Various Artists
» Now That's What I Call 12" 70s
Reviewed by Pete M
/ Submitted 11-09-22 14:16
Label: Sony Music
Format: CD
Genre: Dance / Disco
Although it wasn't around in the Seventies, the NOW franchise has ventured into the world of the 1970s before; with various albums of pop classics from the era but never like this. Yes, its poppy and yes, its commercial but its an experience worth taking here because of one glaring thing: all these tracks included here are in full. Yep...full 12" versions on four discs. And it includes a track re-released in 2003 on Southern Fried Records, albeit edited down by one minute.
This edition follows on from the 12" 80s collection that has three volumes: 12", Extended and Remixed but I'm actually that this edition is the only one of this era, regardless of how good it is. Anyway, starting off with Elton John's majestic "Are You Ready For Love", which was the track re-released on Southern Fried with remixes from Ashley Beedle and an Eric Prydz-esque Mylo remix, it includes the full 8-minute Thom Bell mix, which is rare in itself as it was only previously available before now on vinyl. So that's a good start.
Continuing on, we have 12" versions of pop from the likes of Cliff Richard, Blondie, whose Heart Of Glass is a disco staple, and the recently remixed Pop Muzik by M, which had a remix by Tocadisco on its anniversary collective of remixes. The rarest 12" version on here is the Rock Lobster track by the B52s. There are more extensive highlights on the remaining three discs that include more avant-garde and disco gems from Sheila & B. Devotion, in the form of Spacer, included here in its Tom Moulton mix, Meco's ultra-rare tribute to the greatest sci-fi film ever made, and the 12" version of Boney M's Rivers Of Babylon, sampled by Meat Beat Manifesto for "Radio Babylon". This album is worth getting, by the way, to see where today's producers got their inspirations for their own tracks.
I won't bore with the other discs' content but lets just say that a lot of it is dance royalty and one-hit wonders that deserve to be heard at least once in their full 12" versions. But I must include one more highlight: the full 17-minute version of The MacArthur Park Suite by Donna Summer. My only regret, however, is we didn't get either the Patrick Cowley mix of I Feel Love or the original 12". Would have been nice.
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