By Far The Best Song Selection This Band Has Available Today
Rocknscrolls | Calgary, AB Canada | 06/29/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The top CD compilation this Punk-influenced band has yet to offer. My brother, John-Boy Lennard as they called him, was the saxophonist of this band although this is not why I am writing this review nor is it the fact I was recently given it by John signed by band members (maybe a valuable asset for auction on Ebay but not an endeavor I'm about to pursue). The CD has almost every single I truly appreciated from/of the band. All formable greats are included on this disc notwithstanding any. Although I liked the track `Love Is A Ghost` and indeed thought it a Best Of candidate, not having it included wasn't any major disappointment. These song recordings are of the best/maximum sound quality and might even get my respect for that feature alone. Combined with the incredible tracks offered, this Greatest Hits CD without question gets my ultimate support. The videos too are an added enhancement and more justify the cost. Many, many months back I purchased The Best Of Theatre Of Hate from Amazon. Unfortunately I had not asked for any advice from my brother at the time regarding this subject/purchase. In my opinion, that double CD was a band insult to say the least. Several of the tracks were recorded live in concert although not indicated on the listing. Some occasional CD's or groups of songs can well be appreciated in this mode but for the most part they only represent a surrealistic distortion of what going to a concert in person actually is like. I strongly believe it is the responsibility of the record label to indicate whether a song is a live version or not. The picture of lead singer Kirk Brandon on stage on the front cover and nothin' else sure was a fine promo deception. The Singles Collection luckily has no `Surprise, it's live!` formatting nor does it include any unwanted, space-wasting material from Brandon's previous (The Pack) and/or future (Spear Of Destiny) bands as do some other collections. Although many of those hits are talented, they're not a fan/buyer's focus. Devoted followers of TOH best consider this reviewed CD to avoid compromise..."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1