GRAHAM PARKER:
Ultimate Collection
(Hip-O)
To these
ears, Graham Parker was always one of those artists with (Maybe) one or two
decent songs per album. Now, thanks to the folks at Hip-O, all of those songs
are together on one CD--aptly titled, Ultimate Collection. All of the hits are
here (like "Don't Ask Me Questions," "Hold Back the Night" and "Get Started,
Start a Fire"), plus an ample selection of album tracks and rarities. Listening
to these songs now, most of them have held up quite well over time. Hip-O has
taken flack for some of their Ultimate Collection titles, but I'm happy to
report that they did this one right. All 20 songs included here have been
remastered in 24-bit for the best possible sound. Billboard's Jim Bessman
contributed informative liner notes for the compilation, with excerpts from a
recent Parker interview. Whether you're a long time fan, or a newbie who's just
discovering Parker's music, or someone (like me) who just wants Parker's best
tunes all on one CD, you can't go wrong with this disc.
TRACK LIST:
White Honey * Back to Schooldays * Soul Shoes * Don't Ask Me Questions * Heat Treatment * Fool's Gold * Hold Back the Night * Stick to Me * Thunder and Rain * Mercury Poisoning * I Want You Back * Discovering Japan * Local Girls * You Can't Be Too Strong * Passion is No Ordinary Word * Stupefaction * Temporary Beauty * Wake Up (Next to You) * Get Started, Start a Fire * Disney's America