ALBUM REVIEWS Top 40 Tapes 1 1 TEN YEARS -THE SINGLES CHART CERTS ABB A EPIC ABBA401 MICHAEL JACKSON: Thriller (Epic EPC 85930) Prod: Quincy Jones THE JAM: Dig The New Breed 2 2 KIDS FROM 'FAME' VARIOUS BBC ZCH447 Quite simply as fine an album of (Polydor POW 5075) Prod: Peter contemporary black music as has Wilson 317 THE COLLECTION been released this year, and yet A rarity among live albums, this JOHN LENNON EMI TCEMTV37 another testimony to the production collection traces the band back to its 4 5 CHART HITS expertise of Quincy Jones. His very earliest days, sweating it out at VARIOUS K -TEL CE2195 pulsating production restores the the 100 Club with 'In The City' right through to the stardom of Bingley 5 3 GIVE ME YOUR HEART TONIGHT basic gutsy feeling of soul, and SHAKING STEVENS EPIC 4010035 Jackson responds enthusiastically Hall and 'Ghosts'. The numbers are in that urgent breathy way of his. not merely a greatest hits collection 6 4 KIDS FROM 'FAME' AGAIN More fine Rod Temperton songs are repackaged but selected tracks VARIOUS RCA K6057 which came over well live. Included on parade, plus Jackson's duet with 7 7 20 GREATEST LOVE SONGS McCartney. Vincent Price delivers a are 'All Mod Cons', 'Start', 'Going NAT KING COLE EMI TCEMTV35 wonderfully sepulchral rap on the Underground' and 'That's title track. Entertainment'. The band has now 8 NEW I WANNA DO IT WITH YOU split so it will be interesting to see BARRY MANILOW ARISTA TCBM2 how the fans react. DIANA ROSS: Love Songs (K -Tel NE 9 8 PEARLS 2 1200) ELKIE BROOKS A&M CLK1982 A collection of romantic numbers 1010 GREATEST HITS from the most successful female BEST OF THE REST OLIVIA NEWTON -JOHN EMI TCEMTC36 recording artist in the world, drawn ROLLING STONES: Story of the Stones (K-tel NE 1201) Prod: Various 11 6 REFLECTIONS from her Motown catalogue. It begins 30 Decca-period cuts from 'Come On' to 'Let It Bleed' assembled in no particular order VARIOUS CBS 4010034 with the delightful 'Theme From and designed as a 2LP for the Christmas TV market. Not the first Stones hits package by 12 9 BEST FRIENDS Mahogany' and goes straight into any means, nor even the first TV -advertised album, but one that will still turn over well as VARIOUS IMPRESSIONS TCIMP1 `Endless Love', a great start to any we head into the party season. In among the singles are choice 'B' sides and album tracks 13 13 RIO album. The second side is the better to spice up the mix. with 'It's My Turn', 'Touch Me In The DURAN DURAN EMI TCEMC3411 Morning', 'I'm Still Waiting' and `All VARIOUS: Euro-Wave for Rednecks (Parsley PP025) Prod: Various Surprisingly diverse and accessible collection of tracks from this Belgium -based indie 1415 HEARTBREAKER Of My Life' included. Major TV DIONNE WARWICK ARISTA 404974 advertising should ensure that Ms label, which, apart from harbouring local talent, has picked up the innovative English Ross is once again among the sellers reggae man G.T. Moore who contributes a bit of dub here. Also to be found are Belgium 1516 GREATEST HITS this Christmas. versions of Grace Jones and Japan, but there are lively ideas here, too. BEATLES EMI TCPCTC260 GEORGE CLINTON: Computer Games (Capitol EST 12246) Prod: George Clinton 1612 FLASH TRACKS J. GEILS BAND: Showtimel(EMI With his Parliament/Funkadelic connections Clinton has been one of the driving forces of VARIOUS TVPTVC 1 America AML 3028) Prod: Seth funk music and it is paying dividends for him with the success of his fierce 'Loopzilla' 17 11 RISE AND FALL Justman single. The album should well by funk standards as a result. MADNESS STIFF ZSEEZ46 A live album recorded in Detroit as recently as September this year,this ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS: Mack & Nabel (MCL 1728)/Man Of La Mancha18 29 COMPLETE MADNESS collection should serve to introduce (MCL 1722)/Thoroughly Modern Millie (MCL 1723)/Call Me Madam (MCL 1726)/ MADNESS STIFF ZH1TTV1 There's No Business Like Show Business (MCL 1727) some of the band's older material to 19 21 LOVE SONGS The unlikely hit Mack &Mabel, from a flop Broadway musical, is due to the overture (now a the new found UK audience which VARIOUS K -TEL CE2179 discovered the act through single) being used by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on their way to world and European ice dance championships and David Jacobs playing the music on Radio 2.20 26 FAMOUS LAST WORDS `Centerfold'. A tour with the Rolling SUPERTRAMP A&M CKM63732 Stones can have done this hard Perhaps more importantly MCA has discovered a real groundswell of interest in these old working act's reputation no harm cast recordings which make great catalogue stock items. 21 14 HITS OF THE SCREAMING 50s and their basic boogie does have live THE NOLANS: Altogether (Epic EPC 10037) Prod: Nicky Graham VARIOUS WARWICK WW45124 appeal. Highlights are 'Love Stinks' Virtually a greatest hits compilation featuring the Nolans' most familiar items, among22 24 MUSIC FOR THE SEASONS and `Centerfold'. them 'In The Mood For Dancing', 'Don't Love Me Too Hard' and 'Attention To Me', from VARIOUS RONCO 4CRTL2075 the last three years. Presumably the faithful among the Nolans following will react OST: Party, Party (A&M AMLH 68551) 23 19 FRIEND OR FOE positively to this repackaging exercise, but without a hit single for long enough the girls ADAM ANT CBS 4025040 Prod: Various probably need something more positive than this collection of warmed-over nostalgia to Late entry into the TV market stakes revive the punters' interest. 24 22 LOVE SONGS for A&M, but an enterprising project VARIOUS K -TEL CE2179 that will score plenty of media NEIL INNES: Off The Records (MMC 001) Prod: Steve James Gatefold sleeve, detailed liner notes, audiophile quality pressing and a 2LP of Neil Innes 25 20 SINGLES, 45s AND UNDER interest. The idea is to place well- SQUEEZE A&M CAM68552 known artists in unusual song quirkily entertaining songs - an auspicious debut by a small label pinning its faith on contexts, so Sting performs 'Tutti quality at a reasonable price. The songs, all from his TV series The Ines Book Of2618 DISCO DANCER Frutti' and 'Need Your Love So Bad' Records, are a stimulating mixture of fun, comment and satire, and will be welcomed by VARIOUS K -TEL 0E2190 produced by Dave Edmunds, Altered the minority who recognise his special talent. Available through IDS. 27 32KISSING TO BE CLEVER Images attempt `Little Town Flirt', GREGORY ISAACS: Lover's Rock (Charisma PRED 10) Prod: Gregory Isaacs CULTURE CLUB VIRGIN TCV223.1 Bananarama bleat the Sex Pistols' With Isaacs' popularity reaching an all-time high, here is a timely release from Charisma's 28 NEW ALTOGETHER `No Feelings' and best of all, Midge Pre label vaults. A 2LP, it totals 20 tracks and is in reality two already well-known albums THE NOLANS CBS4010037 Ure delivers an outstanding version redesigned and packaged as a gatefold double. The singer's restrained but soulful vocals 29 27 LOVE OVER GOLD of 'The Man Who Sold The World'. are assisted by Sly 'n' Robbie or the Roots Radics band. Expect healthy interest from the DIRE STRAITS VERTIG07150109 crossover reggae market. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST 30 36 QUARTET CHOIR OF SEAFORD COLLEGE CHAPEL: A Royal Carol Recital (Abbey LPB825) ULTRAVOX CHRYSALIS ZCDL1394 NIGHT OF THE PROMS '82 (K -Tel NE This album includes carols sung at a concert attended by the Queen and Prince Philip, 1198) who have in a sense endorsed it by allowing their photographs to appear on the back 3135 UPSTAIRS AT ERICS James Loughran conducting the sleeve. Beautifully sung, the material comprises familiar and not so well known titles, and YAZOO MUTE CSTUMM7 BBC Symphony Orchestra with proceeds are in aid of Save The Children and the British Sailors' Society, two charities of32 28 TROPICAL GANSTERS Benjamin Luxon's rich baritone which the Queen is patron. KID CREOLE ZE ICT7016 providing the set -piece vocal on VARIOUS: Birth Of The Y (Y Records Y331/3) Prod: Various 33 25 LEXICON OF LOVE 'Rule Britannia' was the line-up for PigBag's label parades its other goodies on this entertaining compilation. It's best-known ABC NEUTRON NTRSC1 this year's 'Last Night' at the Royal act plays 'Six Of One' in subdued form, but the other acts indicate the label's freewheeling Albert Hall and this TV -advertised 34 39 PEARLS a&r policy. Particularly interesting is Maximum Joy's 'Searching For A Feeling', an ELKIE BROOKS A&M CLK1981 album captures well the ebullient insidious piece of disco funk. atmosphere and irreverant shouts 35 30 HELLO I MUST BE GOING MARY O'HARA: A Song For Ireland (Valentine VAL8053)/ MAX JAFFA: Prelude To PHIL COLLINS VIRGIN TCV2252 that always accompany this Romance (Valentine VAL8051) Prod: Jed Kearse occasion, while never pushing the 36 33 THE DOLLAR ALBUM First two releases on a new MOR label. Mary O'Hara's album, marketed simultaneously musical performances into second DOLLAR WARNER BROS DTV41 with a book of the same name, features a selection of Ireland's finest folk songs, on which place. she accompanies herself on the Celtic harp. The Jaffa album coincides with his return to 37 NEW FRIENDS SHALAMAR WEA K452345 Radio -2 on the revived Grand Hotel series. With subdued orchestral accompaniment, the JASPER CARROTT: Carrott's Lib 38 31TOO -RYE -AYE (DJM DJF 20580) Prod: John Starkey veteran violinist elegantly embellishes a dozen classic evergreens on this rare example of locally -produced easy -listening music.