The Mommyheads

The Mommyheads were never the most influential of the '90s indie bands that rode along the MTV-fuelled wave of alternativeness, but they were beloved enough to be coaxed into getting back together after playing a tribute show for their original drummer. It did help that they left behind a series of well-liked albums and when they decided to actually make a new one, their fans were more than happy to pick it up. Finest Specimens is firmly caught up in the past; it's a retrospective look at the band's decade together, with a few songs from their 2008 album thrown in. It even features tracks from their major label debut, although they are included as live versions. The 21 songs act as a reminder of why most people forgot all about the Mommyheads: there's absolutely nothing wrong with their music, but it isn't particularly memorable either. Only the drawn out "Needmore, PA" and jangly "Spiders" stand out, and without any real rarities even fans might find it hard to justify picking this compilation up. Sometimes, nostalgia just isn't enough.