Gems from the Vault, Vol. 1

Founded in 1969 by hitmaker and record producer Mickie Most, the British label Rak Records has had an impressive and diverse roster of bands, from Herman’s Hermits and Suzi Quatro to Hot Chocolate and Joan Jett (to name a few). This well-sequenced collection captures not only the label’s best crop but also the shift in pop music from the late '60s to the early '70s. It was back then that London became the epicenter for glitter rock and post-psychedelic guitar pop. Opening with the rootsy funk of Hot Chocolate’s “Bump Up and Dilly Down” shows that silver platform boots weren’t just for glam rockers. Their hard-grooving “Go Go Girl” also surfaces here, as does the closing soulful ballad, “Changing World.” The curiously catchy “Chulu Chululu” by Bill & Boyd successfully marries bubblegum pop to country pedal steel, while John Miles’ “Fright of My Life” kicks out stompy jams that play like a cross between Slade and T. Rex. The similarly cool Arrows offer up a few gems with “Movin’ Next Door to You” and the '50s-inspired “We Can Make It Together.”