TOBY
Group: Members
Posts: 1562
Joined: May 2002 |
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Posted: Jan. 12 2006, 15:43 |
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Hmm, very mixed feelings about this. I don't really see what there is to get hugely excited about, there isn't much if anything we haven't heard before. On the one hand I don't begrudge artists and record companies for releasing 'best of' box sets, they want to sell records and obviously anything that pulls in new fans and introduces them to an artists work is a very good thing BUT (and that's a big BUT) lets face it these box sets are invariably relatively expensive and the majority of them are sold to die hard fans. The thing is most artists know that which is why they usually include some 'sweetener' material so they don't short change their fans. Some never before heard tracks thrown in there, an acoustic version of something, a live version, whatever. Its just so disappointing that yet again us die hard MO fans don't get this.
Its also a shame they have yet again utterly muffed up the choice of music and the way it is presented, I mean is To Be Free really the best piece of music from Tres Lunas? Is Hibernaculum really better than Let There Be Light of Only Time Will Tell? As far as a best of collection is concerned, like Elements before it, it seems compiled with scant regard for what actually are Mike's best works in favour of just the 'famous' stuff, I suppose you could argue the latter is more likely to draw in a buying public, but lets be fair not much of Mike's stuff this side of the 80's is approaching being either famous or even known, Sentinal maybe but thats about it.
And like Elements its utterly cocked up the running order, it just compiles how erratic Mike's career has been instead of celebrating its diversity. The Complete MO was a superbly put together collection because it neatly and creatively grouped together the different styles in Mike's back catalogue. This new collection and Elements before it put things in a vaguely chronological order which just doesn't work, Earth Moving into Amarok into Heavens Open, Ehhh! Sentinal into Pictures in the Dark?? I mean what the F**k
I dare say Mike has umpteen squillion versions of all these tracks sitting in his cupboard, most of which I'm sure are marvellous (the TB2 out takes proved this) and most of which I'm sure will never see the light of day, the same goes for all the amazing live recordings he must have.
Its just a crying shame this collection couldn't have followed on from the fantastic Complete MO instead of the dreadful Elements.
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