Razor & Tie
7930182220-2
2001
"Hot Child in the City" is a great single: a song about Hollywood hookers that encapsulates everything cool about late '70s summer nights. But even better is "Roxy Roller," a groupie ode Gilder recorded with his former band Sweeney Todd, named after the infamous Fleet Street barber. In fact, "Got to Get Out," "Runaways in the Night," and "Tantalize (also a Sweeney Todd number)" are stone-cold classics. Featuring killer Gilded tracks that have never been reissued, Best of Nick Gilder is a composite of Gilder's three '70s solo releases: You Know Who You Are, City Nights, and Frequency. Each is an excellent platter and Nights features production from glam-master Mike Chapman in the midst of conquering America (he also had #1's with Blondie and Exile during '78). Chapman then worked on Pat Benatar's debut, In the Heat of the Night, which featured Gilder's "Rated X," a consummate carnal confection that Nick serves up even better on this disc. Gilder compresses a bubble gum blast comparable to T-Rex or Cheap Trick. At least now there's a CD to prove it.
-STONE, Cheap Trash NYC
|