Stiff, Stiffer, Stiffest: A Stiff Records Collection

• Artist: Various Artists
• Rating:
• Release Date: March 20, 2001
• Type: Collection (various artists)
• Genre: Rock

Review

There are no cuts from Elvis Costello or the Damned on Madness on Metro's Stiff, Stiffer, Stiffest, and while they're missed, along with several obscurities, that doesn't change that this is a fine single-disc encapsulation of what made Stiff Records so weird, wild, and wonderful. They were hardly what you could call a consistent label, but that was their charm -- they soared to unbelievable heights and crashed to unknowable depths, and were usually endearing, no matter which way they moved. Several of the greatest peaks are here -- Nick Lowe's "Heart of the City," Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number," Wreckless Eric's "Whole Wide World," Tracey Ullman's "Breakaway," Tenpole Tudor's "Swords of a Thousand Men," Adverts' "One Chord Wonders" -- and instead of crashes, there is a head-spinning array of variety, from the ska-punk of the Members, the hard-rocking Pink Fairies, the Mint Juleps' new wave reworking of "Jimmy Mack," Jona Lewie's bizarre "Stop the Cavalry," and Roogalator's funky jam, "Cincinnati Fatback." This might not add up to the definitive single-disc statement on Stiff, but it sure gives a good idea of what the label was all about, and it's a lot of fun. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Heart of the City	Nick Lowe	Nick Lowe	(2:03)
Solitary Confinement	Nicky Tesco, Jean-Marie Carroll	Members	(3:56)
Boogie in the Street	Lew Lewis		(3:25)
Lucky Number	Lene Lovich, Les Chappell	Lene Lovich	(2:49)
Whole Wide World	Eric Goulden	Wreckless Eric	(2:54)
Breakaway (Lyrics)	Sharon Sheeley, James Royce Shannon	Tracey Ullman	(2:38)
Styrofoam		Sean Tyla	(2:37)
Free Yourself	Clyde Grimes, Jr.	The Untouchables	(3:40)
Swords of a Thousand Men	Eddie Tudorpole	Tenpole Tudor	(2:58)
B-A-B-Y	Isaac Hayes, David Porter	Rachel Sweet	(3:10)
Emotional Traffic		The Rumor	(2:47)
Between the Lines		The Pink Fairies	(3:17)
New England		Kirsty MacColl	(3:51)
Jimmy Mack	Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland	The Mint Juleps	(2:46)
Cincinnati Fatback	Danny Adler	Roogalator	(6:07)
One Chord Wonders	TV Smith	The Adverts	(2:36)
Stop the Cavalry (Lyrics)	Jona Lewie	Jona Lewie	(2:57)
Butcher Baby	Richie Stotts, Rod Swenson		(3:35)
Yankee Wheels	Liam Sternberg	Jane Aire	(3:09)
Drive Friendly		Motor Boys Motor	(2:21)
Going Left Right	M. Taylor	Department S	(3:07)

Credits

Lene Lovich (Producer), Kirsty MacColl (Performer), The Pink Fairies (Performer), Rachel Sweet (Performer), The Adverts (Performer), Peter Collins (Producer), Jona Lewie (Producer), Tenpole Tudor (Performer), Tracey Ullman (Performer), Wreckless Eric (Performer), Jimmy Miller (Producer), Bob Andrews (Producer), Dominic Bugatti (Producer), Les Chappell (Producer), Pat Collier (Producer), Steve Lillywhite (Producer), Nick Lowe (Producer), George Shaw (Producer), Peter Solley (Mixing), Stephen W. Tayler (Engineer), David Tickle (Producer), David Tickle (Engineer), Larry Wallis (Producer), Tony Wilson (Producer), Alan Winstanley (Producer), The Mint Juleps (Performer), Motor Boys Motor (Performer), Trevor Hallsey (Engineer), Pat Foley (Producer), Roogalator (Performer), Department S (Performer), An Akron (Engineer), Joe Cushley (Liner Notes)