RICHARD, CLIFF

The third volume in Disky's ever so ambitious five-CD Cliff Richard anthology is, perhaps, the most muddled of them all. Richard's 1970s were carved into two distinctly separate halves: the first part of the decade, during which occasional hits and a fading reputation were all that sustained him in the public eye; and the latter half, during which he mounted one of the most spectacular comebacks of the age. A well-balanced collection would note both phases; this set, however, is so skewed toward the later era that the disc is all but over before the darkest days dawn. Of course, the quality of music does not suffer from such selectiveness. "Green Light," "Devil Woman," and "I'm Nearly Famous" represent peaks that, even in his prime, Richard only sporadically grasped -- and, arguably, Richard's output through the late '70s was the most consistent it had ever been. Once, his tastes were easily led astray. Now, the decisions were all his own, and he reveled in the freedom. 1970s is the sound of the ensuing celebrations. Dave Thompson.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.