From The Knees Of My Heart (The Albums 1979-1981)

Ian Hunter's short time at Chrysalis marked one of his great periods so it's little wonder that it's been heavily anthologized over the years. Nevertheless, the 2012 four-disc box From the Knees of My Heart: The Chrysalis Years (1979-1981) is one of the best of the bunch, capturing his three albums for the label -- 1979's You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic, 1980's live set Welcome to the Club, the very new wave 1981 platter Short Back N Sides -- and adding a bunch of rarities, including a live disc that was included as a bonus on an expanded double-disc reissue of You're Never Alone in 2009. Welcome to the Club and Short Back N Sides have also seen expanded reissues over the years and most, but not all, of the bonus cuts are here, along with a few other songs that haven't showed up elsewhere, plus a live set at Pepsi Fest on the fourth disc that hasn't shown up on disc, but has been on home video before. Some of these details are little more than list-keeping for trainspotters because the essential fact is this: the three years Ian Hunter spent at Chrysalis are among his strongest, with him producing two excellent LPs (You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic may be his greatest solo album) and fronting a hell of a band, heard here in their full glory twice. This is the easiest, best way to get all of the major recordings from this brilliant era at once. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine