Animals music was a mixed affair musically. They viewed themselves as a blues based group, that was what they attempted to do; but Mickey Most, manager & producer, saw them as being a more commercial act. Between the label & Most many songs were forced on them that they didn't want to do. This would include almost every single that they recorded that wasn't written by any group members. And even though they had successful hit singles, this wasn't what they really wanted to do.
This compilation is one of the best ever released on the Animals. Every charting single they ever had, with the exception of 1983's "The Night" is here. The album opens with the Animals only #1 hit "House of the Rising Sun", a rock classic. There's "I'm Crying" (#19), "Baby Let Me Take You Home" (didn't chart in the U.S.), "Gonna Send You Back to Walker" (#57), "Boom Boom" (#43), "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (#15), "Bring It on Home to Me" (a Sam Cooke classic that they did WANT to record), "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (#13), "It's My Life" (#23), "Don't Bring Me Down" (#12)& "See See Rider" (#10). At this point we get songs that were from the later version of the Animals. They include "Inside, Looking Out" (#34), "Hey Gyp" (no U.S. chart action), & "Help Me Girl" (#29), "When I Was Young" (#15), "A Girl Named Sandoz" (no U.S. chart action), "San Franciscan Nights" (#9), "Monterey" (#15), "Anything" (#80), "Sky Pilot" (#14) & "White Houses" (#67). The 22nd & final song on this compilation, "Spill the Wine" which is the single edit, is not an Animals song. Eric Burdon recorded it with War & it peaked at #3. This last track can be viewed as a bonus track.
This is an excellent compilation especially for the casual Animal fan who just wants the hits. This does that without giving very much filler.