VH1: More Of The Big '80S CD

Compilation producers: Lee Chesnut, David McLees.
Includes liner notes by Lee Chesnut.
Liner Note Author: Lee Chesnut.
The Big 80's, a half-hour of classic videos from the glory days of MTV, was one of VH1's most popular programs, so it wasn't a surprise that they decided to release a compilation of songs regularly featured on the show. Once that disc became a hit -- it was one of Rhino's biggest sellers in years -- VH1: More of the Big 80's was just around the corner, and unlike most sequels, it is every bit as much fun as its predecessor. In fact, it's hard to believe that such new wave classics as Dexy's Midnight Runners' "Come on Eileen," Stray Cats' "Stray Cat Strut," Toni Basil's "Mickey," After the Fire's "Der Kommissar," and A Flock of Seagulls' "I Ran (So Far Away)" weren't featured on the first volume. The rest of the collection is filled with similar gems from the likes of Animotion, the Romantics, and Devo, and while there are a few items that haven't aged well -- Wang Chung's "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" is better in memory than it is in reality -- they work well as nostalgia. Besides, such missteps can be forgiven, since the collection does feature such songs as Godley & Creme's "Cry," which isn't often included on '80s compilations. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine