Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 15:33:09 -0400 From: Jeff Keibel Subject: American Dreaming During the month of July, 4AD US unleashed a batch of releases, some reissues, some things that were deleted for a while and some brand new stuff as well. The following is a critique of these specific releases and how they were handled in a reissue context. The music itself is amazing of course... Sound quality on all is good. THE BIRTHDAY PARTY : Hits No cat. number aside from bar (5263720162) and matrix (4AD2016). The Warner version of this album from 1992 (45087-2) had only 19 tracks compared to the UK (DAD2016CD) having twenty. The track "6 Inch Gold Blade" was dropped from the Warner version because of limitations at WEA Manufacturing. This new reissue restores that 20th track but neglects to update the graphics to relect this. So, track 10 on the new US reissue is listed as "Hamlet" but is REALLY "6 Inch Gold Blade" and track 11 is listed as "Dead Joe" but is really "Hamlet" on the CD itself, etc, etc... The inner booklet info is also not updated and the front cover is missing some art, making for an overall cheapened experience. Stick with the UK version which is far superior. Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 11:05:40 -0000 From: Roy Burns Subject: I'm a rabid 4AD whore!!!! The Birthday Party Hits (4AD) Hits is such an appropriate title for this new collection. Not only are these some of the greatest recordings ever made by Nick Cave and the rest of this sinister, seminal group, but the songs on Hits showcase the most concussive, mind-blasting moments of the Australian group's seven-year history (counteracting the effects of Olivia Newton-John and the Bee Gees between 1977 and 1983). Hits is an astounding representation of The Birthday Party's gift for humor; dark, powerful, archetypal imagery and bent musical misanthropy. When within earshot of fantastic spastic numbers like "Release The Bats," "Zoo Music Girl," "She's Hit," "King Ink," "Big-Jesus-Trash-Can"--or even the more low-key boilers such as "Nick The Stripper" and "Mutiny In Heaven"-- it's probably best that you make sure no one can see you and that breakables and sharp-cornered furniture are out of the way. --Carter Armstrong