Similar Albums:
- Artist: 10cc
- Rating:
- Release Date: 1990
- Total Time: 75:26
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Rock
Review
10cc's first two albums, recorded under the sponsorship of entrepreneur and one-time pop star Jonathan King, are combined on one disc for this CD reissue. 1973's 10cc shows that from the start, the group had an uncommon command of recording studio technique; the performances are polished, the harmonies superb, and the production flawless and often witty (all the more remarkable from a new band producing themselves, albeit one comprised of music-biz vets). However, the group was still getting up to speed in terms of their songwriting at this point, and while the craft is fine, there isn't a lot of inspiration on hand. Except for the sardonic "Rubber Bullets" and sarcastically sprightly "The Dean and I," the '50s-inspired parodies on side one don't wear well, and most of side two is clever but not terribly distinguished. 1974's Sheet Music was where 10cc truly hit their stride; the album is full of effective barbed humor buffered by the superbly polished production, which leans toward pretension without quite falling into the pool. The band began dipping their toes into the elaborate extended narratives that would become Kevin Godley and Lol Creme's hallmark on "Somewhere in Hollywood" and "Hotel," while "Silly Love" and "The Wall Street Shuffle" proved the band could rock when they felt like it, and "The Sacro-Iliac" is one of the great non-dance craze tunes ever. This CD also features a liner essay from Jonathan King on working with the group and tacks on the non-LP single "Waterfall" as a bonus. ~ Mark Deming, All Music GuideTracks
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Rubber Bullets [Long Version] | Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, |
10cc | (5:16) |
| Johnny Don't Do It | Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:36) |
| Sand in My Face | Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:38) |
| Donna | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (2:53) |
| The Dean and I | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:02) |
| Headline Hustler | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (3:30) |
| Speed Kills | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:50) |
| The Hospital Song | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (2:40) |
| Ships Don't Disappear in the Night (Do They?) | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (3:04) |
| Fresh Air for My Mama | Eric Stewart, Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:03) |
| The Wall Street Shuffle | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (3:52) |
| The Worst Band in the World | Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme | 10cc | (2:46) |
| Hotel | Graham Gouldman, |
10cc | (4:53) |
| Old Wild Men | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (3:19) |
| Clockwork Creep | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (2:43) |
| Silly Love [Long Version] | Eric Stewart, Lol Creme | 10cc | (4:00) |
| Somewhere in Hollywood | Lol Creme, |
10cc | (6:37) |
| Baron Samedi | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (3:44) |
| The Sacro-Iliac | Graham Gouldman, |
10cc | (2:30) |
| Oh Effendi | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (2:49) |
| Waterfall [*] | Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart | 10cc | (3:41) |
