the Move - Very Best of the Move (1967-72)

The Move. The Move, the Move, the Move. They were chart staples at one time, NME Poll Winners, and are clearly some sort of perfect cross-pollination of the Beatles, the Kinks and the Stones, yet how often do you hear them name-dropped these days? Not often. For shame, for shame, for shame. Not only do they contain elements of all those bands, throughout their existence moving from epic psychedelic pop to garage rock, but they were mixed better, with a more dyamic range than the tinniness/saturated warmth of the Four-Headed Monster. It certainly helps that this relatively recent and near-flawless compilation is all remastered.

60's eccentric auteur Roy Wood heads up proceedings. His former band the Idle Race (which also featured Jeff Lynne, who would join the Move in 1970 and with Wood later formed Electric Light Orchestra) are one of my faves, but like this band they start to lose my attention towards the end of their existence. This could be one of several things, it could be the move (HAHA) into mediocre hard rock territory, but it's more likely the departure of their first singer Carl Wayne, for whom I have a soft spot. And also the ouevre of Jeff Lynne irritates me slightly. Whatever.
This compilation, however, is basically wall-to-wall greatness, and the music doesn't have the 'slighty dated symphonic-poodle disco nightmare' factor of ELO, which for me is a distinct boon. Let's just say the Move were cooler. I mean just WATCH.

^Ever felt socially alienated by your acid vizhunz? The Move have. And Carl thinks he's Elvis.

That is certainly their most covered song, but why aren't they more universally adored? Is it because they're from Birmingham? Huh?

Brummies do it better (ripped@AMAZING)