THE BEST OF RAINBOW

First released in 1981, this was one of the earliest compilations to be released as a double CD. Unfortunately, as it was also available in the still popular LP format, the opportunity to exploit the greater capacity of the CD was missed. As a result, what he have here we have lasts only for the length of a double LP, or slightly more than a single CD.

With that gripe aside, this is a decent summary of Rainbow's output up to that point. 1981 was of course by no means the end of the story, but it does mean the focus is on the band's early albums, which are of most interest to visitors to these parts. The arrival of Graham Bonnet, which signalled the start of the band's migration to an AOR and pop focused direction is represented by songs such as "Since you've been gone" and "all night long". It is though songs such as the epic "Stargazer" and the hell-for-leather "A light in the black" (which together made up the whole of one side of the "Rising" album) which are the high points here.

Elsewhere, "Catch the rainbow" from the début release and "Eyes of the world" from "Down to earth" are fine representations of those albums.

As with any compilation, there is no substitute for the original albums. Remembering though that these were unavailable on CD at the time of this release, this "Best of Rainbow" collection filled a void way back in those dark ages.