A greater greatest hits compilation
Jose Ibanez | Eatontown, NJ | 07/14/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The first Orbital greatest hits compilation, Work 1989-2002, seemed at the time like a bad omen. Most bands put out a compilation album right before they call it quits. Indeed, the Hartnoll brothers decided to take off the iconic head torches less than two years later with the release of their final album, The Blue Album. Paul and Phil have each released a studio album with their own separate projects since then, The Ideal Condition and Madness and Me, respectively, and have only recently started hitting the festival circuit together again as Orbital. So, both Work and Orbital 20 are drawing on pretty much the same music catalog, why the second compilation? Is this just a double dip, or something better?
One way that Orbital 20 sets itself apart from Work is by not limiting itself to a single disc. Orbital was always known for epic songs that evolved over the course of eight to ten minutes, and a paltry 70 minutes just isn't enough time to really demonstrate that. Work ended up with abbreviated versions of the second half of some of their best works, like Nothing Left, Are We Here?, and The Box. With a running time of a little over 2 and a half hours, Orbital 20 has much less of a problem. It includes full versions of Belfast, Lush 3-1 and Lush 3-2, Impact (The Earth Is Burning) and The Girl With The Sun In Her Head.
Both Work and Orbital 20 tried to appease long time fans (like myself) with rarities and unreleased tracks. Work had a few gems, like the 7" Mix of Halcyon (now my favorite rendition of the track), and the previously unreleased Frenetic. But Orbital 20 has this in spades, including a live version of Impact (The Earth Is Burning), new mixes of Halcyon and Lush, and no less than three unreleased tracks, Omen, The Naked and the Dead, and LC 1 (if you get the digital version).
As with any compilation, fans who already have the albums may be hard pressed to purchase an album that mostly has stuff that they already own, but I believe that the new remixes, live recording and unreleased tracks make a compelling offer. For new listeners who are looking for a good starting point, I can think of nothing better, and can whole-heartedly recommend this compilation over Work.
In conclusion, I'll finish my review with a quote from Paul Hartnoll:
"This compilation is the most definitive summary of our work since `Chime' came out in 1989... It's a great introduction, or indeed a reminder, of the story so far...""
You must be a die-hard Orbital fan to enjoy this.
G.C. | Orygun | 01/31/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I cried like a little girl when Orbital disbanded. Now, that they're back together, I would donate my left nut for them continue making what they do best. Hence the purchase of this album. Sure, some of this stuff is some re-spins on the old originals. Except their music sounds fresh (and will continue to do so) for aeons. I strongly recommend a half-decent stereo to fully appreciate their sound. One of them tiny ipod-whatchamathingy running some lossy form of digitally compressed rip-off won't do. This will make a fine addition to my Orbital collection."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1