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Cliff Richard

Dynamite - The Brits Are Rocking Vol.10

Review by Gary Hill
Cliff Richard was considered by many to be England’s answer to Elvis Presley. As much as the music world moved beyond Richard and many later scoffed at him, John Lennon said that he was a big influence on The Beatles. It’s important to recognize Cliff Richard’s significance in the history of British rock music. This collection gathers up a large helping of his music. Personally, it gets a little samey for me, but that’s more a factor of the musical genre being both rather limited and not really my thing. Overall, everything here works well on its own. I should note that I said a few songs were live recordings. I’m not positive of that, but they do have crowd sounds. Sometimes they almost feel like they were added for effect to be me. This comes from Bear Family Records. If you know anything about them, you’ll know that they put out quality releases. This digipack CD with extensive booklet is no exception.
 
This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2025  Volume 3. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2025.
Track by Track Review
Nine Times Out of Ten

Old school rock and roll is on the menu here. I dig the rockabilly sound of this quite a bit.

Never Mind

A little less rockabilly, this is no less energetic or fun.

My Feet Hit The Ground

Not a big change, this is another solid rock and roller.

Pointed Toe Shoes

I love the guitar groove on this track. The whole tune really works particularly well. It’s old-school rock and roll, but it feels a bit more modern than the tracks that came before it somehow. The guitar really sells it.

Don’t Bug Me Baby

The screaming fans on this along with the general vibe of this energized rock and roller makes me think of early Beatles. The guitar solo is on fire.

Blue Suede Shoes

Just the act of doing this track begs comparisons to Elvis Presley. Personally, I prefer this rendition to Presley’s, but I’m not really a fan of E.P.

Mumblin’ Mosie

While not a standout, this is another solid old-school rock and roller.

I Cannot Find A True Love

Starting almost balladic, this works out to another vintage rock and roller. It definitely has some bluegrass built into it.

Move It

I dig the guitar sound and energy on this stomper. This rock and roller is classy stuff. This was a big hit for Richard and considered a real milestone for rock music.

Tough Enough

While no big change or surprise, this is effective.

Got A Funny Feeling

Much more along the lines of rockabilly, this works pretty well.

High Class Baby

Now, this thing really rocks. It has great energy and some tasty hooks. It’s very retro styled, but it’s so tasty.

Gee Whiz It’s You

More of a pop rock and roller in the vein of The Beatles, this works pretty well.

Choppin’ ‘n’ Changin’

Meaner and more 1960s styled, this is a standout cut. In fact, it’s definitely one of my favorites here.

Livin’ Lovin’ Doll

A bouncy rock and roller, this is classy stuff.

Ready Teddy

I really like this rock and roller a lot. It’s packed full of energy and really grooves.

Mean Streak

Old school rock and roll is the concept to this bouncy number. It’s effective, but not really s standout.

She’s Gone

More of a melodic rocker, this is dramatic and features a lot of magic and style.

What’d I Say

There are some odd vocal choices and times on this (ape-like grunts). Overall, though, it’s another solid rock and roller.

Apron Strings

Not really a standout, this old school rocker is effective enough.

Down The Line

This live rock and roller has good energy.

Twenty Flight Rock

I like this one quite a bit but by this point the vintage rock and roll formula is wearing thin.

Dynamite

While this is the title track here, I don’t think it really stands out from the rest of the music. It does have some classy guitar work, though.

Baby I Don’t Care

Another with screaming fans, this rock and roller is fun, but not any kind of standout. The monolithic nature is really starting to take its toll by this point.

Mad About You

Closer to a doo wop style, this track doesn’t really do much for me.

We Say Yeah

Not any kind of revelation, this is more of the same, and it’s all getting to feel a little, been there done that by now. That said, I do like some of the guitar work on this quite a bit. 

Please Don’t Tease

This melodic cut has more of a 1950s pop rock vibe to it.

Mean Woman Blues

Nothing special is happening here. This one gets lost in the mass of similar music.

Whole Lotta Shaking Goin’ On

Now, this rocking classic gets an energetic and driving performance. I love the guitar and bass on it. This is one of the standouts here.

The Snake And The Bookworm

This is a Bo Diddley styled piece. It’s works alright, but doesn’t really stand out.

Forty Days

I love the guitar soloing on this track. The tune doesn’t stand out all that much beyond that, but it’s enough.

Do You Want to Dance

Now, this rocker has so much energy and groove that it really does manage to stand above the fray. This is a fun romp.

My Babe

Energized rock and roll is the order of business here. This isn’t bad, but it doesn’t really stand out.

No Turning Back

Rockabilly and melodic rock merge on this tune. It’s another that gets a little lost in the sea of music that doesn’t vary enough.

 
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