Thursday, 30 November 2017

Pop Rock/Psychedelic/Sunshine Pop Orpheus - The Best Of Orpheus (1995 Big Beat)






 This double-CD compilation includes almost all of the tracks from their first three albums, as well as a couple from the one they did in 1971 for Bell (by which time Bruce Arnold was the only remaining original member). Over the course of two discs the group is given a more comprehensive and respectful retrospective than they deserve; the lushness turns to mushiness for all but the most rabid sunshine pop fans.
Despite the volume of material, the packaging isn't so hot either. Stray tracks are missing from the first two LPs, and although some of the material is apparently rare and unreleased (as it doesn't appear on the albums), details are not given in the extensive, typically self-aggrandizing liner notes by producer Alan Lorber; in fact, a few tracks are identified as coming from specific albums when in fact they did not appear on those discs. Those tracks include an alternate version of "Can't Find the Time to Tell You"; the peculiar "Anatomy of I've Never Seen Love Like This" (in which Lorber and Arnold, with narration, illustrate how they layered and produced an Orpheus track); and a live version of "Just a Little Bit" (redone on the second LP) by the Villagers, the pre-Orpheus folk duo that included future Orpheusmembers Bruce Arnold and Jack McKenes. The booklet manages to include a lot of information about the band without coming close to conveying a cohesive chronological history.(R. Unterberger, allmusic.com)

Very good two disc set of the nearly five years work of Orpheus. In my ears they had a very own style of pop rock/psychedelic/sunshine pop. Hope you will enjoy

Have fun
               Frank


                                               Flac part1   &  Flac part2     -  mp3@320

5 comments:

  1. This CD set is an absolute must to own. I listen to it at least monthly. It is a shame they never received much acclaim.

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  2. Thanks a lot of the job you're doing here and thanks for bringing back fantastic memories.

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  3. Hello Frank, please could you make part 2 available again ?

    Seemingly the file no longer exists on Zippyshare, though part 1 does.

    Thank you.

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