Like many fans of Hed Kandi / Fierce Angel I eagerly await each release, especially when it comes to the Beach House / Beach Angel compilations as we're only treated to one of each per year and they often throw up some outstanding tracks that otherwise might pass me by.
Unfortunately with this latest installment of the 'Beach Angel' series, Hed Kandi creator Mark Doyle has done little more than raid his back catalogue as 17 of the 32 tracks featured on this 3 disc set have appeared on his previous compilations. Although past Fierce Angel / Hed Kandi albums have always featured their fair share of repeated tracks often appearing again in mixed, unmixed or remixed form, lifting over half the songs on this album from previous Hed Kandi CDs seems excessive, highly unoriginal and is a real slap in the face to all of Mark's loyal fans that have supported his Fierce Angel label since he left Hed Kandi.
Thankfully Disc 3 (currently listed on Amazon as Disc 2) is the album's saving grace with 2 fabulous new songs by Bassmonkeys as well as others by Samantha James and the ever dependable Peyton but this, in my opinion, is cold comfort serving to remind us of just how fabulous the album could have been given a little more thought and effort.
Much like the British weather this album is a disappointing start to Summer '08. Fingers crossed the folks at Hed Kandi do better with their forth-coming 'Beach House' compilation.