THE VERY BEST OF RAINBOW

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This compilation gets a competent 3 stars. The best RAINBOW compilation, which isn't listed here is THE BEST OF RAINBOW, which is a 2 CD set, now out-of-print but generally available used at amazon.com for no more than $12 to $15. The track listing is as follows:

CD 1 1. All Night Long 3:53 2. Man On The Silver Mountain 4:39 3. Lost In Hollywood 4:53 4. Jealous Lover 3:14 5. Long Live Rock'n'roll 4:23 6. Stargazer 8:29 7. Kill The King 4:31 8. A Light In The Black 8:13

CD 2 1. Since You Been Gone 3:20 2. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves 3:32 3. Catch The Rainbow 6:36 4. Eyes Of The World 6:42 5. I Surrender 4:03 6. Gates Of Babylon 6:49 7. Can't Happen Here 4:59 8. Starstruck 4:06

As with every Rainbow album prior to the Joe Lynn Turner years, there were several tracks that were destined for the trash, or at least should've been in the vetting process for inclusion on an album(that's quite enough! - ed.). This 2CD compilation corrects that problem by omitting most of the dross such as _Do You Close Your Eyes_ from RISING and _If You Don't Like Rock & Roll_ from RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW. The 2CD compilation also included the proggy highlights from 1978's _Long Live Rock & Roll_ such as GATES OF BABYLON and KILL THE KING. Essential in every prog.rock compilation. The best tracks are also included from the lacklustre GONE TO EARTH album, the best pick being _Lost In Hollywood_ featuring stellar drumming from Cozy Powell and the crisp production of Roger Glover which was one of the main features in the Joe-Lynn Turner-era of RAINBOW. Again, skip the _Very Best Of Rainbow_ compilation and search for the 2CD *BEST OF* (Label: Polydor ASIN: B000CBRY1K)

The Rainbow-era albums with Joe Lynn Turner on vocals are best experienced individually. Those are DIFFICULT TO CURE(1981), STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES(1982) and BENT OUT OF SHAPE(1983). THE BEST OF RAINBOW 2CD set would garner a 4.5 star rating if it were listed here.

Generally I'm not a big fan of compilation albums and this Rainbow greatest hits collection is not an exception. Still, considering that this album was an introduction to the band I might just as well mention it.

This greatest hits collection does offer us quite a few Rainbow classics but it also manages to miss out on a few excellent performances. I miss such classics as Tarot Woman and Temple Of The King that could easily have taken place of Starstruck and some of the lesser '80s hits. But generally a great Rainbow collection should include, first and foremost, Stargazer and Gates Of Babylon. This basic task is accomplished here plus we get the best rock moments from both Long Live Rock 'n' Roll and the debut album.

I don't consider any of the post Dio-era compositions worthy of a separate album purchase so this compilation does a great job of compiling the most essential performances from those four releases. It would have been great to have some of these tracks substituted for material from Stranger In Us All but due to label differences none of those excellent performances are featured on this particular release.

The Very Best Of Rainbow does a good job of compiling the bare essentials from Rainbow's short but versatile career. I have a slightly different opinion of what an excellent Rainbow compilation should include which is also why I don't rate it as such. For everyone who is interested in exploring the essential material should instead start off with Rising and work their way through the Dio-era albums before considering this greatest hits compilation.

***** star songs: Stargazer (8:26) Gates Of Babylon (6:46)

**** star songs: Man On The Silver Mountain (4.37) Catch The Rainbow (6:38) Starstruck (4:06) Kill The King (4:28) Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (4:23) Since You've Been Gone (3:17) All Night Long (3:50) I Surrender (4:01) Can't Let You Go (4:20) Street Of Dreams (4:26)

*** star songs: Can't Happen Here (4:57) Jealous Lover (3:11) Stone Cold (5:17)

** star songs: Power (4:26)