Being a collection of singles, this CD offers no surprises but does exactly what it says on the tin. Those of us who think we have been only vaguely familiar with Depeche Mode over the years may be surprised to know how many of these songs we actually know, From the now rather quaint sounding synth doodlings of "Dreaming Of Me" and "Photograph" to the post-Vince Clarke era, with the more menacing "Blasphemous Rumours" and achingly poignant "Somebody", this traces not only the early discography of a criminally underrated band but also the development of a compelling, unique and sophisticated musical sound. Let down in places by slightly flaky lyrics - "People Are People" is unintentionally hilarious - Martin Gore and his colleagues get away with it via infuriatingly catchy hooks, a vocalist of almost Sintra-like ability in Dave Gahan, and strong soundscapes courtesy of the now-departed Alan Wilder. Will deliver no surprises to the converted, but those wanting to trace the timeline of a band that have been through every rock'n'roll high and low and still sound great could do worse than give this one a spin.
