The Best Of Thomas Dolby: Retrospectacle (CD)

Nerdy-cute Thomas Dolby became an unlikely 1980s icon thanks to his unique presence in MTV videos, and his penchant for catchy synth hooks and danceable programmed beats. The keyboardist/programmer got his start in the late '70s with Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (featuring future Buggles Trevor Horn and Geoffrey Downes), and quickly established himself as a sideman of distinction, crafting memorable synthesizer parts for a diverse array of pop and rock acts. His own albums struck just the right chord with U.S. audiences of the early '80s who seemed to crave new-wave quirkiness with a video-friendly veneer. As the '80s and '90s progressed, Dolby focused more on production (for Joni Mitchell, among others) and film scores, releasing the occasional remix, compilation, or live album.

• Category:  Music  »  Rock & Pop  »  Synth Pop
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: April 4, 1995
• Label: Capitol/EMI Records
• UPC: 724382764229
• WAPI (Tower ID): 105784837
• Average Customer Review: There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #15920 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #6143 in Rock & Pop (See Top 100 Rock & Pop Bestsellers)
• #21 in Synth Pop (See Top 100 Synth Pop Bestsellers)

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Personnel includes: Thomas Dolby (vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, wave computer, drum programming, sound effects); Kevin Armstrong (guitar, trumpet, background vocals); Larry Treadwell (guitar); Al Tharp (banjo, background vocals); Tim Kerr (violin); Simon Lloyd (flute, brass); Peter Thoms (trombone); Mike Kapitan (synthesizer, background vocals); Matthew Seligman (bass, fretless bass, Moog bass); Terry Jackson (bass); Justin Hildreth (drums, programming); David Owens (drums); Arno Lucas (congas); Clif Brigden (percussion, programming); Bruce Woolley, Mutt Lange, Leslie Fairbairn, Cynthia Moliere (background vocals).

Producers: Thomas Dolby, Andy Partridge, Tim Friese-Greene, Bill Bottrell.

Engineers: Dan Lacksman.

Recorded between February 1980 and November 1990. Includes liner notes by Giles Smith.

This 1995 Thomas Dolby compilation is essential for fans of the British synthpop pioneer. It features both the first CD appearances of "Urges" and "Leipzig," songs from a 1981 indie single which were bumped off the second US release of Dolby's debut album in favor of "One of Our Submarines," and the utterly non-representative novelty hit "She Blinded Me with Science."

"Leipzig" in particular is one of Dolby's finest songs, a meditative, wistful reverie that's considerably warmer and more human than is usually found with this style of music. The collection also gets points for including the superior seven-inch mixes of "She Blinded Me with Science" and "Airwaves," while avoiding the inadequate Dolby's Cube side project and most of the disappointing techno-funk experiment Aliens Ate My Buick. RETROSPECTACLE is an excellent overview of Dolby's career.

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