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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent compilation minus their best song., 12 Nov 2007
I went to see Sad Café live once , dragged against my will by a mate who was a big fan and didn't want to go on his own ( No really).Singer Paul Young of the healthy bouffant spent the whole gig singing to the girl sitting ( I hate gigs where you have to sit)next to me in the front row . She was very attractive so I couldn't blame him but it made the whole affair quite excruciating for me .None the less I came away form the gig with a healthy respect for their musicianship if not their entire repertoire of songs.
Sad Café was a British soft rock outfit, that enjoyed a recording somewhat successful career from the mid-'70s through the early '80s. The group's leader, singer Paul Young (not the same Paul Young that scored the '80s hit "Every Time You Go Away" and "Where Ever I Lay My Hat" just for the record), Young formed Sad Café, along with members of another Manchester band, Mandalaband (Ashley Mumford [guitar], Vic Emerson [keyboards], John Stimpson [bass], Tony Creswell [drums]), The fledgling group signed a deal with the Chrysalis label, but for reasons unknown, the record company shelved a debut album finished in 1976. Switching to RCA, some of the songs from their proposed 1976 debut were included on Fanx Ta-Ra,( Complete with appallingly sexist cover) issued a year later, which was followed by such further releases as 1978's Misplaced Ideals, and 1979's Facades -the latter of which spawned the group their biggest hit single, the U.K. Top Five "Every Day Hurts".
That's a great mid-tempo rock/pop song but its not their best song .That's "Follow You Anywhere" which for reasons that escape me is not included on this collection , an oversight of somebody should be sacked proportions as far as I'm concerned. A magnificent bellow of angst , pain and desperation it didn't quite sit with Young's smooth narcissism but it's still a magnificent tune with a guitar solo worthy of Dinosaur Jr (okay that's a bit of an exaggeration) at their most incendiary.
The rest of the stuff on here is fine in a mostly bland competent sort of way. Best of the rest is "Strange Little Girl" which is an odd mixture of "Drums And Wires" XTC and early E.L.O. "My Oh My" has a sort of self-assured rock swagger, "Hungry Eyes" has unusual ( for this band anyway) frothy electronic ambience but mostly it,s impeccably performed but unremarkable middle of the road fare.
Young, a gifted vocalist, went on to become the front man for Mike And The Mechanics but sadly passed away in 2000 at the age of 53 which put paid to any chance of them entering the lucrative reunion tour market. I can think of one probably still attractive lady who will probably be very disappointed .
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5.0 out of 5 stars
CD Purchase, 7 Aug 2009
a Lesser known British rock band that quite simply, should have been given a bigger stage on which they could and should have been, more widely known. Sadly, this is the only cd available these days but well worth the purchase. Delivery and packaging excellent. Thank you.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not great, 2 Jul 2009
I have most of the albums on vinyl and thought this one CD would cover all the best stuff. Like many 'best of' compilations it lacks the continuity and atmosphere of the original album settings.
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