10,000 Maniacs: Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure & Unknown Recordings (Disc 1 - The Most Popular Recordings) CD Track Listing

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10,000 Maniacs Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure & Unknown Recordings (Disc 1 - The Most Popular Recordings) (2004)
2004 Rhino/Elektra Entertainment\n\nOriginally Released January 27, 2004\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Spanning 31 songs and two discs, one covering "The Most Popular Recordings" (aka "The Hits") and one covering "The Obscure & Unknown Recordings" (aka "The B-Sides and Cover Versions"), Rhino/Elektra's 2004 compilation Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure & Unknown Recordings of 10,000 Maniacs is as good a career overview as could be assembled. The hits disc may miss a minor charting single like "Few and Far Between," but it has all the songs of note, from the hits to album tracks. Meanwhile, the rarities are devoted pretty much to B-side covers in addition to four previously unreleased demos, the early outtake "Poppy Selling Man," plus their cover of Cat Stevens' "Peace Train," which was removed from latter-day editions of In My Tribe. There's enjoyable stuff on both discs -- the singles "Like the Weather," "What's the Matter Here?," "Trouble Me," "Candy Everybody Wants," and "These Are Days" are very good indeed, laying the groundwork for adult alternative pop/rock, while the early demos on the second disc are livelier than most Maniacs material and the Michael Stipe duet on "To Sir With Love" is a priceless artifact from the height of Clinton optimism (which faded quite quickly). But even these moments have the Achilles' heel of a production that is far too big for the group's gentle simple songs. Overall this expertly assembled collection -- which is as good as a 10,000 Maniacs anthology could be -- is best as a time capsule, capturing the earnest, precious optimism and PC nature of American college rock before grunge came along and dirtied everything up. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nA Reminiscence from a Comrade (7th Maniac?), June 8, 2004\nReviewer: A music fan\nBeing from Jamestown, N.Y., and an old friend of the band, I can bear witness to the birth of 10KM. In fact, conceivably I might have even been a member of the group myself, as the members of the embryonic, proto-Maniacs (then Still Life, aka Is There Still Life: Rob, Steve, Dennis, Natalie, etc. w/o John or Jerry) actually invited me to join them as rhythm guitarist after a couple of jams in my studio at the infamous Broadhead Mills (see Hope Chest's liner notes or the "Pit Viper" clip on Time Capsule). This was, of course, during those heady, post-punk days when the D.I.Y. aesthetic held sway. They didn't seem to care if I could play or not, God bless 'em. I must say this was a tempting offer. I had just spent a good while trying to form a band with the redoubtable John Lombardo, who is one of my oldest friends. I'm afraid John grew impatient with my Stu Sutcliffe-like amateurism; it just never clicked. In fact, we got the artist's co-op at the Mills going with band rehearsal space in mind. But these Still Life people intrigued me: possibly out of necessity, they played mostly original material. I recall thinking that (dearly departed) Rob had such great raw potential...he was unsteady tempo-wise (a better drummer might have helped!), but he had such moments of gonzo guitar frenzy...that you knew he had something. And Natalie was special from the get-go; Dennis should be credited with acknowledging her talent straight away. I have a fond memory of her calling out for Roxy Music at the Mills when I first met her, me blaring out "Do The Strand" on the hi-fi there and her doing her patented dervish dance one afternoon... I thought, pretty hip for a 16 yr. old... we've got a live one here! Despite all this, I decided not to join and be sensible for a change. I opted to marry my British girlfriend, Susan, and look for a real job, relocating from Rust Belt blight to sunny Atlanta, GA.\n\n10KM really took seed one night in July 1981. Before I left town for good, Still Life had a farewell gig in a subterranean pub called the Gatsby. They invited all sorts of their musician friends to sit in with them, some "ringers" with pretty fair chops...including John, who played with them for the first time that night I believe. They were breaking up with a bang...even I joined in for some songs, cool covers like "Cross-eyed and Painless" and "Armagideon Time". I'll bet Dennis has a tape of this stuff somewhere in his attic...although I seem to remember a dancer knocking over their reel-to-reel deck with tape spooling out over the dancefloor, so maybe not! It was a great night...and within weeks they were busy forming a new band with John. For one gig they were the Burn Victims, 10,000 Maniacs thereafter. Rob sat out for a time and had to be coaxed back into the fold. The rest, as they say, is history.\n\nI'd like to offer my perspective in contrast with Anthony DeCurtis' liner notes to Campfire Songs. Hey Anthony, if you're puzzled by that Hedgen's gig, well, I'm the guy who got it for 'em. As I said, I moved to Atlanta in late '81 and I helped to urge the Maniacs to try their luck down here in '82. Through a mutual friend, they hooked up with Johnny "Hib-Tone" Hibbert, but their initial stay here was fraught with frustration. Gigs like the one at Tokyo Beach, with a sum total of four revellers including me (I was on their guest list, but I felt so bad for them that I paid the cover anyway!) They got bummed and fled for home turf, writing some good new material and eventually producing an indie LP. Natalie wrote me asking for help landing a gig here...so I schlepped a tape of their LP around the clubs like 688 and Rumours, but only Hedgen's bit. As I recall, although it was certainly the Satellites turf, Hedgen's also would book people like Guadalcanal Diary, so it's not that weird. The place wasn't really that empty either; it was their best attended gig to that point...40-50 people probably. It was a memorable gig as Jon King and Andy Gill (of Gang of Four) came to that show...we were tickled as we were big fans of theirs. This was at a crucial turning point for 10KM; afterwards, they got noticed in NYC, got proper management, etc.\n\nI must say that I'm proud that my friends made their mark, that something of note came out of our daft little scene in our shrinking, backwater town. I'm glad that Natalie chose to include a lot of photos featuring John in Campfire Songs; he was a crucial member in those formative years. They were at their best during his original stint, and yes, I concur with Mr. DeCurtis, they were best experienced live. My own favorite Maniac songs aren't included on this new CD... I like "Puzzle Lover" and "Maddox Table"... and Wishing Chair, with all the local color of WNY, has special resonance to someone like me. I don't discount In My Tribe... it is the most consistant one and deserved to be a hit, Peace Train or not. But I really think they missed John thereafter... I never much liked Blind Man's Zoo... material such as John's Angels of Stone would have pumped some much needed life into that one and he might have helped to talk them out of the lesser material. What a shame.\n\nAs far as the rarities go, well, real fans will always second guess any such compilation, and so it goes with me. I'd like to have seen "Don't Call Us" turn up; after all it was a track I spun their way. During an extended visit to the U.K., I taped a segment of John Peel's show and this track cropped up...it amused me, so I sent it to John suggesting they cover it and they did! The song was a student project, sung by kids from near Coventry, I believe, reflecting the dire job market of the day and we from WNY could relate. Digital Dinasaurs was the name of this one-off group. Also m.i.a. are a nifty cover of "Rum and Coca Cola" (problem obtaining the master) and the B-side with Billy Bragg ("Party of God") which I don't know what happened there. And I always loved their Eno cover, "Burning Airlines..."...were there no live recordings available of this one? I dunno.\n\nNice notes from the various band members...Jerry and Dennis really capture the spirit of the thing. And Natalie's tribute to Rob was touching...he always deserved more credit than he seemed to get. Natalie was right: we were scavengers all; we were Clash fans all; and we were comrades all.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nGood Job Collecting the Essentials and More, February 7, 2004\nReviewer: Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews\nAt last here is the long promised "best of" 10,000 Maniacs collection. Apparently all (surviving) band members were involved in one way or another in the process of putting this compilation.\nCD1 (17 tracks, 65 min.) collects "the Most Popular Songs" (meaning: the greatest hits, yea!). Thankfully, the songs are compiled chronologically, which, among others, show the amazing musical leap the band took from the early stuff to the first full-fledged album "In My Tribe". It remains the band's best album after all these years, and is rightfully represented by 5 tracks, including the delicious "About the Weather" (Natalie's best moment ever?). "Blind Man's Zoo" gets 4 tracks, including the seminole "Trouble Me". "Our Time in Eden" (the band's biggest commercial succes) gets 3 tracks, including of course "Candy Everybody Wants". "Because the Night" (from the "MTV Unplugged" album) concludes CD1.\n\nCD2 (14 tracks, 49 min.) covers "The Obscure & Unknown Recordings" and is more of a mixed bag. There are some real nuggets here, including the cover of Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" and David Bowie's "Starman" (Natalie continued covering Bowie tracks in her solo career). Lacking unfortunately in the liner notes are details about the dates of these "obscure" recordings.\n\nOverall, this is a very satisfaying compilation, much better than, say, the recent REM "best of" compilation. In case you haven't kept up with Natalie's most recent work, check out last year's independently released "The House Carpenter's Daughter", truly a mesmorising album.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nSing Around The Campfire, February 5, 2004\nReviewer: Timothy Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) \nOh, to be young and alternative again. I used to love 10,000 Maniacs, having seen them 5 or 6 times in concert and having met Natalie Merchant at a couple of shows. (My heart about stopped when she came up to me and remembered my name...) While I still have a serious soft spot for their music, this was a group that made great albums that held together as wholes. So a "Best Of" is probably more for the uninitiated than a long time fan. It sure is nice to have a disc loaded with the best known songs all culled to one CD, with the however obvious title "The Most Popular Recordings." \nI'm most heartened that "Verdi Cries" is included on disc one, because it was long a fan favorite at 10,000 Maniacs' shows. Natalie would usually perform this as an encore on solo piano. The first time I saw her play this one as the show closer, I was absolutely mesmerized by its grace. I've never tired of hearing it since. And since "Wishing Chair" and "Hope Chest" are pretty much devout fan recordings only, having selections on both of "Campfire Songs" double discs is a bonus.\n\nSo if you're a die hard, then having disc two is what you're really buying this for. I'm glad to have the covers of Bowie and Morrissy, since they are of spiritual kin to 10,000 Maniacs' sound and general demeanor, but "Wildwood Flower" and "Hello There" really aren't a match. Having R.E.M. pal Michael Stipe chime in on "To Sir With Love" works as novelty, but he and Natalie would have been better represented by their duets on "Candy Everybody Wants" or "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville." I'm also glad "Peace Train" made the cut, even if my CD of "In My Tribe" was picked up early on enough to not have lost it after the Cat Stevens brouhaha.\n\nIf you're not a die hard? Natalie Merchant was a vocalist that found a certain strength in herself that other mid-eighties women didn't. Much like today, where radio is blanded down by Teen (American) Idols and cookie cutter girl-toys, the radio then was ruled by Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and hundreds of Madonna wannabes. The late Robert Buck also had a truly unique guitar style. He was otherworldly and folkish both at once, and by the time he really found his voice ("In My Tribe"), so had Natalie. They were political in a vague but obvious way ("What's The Matter Here?," "Poison In The Well") while also introspective and personal ("Verdi Cries" and "These Are Days"). Not many bands forge this kind of soundscape that makes others leap to catch up; 10,000 Maniacs are one of the few.\n\nI'll give this 4 stars for the same reason I would give the new R.E.M. "Best Of" set an equivalent rating. There are plenty of good songs here, and there are an even greater amount of classic material to be found on the individual albums. "Campfire Songs" is worth having if time has whittled down your CD collection, otherwise, you likely own most of it already.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nWhat's The Point?, February 2, 2004\nReviewer: R. M. Ettinger "rme1963" (Cleveland Heights, OH USA)\nNot a must have for the established 10,000 Maniacs fan - and probably nothing on this disk that will draw in a new group of fans either. Selections from all (or most) of their albums are included on disk one. It would be difficult to get a traditional 'greatest hits' disk out of this band.\nFor anyone who missed 'The Hope Chest', you at least get the best cut on that disk "Planned Obsolescence". Any exposure to songs from 'The Wishing Chair' is a good thing. A completely overlooked disk - and something people only familiar w/'Our Time in Eden' or 'Unplugged' should check out. The songs on disk one are pretty evenly split between their 3 major releases ('In My Tribe', 'Blind Man's Zoo' and 'Our Time in Eden').\n\nDisk two is a little more spotty. Leaving the unreleased "Poppy Selling Man" wouldn't really be missed. Ever. The demo of "Can't Ignore the Train" is pretty good. It shows the Maniacs certainly don't need to much in the way of studio polishing - and again, it's from 'The Wishing Chair'.\n\nSome good b-sides: Tom Waits' "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You", Morrissey's "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and John Prine's "Hello In There".\n\nSome ok, but not great b-sides are Jackson Browne's "These Days" and no one needs the 900th cover of "To Sir With Love". I continue to cringe for the last decade (plus) on Merchant and David Byrne's cover of Iris DeMent's "Let the Mystery Be". DeMent's version is so definitive, it should have never been touched. Besides - they just do a horrid job of it (ditto w/"Because the Night"). Why they chose to leave off a fairly good cover of REM's "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville" is beyond me.\n\nThe songs w/alternate lyrics are so-so. And I don't think anything would top the album version of "Noah's Dove". They are almost pointless inclusions of this disk.\n\nThe album notes are pretty good...though someone should make Anthony DeCurtis use a fact checker.\n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nthe popular, obscure, unkown, and mainstream, January 27, 2004\nReviewer: mike ph. (nashville, tn United States)\ni went to tower records for there midnight madness to buy the new 2 disc compilation by the 10,000 maniacs. the maniacs have been a thorny group for me. they used to be my favorite group then i grew to dislike them. i like them now but not as much. the person i am seeing always thought of natalie merchant as a donkey up on stage singing. well i thought of that as funny in some strange way. the love of my life and me went to steak n'shake after midnight and had a wonderful night. a wonderful night with the maniacs? a few years back i would've thought it was impossible. they are a very good band but merchant was always too political for me and there was of course that donkey thing. anyway by the time that our time in eden had come out they had changed and became less political and relished the joy of life and what it had to offer. after that they soon broke up. they offered some great music along the way and this compilation shows that. from the first song on the first disc, planned obsolescence to the last song on the first disc, because the night. because the night ended the disc beautifully with the crowd cheering and clapping. in between those tracks are some amazing songs. my favs. include these are days, probably my fav maniacs song, like the weather, don't talk, stockton gala days, planned obsolescence, candy everybody wants, scorpio rising, and my mother the war to name some. the second disc is the obscure and unkown. now this disc is hard to gage since it a compilation of demos, unreleased songs, and b sides which are mostly covers. some of the covers are good and some are great while some are ok. the demos are excellent esp. can't ignore the train, noah's dove, eden, and circle dream. i also love the new unreleased song poppy selling man. the addition of peace train shows a band coming full circle. choosing to stick wth the elektra material is a nice choice as merchant made the band. and the band made merchant. they both worked together best and when she left a hole that can't be filled was there in the band's latter work and in merchant's. this is evidence in this compilation. i grew back into the group because of my love for the person i am seeing and this brings back such founds memories. i am so glad that we spent the morning together. love is a many splendid thing. this love i have feels like a old friend i have known most of my life and when we get together it's like looking back on the good times while moving foward togeteher into the future. this is much like the relationship with me and the maniacs. they may not have a future together with natalie again but their future is brighther than ever knowing that the 12 years they spent together will surely put them in the hall of fame. this collection is a great addition to an already excellent catalogue.\n\nHalf.com Album Credits\nDavid Byrne, Contributing Artist\nDon Grolnick, Contributing Artist\nMichael Stipe, Contributing Artist\nPaulinho Da Costa, Contributing Artist\n\nAlbum Notes\nIncludes five previously unreleased tracks.\n\n10,000 Maniacs: Natalie Merchant (vocals, piano); Robert Buck (guitar, banjo, mandolin, synthesizer); John Lombardo (guitar, bass, background vocals); Steven Gustafson (guitar, bass); Dennis Drew (accordion, piano, organ); Jerome Augustyniak (drums, percussion).\n\nAdditional personnel: Michael Stipe, David Byrne (vocals); Don Grolnick (piano); Paulinho DaCosta (percussion).\n\nProducers include: 10,000 Maniacs, Bill Waldman, Albert Garzon, Joe Boyd, Peter Asher.\n\nCompilation producers: 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant.\n\nRecorded between 1982 & 1993. \nIncludes liner notes by Anthony DeCurtis.
This rock cd contains 17 tracks and runs 65min 9sec.
Freedb: ed0f4311
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