Various Artists - Power Chords, Vol. 1 [Hip-O] (CD)

All Music Guide

The initial entry in this three-volume set starts out admirably enough, with the inclusion of seminal mid-1960s tracks like "Wild Thing" by the Troggs, "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks, "Dirty Water" by the Standells, "Talk Talk" by the Music Machine, "Psychotic Reaction" by the Count Five, "Pushin' Too Hard" by the Seeds, and "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" by the Electric Prunes. But the collection...adds nondescript items like the poppy "Baby, It's You" by Smith, the novelty instrumental "Hocus Pocus" by Focus, and tracks like the James Gang's "The Bomber" best left for other time-frame compilations. While the inclusion of album filler such as Ted Nugent's "Great White Buffalo" is head-scratching enough, even more curious is the absence of the Who, power chord merchants of the highest order -- perhaps a licensing restriction by the group itself. True, there's shoddy packaging and chaotic sequencing, but the inclusion of the Move's original "Do Ya" is a bright spot... - Cub Koda..., All Music Guide Read more Less