HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT! - VOLUME 1

Hit That Perfect Beat! was a wonderful collection of 80's dance hits. Not all of the songs are dance hits on their own. Some of them became popular in the clubs because of remixing or extended releases on singles. Irregardless, this series is important because it brings to compact disc format certain songs that languished in the realm of vinyl for far too long. Some of these tracks are only available on CD through this release.

There are some outstanding tracks here. Especially those by Yaz, Erasure, New Order, Berlin and Trans-X. Most of these songs I have on other releases, but they're quite fun to hear here as well. The Gang Of Four track was a little unexpected but quite fun to listen to in the context of this release. The Kid Creole track is nice as well considering how much I decided not to like them after buying and being disappointed by 'Private Waters In the Great Divide'. I couldn't imagine this band would release anything worth hearing. So hearing an old dance hit of theirs was a nice move away from disliking them so much. The next five tracks are the strongest and would be the encouraging factor for someone considering buying this compilation. However, bands like Yaz and Erasure have these mixes already released on multiple formats through Mute Records. It's still fun to have them here.

The last couple songs by the Europeans and Peter Schilling respectably are the least interesting and quite dull. They are the tracks that really weaken and bring down this first volume of the series. Another drawback is the continuous play format of the disc. The intention is to create a club DJ feel, but it actually draws back from the individual tracks. At times, it's nice to just let the continuous stream wash over you while you're listening but for the most part I find myself wishing I could rip the tracks individually.

All in all, this is an interesting idea and with literally hundreds of vinyl only mixes and tracks out there, this collection could have gone on forever. It could have also branched out into other 80's sounds like the Minneapolis sound or the more pop oriented sound. Maybe someday, someone will pick it up and try it again. I'll be waiting. My final words: GOOD FUN FOR EVERYONE!

HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT! - VOLUME 1
01. Gang Of Four - I Love A Man In Uniform (Long Version)
02. Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Endicott (Extended Remix)
03. Yaz - Situation (Extended Version)
04. Erasure - Who Needs Love (Like That) (Mexican Mix)
05. New Order - Blue Monday (Razormaid Remix)
06. Trans-X - Living On Video (Vocal Remix)
07. Berlin - Sex (I'm A...) (12" Remix)
08. Europeans - Animal Song (Cross Country Version)
09. Peter Schilling - Major Tom (Coming Home) (Club Version)

KID CREOLE AND THE COCONUTS - PRIVATE WATERS IN THE GREAT DIVIDE

Oddly enough, I'd never heard of Kid Creole before this album. Even though he had a huge club hit earlier in the 80s called 'Endicott' or something like that. Irregardless, this is another cd I bought for one song. A Prince song. He contributes a song making this useless disc another must have in my library.

Kid Creole is something of an enigma. His calypso sound is somewhere between Reggae, Latin Beats and Carnival. He's definitely Caribbean via New Orleans, but it's not a sound I'm partial to. I appreciate the work, but feel little draw to it otherwise. Certain songs are interesting and have value on their own, but overall, 'Waters' sounds more like a geriatric hard-on looking for debutante tits at Mardi Gras.

The Prince track is quite funky and upbeat. Creole's animated vocals serve to enhance the track and would have been suited to more contributions from the purple one. 'The Sex Of It' is easily the highlight of this release. It's a catch 22. If you're a fan of Creole, you probably hate the song... But those who like Prince won't enjoy the other 12 songs. Interestingly enough, both men are similar in stature and seem to share an obsession with women. This song has seen release on other formats and if you can find it on one of those, you'll probably be better off than spending the amount on this disc. My final word: USELESS.

KID CREOLE AND THE COCONUTS - PRIVATE WATERS IN THE GREAT DIVIDE
01. I Love Girls
02. (No More) Casual Sex
03. The Sex Of It
04. Cory's Song
05. Dr. Paradise
06. Takin' A Holiday
07. Lambada
08. Funky Audrey And The Coconut Rag
09. When Lucy Does The Boomerang
10. He's Takin' The Rap
11. Pardon My Appearance
12. Laughing With Our Backs Against The Wall
13. My Love