A classy & well thought out compilation., 28 Dec 2000

Disc 1 kicks off with Don & The Magic Bands early, more bluesier ouput from 1966 ("Diddy Wah Diddy" & "Frying Pan") and shows off Dons Howling Wolf-style vocals to great effect. From this point the music takes on a slight more psychedelic influence ("Electricity" & "Abba Zaba") from the "Safe As Milk" album, moving throught to "Strictly Personal". (although sadly none of the tracks recorded in late '67 but only released in '71 as "Mirror Man" are included here) None of this period comes across as weird, difficult or self indulgent, which can't be said for the subsequent "Trout Mask Replica" album, represented here by seven tracks. Out of all of the Beefheart canon it is the most radical and (in)famous primarily because it sharply polarise opinions: you either love it of hate it. Personally, I love it! But you decide for yourself...

The radical approach of "Trout Mask" was further focused for the next album "Lick My Decals Off Baby" (incidentally the only Beefheart album not yet fully reissued on CD. When can we expect that to be rectified, record company people??), represented here by four tracks, including the title track and "Woe-Is-A-Me-Bop".

Disc 1 finishes and Disc 2 begins with the more mainstream "Spotlight Kid"/"Clear Spot" era, which admittedly, did produce "Big-Eyed Beans from Venus" (present here) and the excellent Stax influenced "Too Much Time" (ditto)and few other great pieces. Thankfully though, the lacklustre "Unconditionally Guaranteed" and "Bluejeans And Moonbeams" eras are only represented by one track each ("Upon The My-Oh-My" and "Party Of Special Things To Do" repectively).

Moving through the two Zappa collaborations and the great blues of "Hard Workin' Man" we end up with Don's final phase: "Bat Chain Puller", "Doc At The Radar Station"& the final ""Ice Cream for Crow". These last take up the last eleven tracks and there's not a duff one among 'em. This period marked a definite return to form for the good Captain before he quit to pursue a career in painting in 1982. Best of these are the throbbing, pulsating "Bat Chain Puller" itself and "Ice Cream For Crow"

This is an really great CD.It is intelligently compiled, and the inclusion of a few rarities makes it an essential buy. It's probably best to actually think of this compilation, however, not as a sort of "Best Of" because there are many great Beefheart tracks that would have fitted equally well on these discs. ("I Love You Big Dummy" for example) but more of a taster for the full output.

Lets hope that whoever now holds the tapes and rights to Dons recorded legacy issues more stuff from the vaults (including unissued tracks, the previously mentioned "Lick My Decals.." album, and the original unrealeased "Bat Chain Puller") along with a more reasonably priced selection from the humongously expensive "Grow Fins" box set!

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