Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits Review

07/13/2005 6:52 AM, AMG


Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits does a good job in collecting all of Wang Chung's 1980s hits. In fact, this well-assembled collection doesn't miss a beat -- it includes all eight of the duo's charted singles. A hybrid of 1980s post-punk pop/rock and new wave, Wang Chung's music was at times somewhat middle of the road (a case in point: the Top Ten hit "Let's Go") but, when at their edgy best, they produced some of the decade's most memorable hits. Among these is the swingin' 1984 Top 20 smash "Dance Hall Days," the eerie, mid-tempo "To Live and Die in L.A.," and the unforgettable "Everybody Have Fun Tonight," one of 1986's biggest hits. Also included in this collection is the interesting "Fun Tonight: The Early Years," which is "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"'s original demo (in ballad form) and was the single's B-side (and is quite a good recording in its own right). "Space Junk" is a groovy, shuffling, hip-hop-infused new track (at times reminiscent of Portishead) and one of the album's definite highlights. Finally, an updated and surprisingly good house/techno mix of "Dance Hall Days" rounds out this collection, which, for the casual fan, manages to include all of the duo's essential recordings and then some. If only all greatest-hits albums could be this thorough. ~ Jose F. Promis, All Music Guide