Search - Various Artists :: Stiff Records Box Set

An essential gem, pick it up if you find one.

thedevilscoachman | 03/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Stiff Records Box Set is one of those "best I ever bought" type things. With an average of 24 songs per cd, it was a terrific value, and I figure the only thing better would be to actually own the albums from which the songs came. Sure, the quality of selections is kind of scattered. And I do have the songs on album of some of the artists, so although they may be the best cuts of the collection, they don't hold much value for me. But the rest is terrific. For anyone who first got into music in the late seventies, (and didn't like Journey and the Bee Gees), it's like the best indie radio program ever. An all-time great."

This Box Set Kills

thedevilscoachman | Vienna, Virginia | 09/30/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don't be afraid to plunk down the $50+ dollars on this box set - its totally worth it. It features great songs you know by Ian Dury, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, which are all great to have in one location. But the real reason for picking it up is the gems by the groups you probably never heard of. Roogalator's "Cincinnati Fatback" is a undulating slice of glutinous, dirty funk from Porkopolis. "Between the Lines" by the Pink Fairies is the most scorching, out-of-control bar blues since the Rolling Stone's "Rip this Joint." Tenpole Tudor generally rocks, as do Madnesses' early hits. And there's some hilarious novelties like "Kill" by Los Trios Paranoias that is a affectionate poke at the punk aesthetic, a dead-on parody right down to its two note guitar solo and uber-nihilist lyrics ("I wanna cut me liver out and pin it on yer braces!"). There's three disks of great stuff (the fourth disk is pretty weak, actually), and its amazingly varied and fun stuff, from solid pop to pub rock to new wave to unclassifiable stuff. Not every song is great, but enough are. Highly, highly recommended."