Various Artists: Music Express

It has been argued that compact discs cannot fully render vinyl obsolete until every remotely desirable vinyl recording has been reissued on CD. Of course, that day will never arrive—just think of how many oddities and forgotten records are out there. But to celebrate its 35th anniversary, K-Tel Records is reissuing for the first time on CD a group of records few thought would receive such treatment: 16 of the label's classic 1970s compilations, remembered largely for their omnipresent TV ad campaigns. The cheesy original art remains intact—not exactly a feat of big-budget manufacturing—and the track listings are exactly as you'll remember them. That means, of course, that all 16 CDs feature exactly 10 songs apiece (K-Tel's generosity hasn't improved with age), and that compilations still feature comically incongruous mixes: On High Energy, Vol. 2, for example, Foreigner's "Double Vision" is still sandwiched between "We Are Family" and "Disco Nights (Rock Freak)." Some sets are vastly superior to others, of course. The two volumes of The Rock Album feature numerous staples, from The Knack's "My Sharona" to Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son." Most of this stuff still gets airplay on classic-rock stations, which is either a blessing or a curse, depending on whether you're buying these reissues as a means of reacquainting yourself with lost treasures. Those seeking kitsch will find it on Out Of Sight, which boasts a cavalcade of terrible '70s songs; one exposure to Paul Anka's "(You're) Having My Baby" or Ray Stevens' "The Streak" is enough to cure any retro-crazed young person. Music Express is somewhat less noteworthy, kitschwise, though "Get Dancin'" by Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes is worth the price of admission; Dynamite features schmaltz by the likes of Seals & Crofts and Love Unlimited Orchestra. The three volumes of Superstars Greatest Hits are a typically mixed bag, with everything from Vicki Lawrence's reading of "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" and Tony Orlando & Dawn's "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree" to Brownsville Station's "Smokin' In The Boys' Room" and Kool & The Gang's awesome "Jungle Boogie." Other compilations are almost entirely disposable: Believe In Music mostly consists of forgettable songs by forgotten acts like Gallery and Looking Glass, while Music Power doesn't run much deeper than Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and The Chi-Lites' "Oh, Girl." Three other two-volume sets (Fantastic, High Energy, and Starflight) continue in the rich K-Tel tradition of trash-or-treasure, slapped-together assortments: Fantastic has Gary Glitter's famed "Rock N Roll Part 2" and several tracks you'll find on other K-Tel compilations, including the aforementioned Vicki Lawrence and Tony Orlando & Dawn hits. High Energy Vol. 2 is mostly disco (K.C. & The Sunshine Band, Chic, Sister Sledge, et al), but Vol. 1 is a befuddling mish-mash featuring everyone from Styx to Jermaine Jackson to Captain & Tennille. Finally, Starflight Vol. 1 collapses under the soppy weight of Bonnie Pointer and Peaches & Herb, while Vol. 2 finds Cheap Trick and Foreigner co-existing uncomfortably with Maxine Nightingale and Robert John. The nostalgic and retro-conscious should proceed with caution, but there's an undeniable thrill that goes along with experiencing these things again, despite (and sometimes because of) their unevenness and ratio of timeless classics to drippy syrup. If you've got them on LP, you're better off; the warm crackle of vinyl is an important element of the listening experience that's lost with these reissues. But if you don't, you're bound to have some fun checking them out.