School Reunion - The 80's - Various Artists

Well, what can I say. The copy of the 3 CD album was bought for my mum last year by my ex-girlfriend, and I must say, it was worth it. Not just for my mum, but for me and my sister as well (i'm 20 now, and my sister is 18), and we listen to it at least once a week now, and thats over 9 months later!

Brought out by Virgin Records in 2003, this is a masterful collection of all those tracks that really had a hold on the people who grew ...
...the middle of that period (Dec 1984), and I really took to music. My mum was a soft pop/dance pop music listener, where my dad listened to Queen, Status Quo and a few other slightly heavier bands.

CD one kicks off with a brilliant memory of leaving school, with the high-flying band Queen and I Want To Break Free. Followed swiftly by Wham and Freedom, Phil Collins soon comes to the fore with Easy Lover. I was really surprised to find ... more

Well, what can I say. The copy of the 3 CD album was bought for my mum last year by my ex-girlfriend, and I must say, it was worth it. Not just for my mum, but for me and my sister as well (i'm 20 now, and my sister is 18), and we listen to it at least once a week now, and thats over 9 months later!

Brought out by Virgin Records in 2003, this is a masterful collection of all those tracks that really had a hold on the people who grew up with them in the 80's. I was born in the middle of that period (Dec 1984), and I really took to music. My mum was a soft pop/dance pop music listener, where my dad listened to Queen, Status Quo and a few other slightly heavier bands.

CD one kicks off with a brilliant memory of leaving school, with the high-flying band Queen and I Want To Break Free. Followed swiftly by Wham and Freedom, Phil Collins soon comes to the fore with Easy Lover. I was really surprised to find that Madness had a song in this decade, because I would have put them as an early 90s band, but Embarrassment fits nicely onto the CD, changing the complete flavour of it.

With other names like David Bowie, Adam and the Ants, Kenny Loggins and Cyndi Lauper making up the middle part of the first disc, that just shows how well this was thought about. How many people have kids grown up listening to these days? If you are in your late 20's, you would probably have more of a recollection of the sorts of clothes and hairstyles that were popular in that era.

Finishing off the first CD alone, Culture Club, Blondie, and Spandau Ballet really help bring that part to a close, and if you really want any more information, just listen to Spandau Ballets song True. It will tell you all you need to know (with lyrics such as 'I know this, much is, true'). Believe me, after listening to the first, I was drawn into listening to the second and third CD's without too much effort.

Disc 2 brings a slightly different feel to to complete compilation, by bringing acts like A-ha,. Bananarama, The Commadores in first, and then the 5 tracks from the middle of that cd include Howard Jones with What Is Love, Feargal Sharkey with A Good Heart, The Bangles (an all-girl rock-pop band) with Walk Like An Egyptian, Billy Idol with White Wedding, and Tina Turner (one of the strongest solo woman voices of that decade), with her most recognised song, The Best, which a lot of people even my age would know.

Also on disc 2, you will find a movie theme (Rocky III - Survivor singing Eye Of The Tiger), a cover of a Norman Greenbaum song (Doctor & The Medics - Spirit In The Sky, later to be re-released again by Gareth Gates who really did ruin the feel of the original), another cover (this time of Sonny and Cher's smash hit of the 60's I Got You Babe) with UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde, and finally, the ground breaking number 1 from December 1984 for Frankie Goes To Hollywood - and The Power Of Love.

If you thought that was a lot to get your head round again, then disc 3 really brings back some memories. Opening up with Bros and Kylie Minogue (her most recognisable song of that period was I Should Be So Lucky - for people that I know), this third cd leads us quietly towards the end of a decade of really multi-styled music.

Billy Ocean brings down the house with When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going, which was later released by Boyzone, but again, the original is much better than the cover. There is even place for Toni Basil and her 1981 One hit wonder Mickey on this album. Just when you thought you couldn't handle any more, a singing stalwart (who has been through 5 decades in his singing career alone), Cliff Richard was definitely Wired For Sound. Bringing us towards the end of the compilation, we have Hot Chocolate (You Sexy Thing remixed for the 80's), UB40 (their second appearance - the only artists lucky enough for that accolade - with Red Red Wine), and Ultravox (Vienna).

Blimey, there is so much more that I could write about each song in turn, but that would be more a personal touch, so i'll leave it at the generalisations.

Now would I recommend it for potential buyers? Obviously I would, because the whole feel of the album is altogether complete with a variety of singers (a few of whom joined Band Aid's Do They Know Its Christmas which was number one on my birthday - 21/12/1984), and a mild variety of styles. The main emphasis of this album is to fill floors at discos, and with this CD in you collection, you will find that even the younger generations (myself included), will be happy to sing along. They wont be embarrassed by seeing their parents get up and boogie down to this.

A full to brim disco packed into one 80's compilation cant be bad. So its worthwhile listening to.  

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