Hello
were one of the more exciting bands of the mid-'70s glam explosion in the U.K., cutting some effervescent, almost giddy slabs of wax bolstered by thundering drums, heavy guitars, huge hooks, and boyish vocals. Not too many were hits, but a quick run through this collection of singles and their flip sides makes it clear that many more should have been. Starting in 1972 with the boogie glam of "You Move Me" and ending with a solo single from their drummer
Jeff Allen
from 1982, the collection covers a decade's worth of worthy attempts to scale the charts as tastes and sounds shifted around them. 1974's rocked-out cover of
the Exciters
' "Tell Him" was their biggest hit, reaching number six on the U.K. singles chart. 1975's "New York Groove'' was their other biggie; it didn't make it as far, but it has had a much longer shelf life and still sounds fresh decades later. Much of this collection does. The band were always game for anything, and their enthusiasm surges through the speakers whether they were tackling more oldies like their romp through "Bend Me Shape Me," doling out whip-smart proto-metal on "Another School Day," showing off some impressive soft rock chops on "Shine on Silver Light," dipping a sequined toe into the disco craze with 1979's "Feel This Thing," or even surfing the new wave under the name
Local Boy Makes Good
with 1981's "Horoscope." Along the way, there are some really fun hidden gems uncovered -- the romping "Out of Our Heads" is a frothy
Small Faces
-meets-
Sweet
rocker, "Seven Rainy Nights" is sterling AM radio pop worthy of
Neil Diamond
, and 1978's hard-rocking "Too Much Hesitating" could have been a hit in some alternate universe -- and there's never a moment where the band sound anything less than fun. Their discography has been served up in various manners, but this collection is the best way to chart their eventful trip through the musical landscape of the day. ~ Tim Sendra