Lively Sounds From the ‘70s

“The Groups of Wrath: Songs of the Naked City” and “Pimps, Players & Private Eyes” are certainly among the most colorful album titles that you’ll find in CD compilation bins these days.

And the good news is that the music on both albums is equally lively.

“Groups,” released by TVT Records, is a salute to some bands from the imaginative and hugely influential New York underground/punk-rock scene of the ‘70s. Marty Thau, a former promotion man who was active on the scene, is executive producer of the album.

Thau discovered the New York Dolls, the wonderful rock ‘n’ rouge outfit that served as a good-natured link between the Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols, and whose landmark debut album in 1973 is available on CD from Mercury Records.

In “Groups,” you get a taste of the band’s wry style through two tracks: an affectionate remake of the Cadets’ old R&B; novelty “Stranded in the Jungle” and the group’s own “Human Being.”

Among the other acts represented: the Ramones (whose “Judy Is a Punk” and “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” demos were produced by Thau), Blondie (represented by “X-Offender” and “In the Sun”), Suicide (whose “Cheree” and “I Remember” were recorded for the minimalist art-rock duo’s first album on Thau’s Red Star label) and Richard Hell & the Voidoids (whose “Destiny Street” and “Downtown by Dawn” were also produced for a Red Star album).

In the compilation’s liner notes, Roy Trakin stresses an important point--how these and many other trailblazing acts are initially dismissed as too radical or gimmicky in the conservative pop world.

“The period’s influence is heard to this very day and will probably be felt as long as rock & roll is played, debated, argued over and enjoyed,” he writes. “One must remember all these acts were pretty much reviled, misunderstood and/or laughed at in their day.

“And while the likes of Blondie, the Ramones and Brian Setzer (the Stray Cats vocalist whose earlier group the Bloodless Pharaohs is represented on the album with two selections) went on to fame and fortune, the Fleshtones, Suicide, Richard Hell and members of the Dolls continue creating new music today.”

“Pimps” is a welcome, if too short (at 36 minutes), concept album that brings together 10 R&B; songs that were featured in the so-called “blaxploitation” films of the ‘70s. The selections include Marvin Gaye’s “Trouble Man” (from the film of the same title), Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” (from “Superfly”), Millie Jackson’s “Love Doctor” (from “Cleopatra Jones”) and Isaac Hayes’ “Theme From Shaft.”

Jorge Hinojosa, who assembled the package with rapper Ice-T, said the idea came up two years ago while he was watching “Trouble Man” at home and began reminiscing with Ice-T about all the music they had enjoyed in the action films of the ‘70s. Most of the tunes, which also include Bobby Womack & Peace’s “Across 110th Street” and Willie Hutch’s “Theme of Foxy Brown,” are appearing on CD for the first time.