ALBUM REVIEW: "Extended Seventies: The Dawning of the 12 inch Era" (various artists)

First published: 2006-06-11

You know when you love a tune so much that you just want another three minutes of it to dance, rock out, or brood to? Well, before the advent of the iPod and the ‘repeat’ function, that’s what the twelve inch single was for. To keep early disco crowds moving even after the time limit imposed by a traditional seven-incher, bands started releasing extra long ‘twelve inch mixes’, and Extended Seventies gathers some of the (arguably) best examples of this art in a three disc set.

Divided into the loose categories of ‘disco classics’, ‘pop’ and ‘new wave’, the compilation’s perhaps at its best when showcasing the first of these styles. After all, it’s what the format was invented for, and the fourteen joyous minutes of Sugarhill Gang’s full-length ‘Rapper’s Delight’ are a lesson in how to keep a groove going beyond the 180 seconds mark. Closer to traditional John Travolta fare, however, is the Andrea True Connection’s ‘More, More, More’. On the chart side of things, Diana Ross proves with ‘Love Hangover’ that there was still life in her after the heyday of The Supremes, and Donna Summer hit ‘Love To Love You Baby’ could still make just as much of an impression today.

With the collection’s ‘new wave’ disc, though, things get somewhat less romantic. Almost seven minutes of Public Image Ltd. only serve to show that John Lydon should have been told to stick to three chords when he first experimented with wah ‘n’ bass. Meanwhile Sparks’ ‘Beat the Clock’ is just repetitive, proving that extended mixes should be disco-only territory. Contributions from Blondie and Tubeway Army are undeniably classic, but really – beyond the most High Fidelity of music obsessives, who’s going to want an album on which Chic share space with The Flying Lizards? And wouldn’t the real list-making nerds demand the original vinyl in the first place?

And there’s the real problem with this set. Most of the tracks – rarities or hits - are great on their own, but as a coherent listening experience, the selection’s too broad. Too varied. And there’s just too damn much of it. But isn’t excess the name of the game? When you’ve gone to the trouble of getting those five extra inches, you might as well use them.