Faith No More

The second "best of" release to attempt to capitalise on Faith No More's continued name-dropping by unworthy nu-metal purveyors, and maybe even to reaffirm FNM's greatness in the process, still faces that same problem that its predecessor (the two-disc Who Cares A lot?) failed to overcome. Sure, there are the mega-hits ("Epic," "Falling To Pieces"), but they aren't FNM's best work. And when you're a unit that was as innovative, eclectic and hybrid-oriented as FNM - spanning punk, funk, metal, rap, noise, rock, country, lounge, polka, pop, the list goes on and on - can a single disc summarise an entire career? Of course not, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a welcome trip down memory lane. Out of the 19 songs, former vocalist Chuck Mosley gets the first four (including semi-hit "We Care A Lot"), which stand up quite well. Obviously Chucky doesn't have the pipes to compete with the range and creativity of Mike Patton (his replacement) but his attitude is undeniable. Out of the remaining 15 tracks, all the singles from their career surface, but there are some rarities and surprises, such as "The Cowboy Song," a live version of "As The Worm Turns" with Patton and their contribution to the Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey soundtrack, "The Perfect Crime." However, noticeably absent are their more metallic or eclectic endeavours. Like any "best of," its greatest feat is to remind you that you should listen to the albums more often.