Very Best Of

I have posited on other album reviews that I believe 10cc to be the kind of band Monty Python would have dreamed up if they'd decided to take on modern pop in the 70's, instead of the wonderfulness of The Rutles. Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme were already experienced pop writers and performers in other peoples' bands before they joined forces as studio musicians in what was basically a bubblegum hit machine studio. From those beginnings, they became one of the most respected bands of the 70's, seeming to effortlessly blend elements of pop music with progressive rock all while maintaining an often dry wit and cheeky humor. This single "Very Best Of" disc gathers the best of their 45's from their first six studio albums and bonuses you the Godley and Creme hit "Cry."The band's origins as writers for hire on on display for the songs from their debut, "Donna," "The Dean and I" and "Rubber Bullets." The first two are borderline parody in that they so closely approximate bubblegum singles that it's hard to believe that anything would come of merit in the future. "Rubber Bullets," while still aping the Jailhouse Rock genre, satirically upends the style by having the song delivered from the standpoint of the prison staff. ("I love to hear those convicts squeal, it's a shame these slugs ain't real.") If there was any indication of the brilliance to come, that was where you'd find it.By "Sheet Music," the band was going full-steam. "Silly Love" and "The Wall Street Shuffle" threw so many styles in the blender that trying to explain the band was an impossibility, even if American audiences weren't catching on as yet. But by the next album, "The Original Soundtrack," that would change. The double bladed "I'm Not In Love" floated all the way to number two in 1975 and broke the band in the states. Sung from both sides of the story, the singer delicately kisses off a love affair - or is he? and that made the enigmatic song such a charmer. The goofy "Life Is a Minestrone" is also included, but the album is sold short.Having finally broken the states, the band delivered their artiest album yet, with "How Dare You?" While "I'm Mandy Fly Me" and "Art For Art's Sake" were both brilliant singles (and "I'm Mandy" may have been one of the best 'mini-opera' songs of the decade), they missed the top 40, but are definitely among the band's best. That also was when creative tensions caused the rift between Godley/Creme and Stewart/Gouldman to reach a breaking point. Stewart and Gouldman decided to keep the name 10cc and soldier on with "Deceptive Bends." They were obviously eager to please, because the ultra catchy "The Things We Do For Love" became the band's second top ten single and "People In Love" (which tried very hard to find the clever spot "I'm Not In Love" achieved) squeaked to number 40.Sadly, it seemed that each team needed the other more than they wanted to let on. "Bloody Tourists" tried to capture the old magic, but the main single, "Dreadlock Holiday," was the first time the humor sounded forced. "For You and I," the album's ballad, just couldn't quite match the majesty of earlier, similar songs. Further albums went to a different label, but it didn't much matter as they continued on a slide of diminishing returns. Godley and Creme became video pioneers, directing for the likes of Duran Duran and The Police. It's no surprise then, that their big hit as a duo, "Cry," rose on the charts on the back of an eye-popping video. It was one of the first videos to use the face-morphing technique that eventually became famous on Micheal Jackson's "Black and White."What makes the addition of "Cry" such a delight is that it that it makes "The Very Best of 10cc" a true representation of the band's work. These were all delightful singles and, at their absolute best, 10cc rivaled any of the 70's hitmakers for style and creativity.

I bought the mp-3 album during one of Amazon's $5 sales and I'm glad I did. Sometimes buying a greatest hits album by a band you would normally not give the time of day to could be somewhat refreshing. There are many songs I have never heard before and I like them. Of course there are the radio friendly hits like "The Things we do for love" and "I'm Not in Love," but there is so much more to this band. They have a progressive 70s sound threaded with traditional Rock n Roll roots. I don't know what their story is (drugs, ego's, finances, a manager that sucks), but this band should've had a huge career beyond what they did have. Yes buy this album and have a listen with headphones on a quiet merlot filled night.

THE VERY BEST OF 10CC is their best anthology, and their best album, ever released. Many of the songs here are quite humorous, and I've been told by both peers and professionals that learning to take teasing like the lyrics these guys came up with in their prime would make me a stronger person. Although I agree with that theory, it's unfair to call 10CC a novelty act, as some critics have done, because the humor was always a means to an end rather than the end itself, and the musicianship was always stellar. If you only have it in your budget for one 10CC CD, make it this one.

I only knew 5 songs on this CD before I bought it and they were the most popular songs that most folks know--I'm Not in Love; The Things We Do For Love, Cry, Dreadlock Holiday, and The Wall Street Shuffle. I was surprised by the rest of the album, which included many songs with very humorous lyrics. The other songs were very different than the top hits; and quite surprising at how different sounding they are. Overall, it was a nice slice of a band I didn't know much about.

What I love about 10cc's hit songs is they have great structure that always keeps you interested. I grew up with these hits and it never occured to me, how can these guys from manchester uk sing about these american topics. I am English living now for 16 years in USA.My 8 year old son gets a kick out of the songs and loves dreadlock holiday. I love these former years of popular music where if you were a kid you weren't hit over the head with grown up explicit themes and as an adult the words were poetic enough to keep you interested.

A great compilation by a group that is to often forgotten today. Just listen to the beauty of "I'm not in Love" or the boppin' of "Art for Art Sake" and you'll be hooked. Give 10cc a try.

I was a teenager when 10cc was making hits, so I know the catalog. As a list, this album IS greatest, but the sound is bloody awful. Compare it to the crispness of "Sheet Music", for example. Sad, because these guys really were/are studio geniuses, and the sound styling is as important as--if not actually a major constituent part of--the songwriting (Would "Wall Street Shuffle" be the same without the triplet-echoing claves?). Oh well.

I bought this collection after hearing "I'm not in Love". on the radio one morning. It had been along time since I had heard that song and it reminded me how much I liked a lot of 10cc's music. This is a wonderful collection of songs by one of the top pop bands of their time. They were truly innovators in the world of pop music. Ken P

改めて聞くと、曲が丁寧に作られていると感じる。あの時代ではトップクラスの音楽性と思う。

ブリティッシュの次代をになうグループとして注目された。10,11あたりがピークだったか。個人的には初期の1から7までが大好物。7は今でも十分通用する名曲中の名曲。エリックとゴールドマンはポールとも仲がよかったりして、エリックはコラボレイトしている。普通のポップスにいろいろなスパイスを加えてこのグループ独自の世界を作り上げている。分裂したゴドレーとクレームもポールと一緒にギズモという楽器を開発している。二人名義のアルバムもおもしろかった。17曲を呈したこのアルバムは買いである。

８０年代当時、１０ｃｃのベスト盤ＬＰを所持していて、楽しんでいました。以前からＣＤの１０ｃｃベスト盤をいくつか購入してみるものの、未だ満足行く音質のものに当たっていません。このＣＤも、高音に張りがなく、音圧の低い収録になっています。まったく、１０ｃｃのリマスターベストってないんですかねぇ。

子供の頃聞いた、｢I’m Not in Love｣が強烈に頭に残っていて、やっと買いましたが、シングルCDが有れば、そっちで良かった感じです。期待が大き過ぎたのかも。

I'm Not In Loveこの曲を知らん人がいるかな。聴けばわかるさ…強烈な個性と才能のぶつかりあい、せめぎあい。