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Perhaps the title of this compilation gives the game away, as this
release takes the piss on an heroic scale. There have been at least four
"best of" releases since Faith No More's demise, so surely another one isn't
necessary, even after their much celebrated reformation. Money grabbing?
Almost certainly. For the fans? Almost certainly not.
The Very Best Definitive Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection is a pointless album, but even so this is a sturdy collection of
songs. The first CD covers most of their studio albums (apart from debut We
Care A Lot), although the Chuck Mosely era Introduce Yourself is cruelly
under-represented as usual. The apparently compulsory inclusion of We Care A
Lot and the grudging addition of R'n'R are the only nods to this era of the
band.
With Mosely's departure came the arrival of Mike Patton and The Real
Thing. The band soon found itself in the forefront of the alternative music
scene, being crudely dubbed a funk metal band thanks to the seething
pop-metal of single From Out of Nowhere. Despite being the 20th
anniversary of The Real Thing, the album that thrust Faith No More into mainstream
consciousness, only From Out Of Nowhere, Epic and title track make the cut. Curiously there's no room Falling To Pieces, Surprise
You're Dead or Edge Of The World. Perhaps a (money grabbing) reissue is
imminent?
The band's real legacy came courtesy of their next album Angel Dust which
still remains a huge influence in metal today. This was FNM's creative peak,
and the fusion of metal onto just about any genre that was drifting through
the bands collective consciousness is a joy to behold. There are no fewer
than seven tracks from Angel Dust included here, so you'd probably be wiser
just buying the album.
Wrapping things up are a couple of tracks from King For A Day Fool For A
Lifetime, and Album Of The Year, but there are better songs on each of those
albums than those included here. As an overview, it's disappointing despite
the evident quality on display.
The second CD of rarities contains some great songs that are quite tricky
but not impossible to find. Absolute Zero is a beast of a song with a
grinding guitar line that could saw the top off your head. The Big Kahuna
and Light Up And Let Go zip by in a furious flurry, with Patton exhibiting
his full-on metal vocalist credentials.
Their cover of This Guy's In Love With You shows the band's dexterity
with a big tune, Patton's love for easy listening and an often overlooked
versatility. Sweet Emotion is almost worth the price of admission on its own, although
the band later recorded it as the far superior The Perfect Crime for the
soundtrack of Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey. As an oddity though, it is most
welcome on this collection.
Historically, the other track of interest
is New Improved Song, dating back to the Mosely era. Originally released by
Sounds in 1988 it reminds us of the almost gothic disco sound, quickly
ditched by the band upon Patton's arrival. The band went on to modify the
song for The Real Thing renaming it The Morning After and making it far
heavier and brutal. This waspish version still has the power to sting
though.
With Patton versions of early songs Mark Bowen, As The Worm Turns and
their cover of Blue Spanish Eyes being excluded, the extra disc is something
of a missed opportunity. If someone could release some demo versions and
real archive material then there might actually be an album worth forking
out for. Despite the musical brilliance on display, this album smells like a
cash cow.
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