The Necessaries – Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978-1982) – 2 CD Set
The compilation was produced by Cheryl Pawelski & Ed Tomney (vocals/acoustic & electric guitars/steel guitar/mandolin/synths/keys/percussion). It comes as a two-fer with subtitles: Event Horizon (restored & remastered), Pilots Facing North (previously unissued studio recordings 1978-81) & Songs From The Blue Colony (previously unissued studio recordings 1980-2).
The majority were recorded originally in New York City & there’s plenty to digest from an era of rugged, melodic & challenging music. Recorded by varied producers for Sire Records: Michael Ewing, Bob Blank, Tommy Erdelyi, Mike Young, Ed Tomney, Nick Koumoutseas & Paul Waldman, who contributed to the ‘sound’ that was captured on these fine songs.
The work’s displayed on this pristine exploration of The Necessaries music for Completely Necessary (Anthology 1978-1982) (Drops Jan 23/Omnivore Recordings). While not necessarily an Americana-roots type of music, what makes this interesting is the homegrown, meticulously recorded effort that dominates this “garage” rock that was produced with skill.
There’s nothing amateurish about this & while their name may not jump out as forcefully as The Kinks or The Who, the music has a saturated, driving, clean new wave rock flavor. Nothing far out, but the opener, “Rage,” restored & remastered, is as catchy as cotton candy on summer hot lips. There’s a punky aesthetic but not an angry tone. It’s more in the tradition of The Who when they were playful – “I Can See For Miles,” “Pictures of Lily,” that sort of melodic arithmetic.
Even “More Real” is a clever vocal exercise. The instrumentation’s basic rock but there’s an effort at work that isn’t in the brains of many similar bands. It’s juvenile, but with mature applications. “Like No Other” has an Alex Chilton & The Box Tops pop energy with an edgy Iggy Pop tint. Carved out quite well. The majority has been restored pristinely & though it’s a little retro, the tunes are well-watered in the ear. “AEIOU” has a Ray Davies cunningness to it – nice guitar lines & percussive beat, with unified vocals that “create” a disembodied singular vocal. Nice stuff.
“Sahara” is an instrumental with clarity, heaviness & a persistent beat with chugging guitars. Excellent little consommé before the main course. “Europe” is a tight strummed guitar, with popping beats & more Ray Davies inventiveness in The Necessaries’ own way. If nothing else they take their vintage R&R influences & spit them back creatively rearranged. There’s even a momentary dip in The Beach Boys’ vocal pond. It’s not nostalgia — it’s engaging.
This was a talented group. Maybe I missed them because I surrounded myself with Strawbs, King Crimson, Procol Harum & Pink Floyd. It may not be the music of 2026, but it doesn’t sound dated. It sounds like what it should be – pop-rock with a touch of ‘60s inventiveness. Not as aggressive as Elvis Costello, though “I Feel Tension” has a nice swipe at Costello. They’re not as pop-sweet as Nick Lowe, but they do have the well-carved pop aesthetic of Wreckless Eric with “Dancing Out of Tune,” Marshall Crenshaw & Ian Gomm. “Snake Dancing” ends disc 1 with its dive into Australia’s Chris Bailey’s The Saints territory. Remember them? Impressive as it slithers musically from the speakers. A fitting conclusion.
Disc 2 abandoned the simplicity of melodic pop rock & turned towards more progressive elements with satisfying results if “Working” & “Big Sky” are any measure. The tunes don’t overstay their welcome. “Back To You” morphs into a pop-progressive realm similar to The Pretty Things. The Necessaries never compromise their groove with their differing approaches. This particular song has the upbeat rhythm of Madness & English Beat, with a swipe at General Public. Done quite well.
The progress the band made between each disc can be heard. The more mid-career Beatlesque “My Baby’s Explosive” is more of a ballad with balls. Despite some songs not resonating with the ears on first listen, what’s noticeable is that the music never loses momentum. Each tune has its rewards. The brightly percussive “Born Yesterday” has its sparkle. More repetitive than most, but a great dance tune.
By track 7, the songs are unissued pieces. The quality doesn’t diminish as the band slides back into neutral pop sensibilities. With a little more performance intensity & jazz inflections, “Tachito In the White Mercedes Benz” would invoke Steely Dan.
The band also tosses in several enticing instrumentals worthy of a listen. They are skillful – a dying art today. “The World Is Loud” is a wise closeout. Simple, beautiful & memorable. This is a “necessary” collection of pop-rock music & mentality that may have escaped many the first time around.
Highlights – CD #1 (19 cuts/62:02) – “Rage,” “More Real,” “Like No Other,” “AEIOU,” “Sahara,” “Europe,” “Law & Order,” “I Feel Tension,” “I Do,” “Dancing Out of Tune,” & “Snake Dancing.”
CD #2 (18 cuts/71:20) – “Working,” “Back To You,” “My Baby’s Explosive,” “Born Yesterday,” “Big Sky,” “Tachito In the White Mercedes Benz,” “The Dancing Girls of Windsor,” “Third Generation Son,” “A Detective Story,” “Mona Lisa On My Arm” & “The World Is Loud.”
Musicians –Arthur Russell (guitar/keys/organ/cello/vocals), Ernie Brooks (bass/baritone fuzz bass/vocals), Jesse Chamberlain (drums/cowbell/tambourine/keys), Peter Zummo (trombone), Randy Gun (guitar/vocals) & Gary Kenton (bgv).
A 20pp stitched insert with credits, liner notes & color images is included. Front cover images courtesy of Paul Waldman. CD @ Apple + Amazon & https://omnivorerecordings.com/shop/completely-necessary/