VARIOUS - Jon Savage’s 1986-1990 Rollin’ Under The Melody - 2CD [SEP 26]

CD

As we’ve come to expect from Ace’s much-admired series of Jon Savage-curated two- CD collections, this new – and sadly final – volume is a multi-genre delight, taking the listener from house to baggy via post-punk, proto-grunge, minimalist avant-garde, the advent of sampling and more.

Among the many highlights are ‘Mystery Of Love’ by Mr Fingers, a track that turned Savage’s head during a trip to New York in early 1986; Hüsker Dü’s ‘Could You Be The One?’ from 1987, a perfect example of their melodic abilities; the action-packed ‘It Takes Two’ by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, which could be heard blasting out of boomboxes all over New York in spring 1988; Paul Oakenfold’s 1989 remix of Happy Mondays’ ‘Wrote For Luck’ into the early baggy classic ‘W.F.L.’; and the Holographic Goatee Mix of ‘What Is Love?’, the overlooked flip of Dee-Lite’s international hit ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ of 1990.

• The compilation – and the series – ends with a contrast: David Morales’ seven-minute hardcore trance reconstruction of the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘So Hard’ followed by the reflective, sinuous guitar chime of the High’s ‘Take My Time’.

• They represent the twin poles of Jon Savage’s musical choices at a time when dance culture was still expanding exponentially and rock music had rediscovered its swagger and joie-de-vivre.

• Ten years in the making, the series began with a set devoted to 1965 and ends with 1990, two great periods for music.

Tracklist: 

Disc One
1. Mystery Of Love - Mr Fingers
2. Safety Net - Shop Assistants
3. Let's Go Swimming (Gulf Stream Dub) - Arthur Russell
4. Word Up! - Cameo
5. Could You Be The One? - Hüsker Dü
6. Finished - Throwing Muses
7. Big Decision (Extended Version) – That Petrol Emotion
8. Pump Up The Volume (Remix) - M/a/r/r/s
9. Traveling At The Speed Of Thought – Ultramagnetic MC's
10. Paid In Full (Seven Minutes Of Madness - The Coldcut Remix) - Eric B & Rakim
11. Theme From S-express - S-express
12. It Takes Two - Rob Base & Dj E-z Rock
13. Crash - The Primitives
14. Break 4 Love (Spanish Mix) - Raze
15. Freak Scene - Dinosaur Jr
16. Che – Spacemen 3
17. Full Fathom Five - The Stone Roses

Disc Two
1. Teen Age Riot - Sonic Youth
2. A Day In The Life (Club Mix) - Black Riot
3. She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals
4. Hallucination Generation – The Gruesome Twosome
5. Hard Light - Band Of Susans
6. W.f.l. (Think About The Future - The Paul Oakenfold Mix) - Happy Mondays
7. One Of Our Girls Has Gone Missing – A.C. Marias
8. The World According To Sly & Lovechild (Soul Of Europe Mix) - Sly & Lovechild
9. Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Saint Etienne
10. Hippychick (No Acid Ted Mix) - Soho
11. The Only One I Know - The Charlatans
12. Rockin' Over The Beat (Rockin' Over Manchester Hacienda Mix) - Technotronic Featuring Ya Kid K
13. What Is Love? (Holographic Goatee Mix) – Deee-lite
14. So Hard (David Morales Remix) - Pet Shop Boys
15. Take Your Time - The High