In the late '80s and early '90s, David Wilcox rose quickly through the burgeoning ranks of singer-songwriters on the strength of his emotionally observant writing, butterscotch voice, and elegant, sophisticated guitar wo... more »rk. This compilation draws from the three albums he made for A&M--from the sparsely produced How Did You Find Me Here (1989) through the increasingly band-oriented Home Again (1991) and Big Horizon (1994)--and does, in fact, include some of his best work, from the vivid biker's tale "Eye of the Hurricane" to the bitingly funny "Advertising Man" to the chilling drugs/sex analogy of "Strong Chemistry." A couple of live tracks culled from promo EPs ("Daddy's Money" and "Johnny's Camaro") plus one unreleased studio variation ("That's What the Lonely Is For") are nice but minor enticements for those who already own the original albums. For the uninitiated, this is a decent single-disc introduction, but the still fresh-sounding How Did You Find Me Here would serve at least as well. --Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers« less
In the late '80s and early '90s, David Wilcox rose quickly through the burgeoning ranks of singer-songwriters on the strength of his emotionally observant writing, butterscotch voice, and elegant, sophisticated guitar work. This compilation draws from the three albums he made for A&M--from the sparsely produced How Did You Find Me Here (1989) through the increasingly band-oriented Home Again (1991) and Big Horizon (1994)--and does, in fact, include some of his best work, from the vivid biker's tale "Eye of the Hurricane" to the bitingly funny "Advertising Man" to the chilling drugs/sex analogy of "Strong Chemistry." A couple of live tracks culled from promo EPs ("Daddy's Money" and "Johnny's Camaro") plus one unreleased studio variation ("That's What the Lonely Is For") are nice but minor enticements for those who already own the original albums. For the uninitiated, this is a decent single-disc introduction, but the still fresh-sounding How Did You Find Me Here would serve at least as well. --Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
Matthew M. from WAILUKU, HI Reviewed on 3/27/2010...
An excellent collection of a wonderful artist! Though one of my favorites is missing...
CD Reviews
Don't Waste Your Money
Alan Chamberlain | Chico, CA USA | 03/19/2003
(1 out of 5 stars)
"Buy his back catalog, instead. All of it. This is just A&M exploiting a contract provision to harvest demand that was unforeseen when they dropped him. In general I like A&M, and until "Into The Mystery" I've always thought Wilcox' best work was on his three CDs with this label. But the fact remains that if you dig Wilcox, you'll want the whole set anyway, and if you don't, why put money in the pockets of a label that didn't have the foresight to recognize how valuable this artist is?I think you have to reward good will where it manifests, and a warmed-over compilation by a label that tossed him away just as he was turning an important inflection point in his career is not good will by any measure."
Most of "The Best of" (sadly not all) but still worth it...
03/01/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Okay, okay. So maybe I'm a little over-the-top when it comes to my adoration for David Wilcox; not only would I buy a CD of him singing in the shower, but I would buy a CD of him clearing his throat or hiccuping.It is true that David Wilcox can start sounding the same from song to song, but when the music is so poignant and beautiful, that isn't a bad thing. In fact, his one attempt at musical change (Turning Point) was a bit of a let-down from his previous releases, and is good *in spite* of the change, not because of it. This is a great compilation CD, although "Best Of" is a misnomer, since several of his best were omitted. (I have it on good authority that David knew nothing about the CD until several months before it was released--he had no input on any part of it.) If you are a new fan, this would be a great intro to his music as it spans his entire career and gives you a feel for studio recording as well as his live performances, and if you are an old fan, this is a great CD to finish your collection. The 3 new versions of well-known favorites are worth the price."
Not a true "best of"
Nick | baton rouge, LA | 07/23/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"David Wilcox is an unbelievable musician, and while this album has a collection of good songs, it is not truly a the very best of. This album shows a good representation of his work up to that point, but they leave out a handful of excellent tunes. The idea is obviously to sell this album and by doing so provoke the customer to buy the other albums as well. For seasoned Wilcox fans they will find this album filled with some but not all of his hits; and for beginning fans this would be a bad choice for a first buy. I would recommend "Live Songs & Stories". This album does have good songs, but your money would be better spent on one of his traditional albums."
The man is a music God...
Angela | Iowa | 01/20/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"David Wilcox's music is totally mind blowing.Part poet, part storyteller--David Wilcox is an amazing songwriter. His songs make you laugh, make you cry and make you think. His breathtaking voice is like milk and honey. This man's music, and this "Best of" album are a wonderful feast for the ears. I've been listening to David for years and I've often wondered why he hasn't broke through into mainstream radio. The truth is...his music is too good for the radio. His music has heart and brains--and most of what is played on commercials stations today sounds studio manufactured and lacks substance.Kudos to the amazing and talented David Wilcox. The only complaint I have is that a true "Best of" Wilcox compilation should be an 8-CD set. After all, each song he has written has been "the best" and is such a gift to all who enjoy his fabulous guitar playing and rich voice.Angela"
New Renditions of Old Tunes
T. MacVey | Lake Elmo, MN USA | 10/24/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For David-diehards, there are 3 unique tracks on this release:1) "Johnny's Camaro" - This is a different live soundboard recording of "Johnny's Camaro" than what appears on East Asheville Hardware.
2) "That's What The Lonely Is For" - This is an alternate studio recording of "That's What The Lonely Is For", featuring a more pronounced bass line, mandolin, background vocals, and synthesizer backing.
3) "Daddy's Money" - A live cut that has made its rounds via Napster and New Media; same recording.The only downside to this release, which is not David and his manager's fault, is that the CD clearly reflects A&M Records legal rights to a subset of his album releases. All in all, it's a good "best of" mix of his older, classic works."