Tag: indie

Awesome 2!

20 devastatin’ hits feature on Awesome 2! This is one of my favourite compilations ever. Released in 1991, I caught on to it that year by borrowing it from a friend so that I could listen to The Wonder Stuff’s The Size Of A Cow.

If you can track down a copy of it, I would recommend that you do as it is amazing.

  • James – Sit Down: One of the best songs ever. So easy to sing along to. Everyone knows the words and it will still get a crowd singing along. Just brilliant!
  • R.E.M. – Shiny Happy People: One of the happiest songs ever! It will make you smile and you might even want to get your air guitar out to play along!
  • The Wonder Stuff – The Size Of A Cow: Me, I like to think that life is like a drink and I hope that it tastes like Bourbon. One of the most random songs ever, but an absolute classic. This deserved more success than it enjoyed, but people of a certain age will recall it fondly.
  • E.M.F – Unbelievable: This song is unbelievable! It still sounds brilliant, 29 years later!
  • The Shamen – Move Any Mountain: This hasn’t aged well, but at the time this was amazing as were most of The Shamen’s songs.
  • Blur – There’s No Other Way: Perhaps this was Blur’s finest song. Debatable, maybe, but it’s up there with their best.
  • Voice Of The Beehive – I Think I Love You: I was amazed when I found out that this was a cover version. Beehive’s version is infinitely better and it is awesome.
  • Deacon Blue – Twist And Shout: Deacon Blue had some great songs and this was one of them. A great song for the album.
  • Divinyls – I Touch Myself: As long as you don’t play this with the kids in the car, this is a cracker.
  • Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex: In 1991 a song that mentioned sex was automatically brilliant!
  • Erasure – Love To Hate You: Erasure did so many amazing songs. Love To Hate You is great but it’s not one of their best, perhaps. Worth a listen though!
  • Oceanic – Insanity: One of the best dance tunes ever! Released in 1991 Insanity was way ahead of its time.
  • Utah Saints – What Can You Do For Me: It took me a few years to realise how amazing Utah Saints actually were.
  • Sabrina Johnston – Peace: This is the weakest song on the whole compilation. It just feels out of place somehow.
  • Brothers In Rhythm – Such A Good Feeling: Another classic dance tune. It is brilliant as it is, but sounds like a completely new tune when mashed up with Lola’s Theme (released thirteen years later).
  • O.M.D – Pandora’s Box: I love O.M.D and this is probably their best song!
  • Zoe – Sunshine On A Rainy Day: Another song that sounds a bit out of place. However, Sunshine is a great song so it’s allowed.
  • PM Dawn – Set Adrift On Memory Bliss: How brilliant is this?! The perfect chilled out summer song.
  • Lenny Kravitz – It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over: One of the best things about Awesome 2 is it’s attention to detail regarding punctuation. Sure, the graphic designer forgot that capital letters existed, but it gets every apostrophe spot on! This was the first time I had heard anything by Kravitz. This is great but nothing like anything else he’s ever released!

So many memories. I played this so many times that if I hear one of the songs I always expect the next one on the album to come on after. As I listen right now, I’m expecting Unbelievable to play in a minute!