Taking on the first two years of the decade, Super Hits of the '70s, Vol. 16 revels in that sound of rock played by a TV studio orchestra, with brass and fuzz guitar a-dueling and rock opera bombast getting a good neutering: While Ides of March's "Vehicle" heeds the call of the former to Blood, Sweat & Tears proportions, the Assembled Multitude's anemic "Overture From Tommy" tackles the latter. The budding months of the Woodstock Nation's ten-year-long hangover also offered up Christian camp anthems by the Seekers ("I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing") and Robert John ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), saw some late-hour elevator strains from Ferrante & Teicher ("Midnight Cowboy"), and witnessed a last gasp of bubblegum psychedelia, compliments of Tin Tin ("Toast and Marmalade for Tea"). And there were some bona fide classics, too, thanks to Ten Years After, Arlo Guthrie, and one-hit wonder Blue Magic. It's like shimmying with a headache. ~ Stephen Cook, All Music Guide
