The Best Of 20 Years

I usually despise releases like this... I've seen (and purchased) so many best of, anthology, collections, millennium, very best compilations that keep deceiving me, either because of track selection, but more generally because record labels still think that putting more than 40 minutes of music on those will hinder sales of their back catalogue, that I wasn't really looking forward to this "Ultimate Collection".

And URIAH HEEP already have dozens of retrospectives, so why would anyone pick up this one? Well, here's why:

1) This 2CD-set contains 34 tracks, with 158 minutes of music (those discs are packed!!!);
2) the remastering job is fabulous;
3) the tracks are presented chronologically;
4) all tracks are full-length versions (NO edits!!!)
5) you get all facets of the band, from the heavy "Gypsy" to the soft "Come Away Melinda", the kaleidoscopic "Magician's Birthday", the haunting "Wonderworld", the anthemic "Easy Livin'", the hair-raising "Blood Red Roses", and then some (actually, 28 more!!!)

And no, I'm not a member of the band or an unconditional fan...

This anthology covers the first 20 years of their recordings (1971-1991), and it's not focused only on "commercial" or radio-friendly material (ever heard the full length version of "July Morning" on the radio?).

To the novice, this set is THE best place to start without spending a fortune; to the initiated, over 2 and a half hours of cherished material covering a wide spectrum of genres so loved by many Heepsters.

I just HAVE to play it again...