VA - Glam Rock (1993)

Repertoire's Glam Rock is a strong collection of tracks that draws from the various strains of glam, picks songs that don't usually show up on glam compilations, and ends up being an incredibly fun disc. The disc does have a few glam classics like T. Rex's "Get It On" (you couldn't really have a decent glam collection without some Marc Bolan), Slade's "Gudby T'Jane," and Gary Glitter's "Rock n' Roll, Pt. 2" but spends most of its time rounding up lesser known acts. Hard-rocking glam is represented by Suzi Quatro's vicious "Can the Can," the Brian Johnston-led Geordie song "Electric Lady," Sweet's "Fox on the Run," and the boogie glam of John Du Cann and Status Quo's "Nothing Better." Funky glam is well represented by Hello's "New York Groove" and Chicory Tip's amazingly hooky "Son of My Father." The compilation also delves into glam's softer side by featuring lightweight pop tracks like Barry Blue's "Dancing on a Saturday Night," Kincade's bubblegummy "Dreams Are Ten a Penny," Lulu's startling duet with David Bowie on "The Man Who Sold the World," and Gilbert O'Sullivan's "Get Down." An often unnoticed factor to glam was many of the groups' devotion to the sounds of the 1950s. Here bands like Showaddywaddy, Wizzard, Rubettes, and Mud (whose "Tiger Feet" is one of the most infectious songs of the '70s) sprinkle glitter on the oldies and come up with weird magic. Well, except for Showaddywaddy, who come up with tedious junk on their dorky cover of "Under the Moon of Love." Apart from that track and the curious inclusion of the cool but not very glam Sparks track, this disc will work as a nice intro to glam as well as an excellent disc to throw in the player to brighten up all but the most gloomy of days.