80's Hits Stripped

I put this CD on at a chill party and everyone started singing along with all of the songs. This is a rarity, I don't usually host sing along parties. Great Cd at a good price!

This was a good concept - a good idea that didn't work in some cases and worked really well in others. Some of the songs are nearly unrecognizable and some just lose all steam. Like the MTV Unplugged series...sometimes just sitting down with your instruments doesn't qualify for acoustic or stripped down. It's just lazy and sometimes sad. But not all styles and songs work acoustically, and some just turn out lame.

However, some, like Billy Idol, Men at Work and Rick Springfield really make it work. Thomas Dolby is stripped, but far from acoustic - perhaps to much to ask from such a techno-sound and basically unfair. Howard Jones is remarkable - as is his audience. Some nice moments, but only half of it really works. Perhaps the fault is whoever chose the tracks or the artists to try this.

OK, are we all ignoring the elephant in the room? The acoustic version of Asia's "Heat of the Moment" is easily the best version on the album. At risk of sounding melodramatic, that may be the best remake of a song that I've ever heard. Worth the purchase of the cd, that's without considering the great versions of "Your Love" and "Missin You."

Remember the days when music television actually played videos? Wish it were so again? Well then you're probably in the age group this CD would most appeal to, and it does as a huge hit. I couldn't stop listening to it for hours after I finally got my hot little hands on it. I was singing along on my trip down memory lane. One word: AMAZING.

Most of these tunes acquire a nice, attention-getting emotional edge in their acoustic settings. "She Blinded Me With Science" is hilarious no matter what you do to it. Enjoy!