Customer Reviews
The Best "Best of" Ever - By: Mr. Carl Parkin, 20 Sep 2007 
Best of albums are normally thought of as a cop out by bands to fillin time, & make some money.
But every so often they are just a wonderful display of talent that is there to be enjoyed by everyone.
This album should bein everyones collection. Whenever you hear a james song on the radio you prick your ears up, & tap your feet.
Nobody thinks they know any James songs (Apart from Sit Down), but listen to this, & you will remember so many amazing hits from the 90's.
James sat quietlyin the background while Stone Roses & Happy Mondays were the headline grabbers.
But just becaue they are not as "famous" don't let that put you off.
This is without doubt the very best, "best of" album ever.
Beyond comparison - By: J. J. Blackbourn, 31 Mar 2007 This collection is proof that James were the most under appreciated bandin UK history. Not a bad track, every one a gem, fabulous lyrics, tunes, hooks & associated memories. This album shames the humdrum indie amateur dramatics of today. Even better, they are back on tour! Anyone else at Frankfurtin 92?
What an album!! - By: Mr. J. G. Ball, 22 Apr 2004 Wow what an album, there are many many hits here of which most of you willhave heard most of the songs. Thats a good sign for an album, how manyalbums have we heard that states "best of" only to be disappointed witheither the choice of songs or that laughably that they release the albumat all. Well this really is a best of. This album is a really goodchoice for a pre night out belter. There are some fine belters here likeSit Down, She's A Star & Born Of Frustration, but the best of all is theFlood Mix of Come Home. There are also a few mellow songs the best beingOut To Get You. If you are a massive James fan you will already havethese songs, however if you are a casual fan buy this then buy the rest oftheir back catalogue, well what are you waiting for, you too can besinging How Was It For You.
Those who find themselves ridiculous... - By: Robbie Swale, 12 Mar 2004 This collection has exactly the effect any Best Of should. You start off by skipping to the songs you know & love by one of the most underrated bands of the last 20 years. Underrated despite a long list of hits. Whether it's Destiny Calling, She's A Star, Laid or the monsterous crowd anthem & all-time-great Sit Down, there will be something you know the title of. But then you start listening to the rest of it, & you realise how good James are.
From start to finish there are brilliant tracks. For me, the stand-outs (as well as those above) are the magical tantra-like Walzting Along & the sudden move down-tempo to the sad Out To Get You. Throughout though, are excellent tracks that you will almost certainly enjoy.
James are a band that produced plenty of classicsin their 20 or so years together, & plenty more that should have been classics. The only problem is that since this compilation was released they have released two more albums, so there are some great songs that were too late to make it on.
The greatest of all James albums (well of course, doh!) - By: Jonathan Collin, 16 Feb 2002 This album has residedin my cd collection ever since it's release & takes the top position as my all-time favourite cd. Occasionally I am distracted by some other classy albums but this is one I always come back to & always will.
It seems ridiculous to assume that this won't be James' greatest album, but it's a sad fact that many bands just do not have the back-catalogue of high quality material to fill 70 mins of a 'best of...' cd.
I can honestly say that this is one of the few albums where I will listen all the way through without skipping a single track. In fact, lately I have come to realise that the most well-known & successful tracks on the album are not necessarily the best by any means.
For the first few years of owning this album I never really listened to itin it's entirety & always assumed 'Sit Down' & 'She's a Star' to be the best tracks.
Then within the last three or four years I slowly came to realise the quality of the less well-known tracks - 'Sometimes', 'Tomorrow' & 'Ring the Bells' to name but a few. My favourite track is 'Sometimes' - I have never heard such a powerful & moving ballad as this one.
I remember when it was playedin my school's sixth-form common room & I sat with my mates, proudin the knowledge that they & most of the other guysin the room at the time had never heard the song before, & I was one of the few to immediately recognise & appreciate it.
This album sits higherin my estimation than Millionaires & Pleased to meet you (though I haven't yet listened to that onein it's entirety either!) It's a testiment to a band who have never been mainstream or very well-known but have not let this stop them creating some of the most original & melodic tunes of any groupin the last 20 or 30 years.
