Listen Listen-Definitive Collection

The one original album from 1967 is presented, along with group leader Emitt Rhodes solo album. Both remastered. He wrote some excellent songs with an Beatles sounding flair. The group album has tight production, excellent musicianship and harmony, through-out. The solo album is also a fine example of 1970s singer-songwriting craftsmanship. Highly recommend.

I discovered this band totally by accident either while surfing here at amazon or on allmusic.com. I had never heard of them.Not a word. Then I read the review on allmusic and heard the 30 second samples.Amazing! How did this get ignored back in 1967 or 1968?It's very very good. Very Beatle-esque but not in a bad way.It's also a tad folky or Byrds-ish which is a plus!Emmitt Rhodes was born in Hawthorne, CA according to allmusic.com. While I've heard British groups sound American this is the most British I've ever heard an American Group sound.Track 2 features backwards and sped up guitars. Track 12 features fuzzed out guitars.Remember that Utopia album, Deface The Music? It was Todd Rundgren doing the Beatles.Remember the Rutles and how Beatles-like they sounded?This band beats both of them hands down. Of course they have an advantage. They're not writing pun-filled opposite titled tracks like Utopia and the Rutles did.I hear elements of folk: think Peter, Paul and Mary but in a real good way. There's California Pop: imagine the best Mamas and Papas tracks but just the guys on vocals.The first 12 tracks represent the one album The Merry-Go-Round recorded. The next batch is an Emmitt Rhodes solo album with session men.The tone of the music changes from the Beatle-esque pop to a collage of styles but Mr. Rhodes song writing is very solid.Track 14 reminds me of Eric Carmen. Track 18 starts out like a lost Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds a-side.Tracks 26-29 are from Merry-Go Round singles and "Listen, Listen" really rocks out. The guitars really ring loud. I love this song.As a hidden bonus during track 29 the band starts doing "California Girls" [not Good Vibrations] with Herb Alpert on trumpet at 2:35 in.None of this is bad.You will listen to this over and over. It's a repeat disc.A rare find these days.I haven't described every song. I want you to discover them on your own. Enjoy.This is a great re-issue of a lost treasure.

This album is a real gem made up of fantastic pop songs from the golden era of music (the 60s, duh!). You might be familiar with some of these songs, such as Live (later covered by the Bangles) and You're a Very Lovely Woman.What really sets this collection apart from other releases of the day is how incredibly clear it all sounds, harmonies and all. Highly recommended!!!!

Emmitt Rhodes was an absolutely brilliant singer-songwriter, an unjustly ignored recording artist who could run rings around most his contemporaries. Why he isn't more highly regarded is a mystery to me. I've heard most of his solo recordings, but save for a handful of songs by the Merry Go Round on a Rhodes compilation that I have, I'd never heard the band's entire album before. Well, it's as good as advertised, yet more proof that Rhodes was a true musical genius.If you think that praise is over the top, listen to these songs and tell me that Emmit Rhodes should not be regarded as one of his generation's finest songwriters. Really, this guy should have been huge! The material on the Merry Go Round recordings isn't radically different from what Rhodes did as a solo artist, although there are more rock and psyche garnishes on the songs and the songs aren't as introspective. But they all radiate with Rhodes' uncanny knack for melody and hooks.My only complaint would be the inclusion of all the songs from the one Rhodes solo album on Disc 2 of this set. I have most of those songs already on the "Emmitt Rhodes Recordings" from Hip-O Select. I would have preferred to have more rare tracks or songs by the Merry Go Round, but it's possible that there simply weren't enough of those tracks to fill out the rest of the CD, so I can't complain too much about the repeats. After all, they are still great songs!Listen, Listen, and you too shall become an Emmitt Rhodes convert!

If you like Paul McCartney's post-Beatles albums, you will love Emitt Rhodes. But as a long-time Beatles fan, I would say that Emitt Rhodes may have even surpassed McCartneys talents during the early 1970s. Aside from his band; the Merry-Go-Round, Emitts first solo album; "The American Dream" is also included in this definitive-collection from the UK. Words of advice to anyone reading this review; rush out & purchase this CD while its still available!There are several Beatles-like recordings included here. Pay attention to "Live" (later recorded by the Bangles), "Time will show the wiser", "Had to run around", and the Merry-go-Rounds eventual hit; "You're a very lovely women". All of these songs could have & should have been hits if they had been played over the airways more during the late 1960s. The much coveted "American Dream" is also included here with Rhodes doing much of both the instrumentation & recording. "Mother Earth" is a great lead-song for this great collage of sophisticated-pop music. "Holly Park" could have been included on the Beatles 1968 albums, and "Someone died" stands on its own with any of McCartneys ballads. Then there is the title song, "Listen, listen" that reminds the listener of the same enthusiasm as generated by the Beatles song; "Help"But to only compare this collection to McCartney & the Beatles would be an injustice to Emitt Rhodes. A musician lost over time because of legal problems and the lack of publicity, its time that the whole world "Listens, Listens" to this talented singer-song writer.

This is an absolutely essential American pop music collection. Features 2 brilliant lps full of compositions from the VERY creative musical mind of Emitt Rhodes. Any fan of The Beatles or The Monkees or The Byrds would immediately fall in love with this extremely well put together CD collection. Awesome sound on this collection as well. Worth easy double the price that I paid here on Amazon. ESSENTIAL PURCHASE for any fan of written, played and sung 60s smart pop music.

Liked everything

Great deal!

one of my favourits. rhods is a great musician. recommended

very good