4Play: Duran Duran, Various Artists, Stereophonics, Neil Young

Jan. 3, 2010

Duran Duran - Decade: Greatest Hits - EMI
Duran’s been around for several decades, of course, but this
particular set rounds up the singles recorded between 1981 and 1989,
which includes most of their biggest songs and probably the ones most
recognizable to both D2 fans and those new to the band. From New Wave
to New Romantic and on to their more rock/dance experiments, you’ll
get early Duran classics “Rio” and “Hungry Like the Wolf,” the
still-pretty-in-spite-of-all-those-’80s-synths “Save a Prayer,” and
later tracks such as the James Bond theme “A View to a Kill” and the
oh-so-funky “Notorious.”

Various Artists - Live at the World Cafe: The Next Decade - WC
From the nationally-syndicated NPR radio program that’s taped in
Philadelphia arrives this great set of performances from both
established and emerging artists. This particular album showcases a
wide range of acts that the show is spotlighting as both some of its
best performances to date as well as those to continue to watch in the
next ten years. Some you may have heard of, and some you may not;
Roger McGuinn (“Eight Miles High”), Coldplay (“Shiver”), Suzanne Vega
(“Widow’s Walk”), Zero 7 (“Destiny”), and Action Figure Party (“Clock
Radio”), to name just a few.

Stereophonics - Decade in the Sun: Best Of - Fontana
Compiling tracks mostly from the Welsh rock band’s first three studio
albums (although all six of their albums are still represented here),
this set includes 21 Top 20 UK singles and plenty of bonus tracks that
casual fans may have yet to hear. J.E.E.P.’s “Have a Nice Day” and
“Mr. Writer” are here, right alongside a couple of new tunes (“You’re
My Star” and “My Own Worst Enemy”) and such additional Stereophonics
hits as “I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio,” the Rod Stewart cover
“Handbags and Gladrags,” and their biggest radio smash, “Dakota.”

Neil Young - Decade - Reprise
A wide swath of Young’s musical journey as both a songwriter and
performer is outlined here, from his political missives (“Ohio,”
“Campaigner”) to his more sentimental folk-rock songs (“Heart of
Gold,” “Long May You Run”), from his thought-provoking standards (“The
Needle and the Damage Done,” “Old Man”) to his more psychedelic
numbers (“Mr. Soul,” “Down to the Wire.”) This dual-CD set is a decent
overview of his work, although of course not a completely
comprehensive set; but it’s both a good introduction to his music, and
a nice “greatest hits” album to have around.