Customer Reviews
OK compilation, nice bonusdisc, but why withdraw it on the day of release? - By: fonzie9, 01 Jun 2007 
This is the first compilation I bought of the Charlatans, only because it adds this bonusdisc.
But why withdraw the limited edition on the day of release?
The bonusdisc contains some nice session-tracks & demo's, but is far from complete.
I think it would have been nicer to add the complete first BBC-sessions instead of kind of randomly choose some tracks from the various sessions they did.
Now it goes on Ebay for silly amounts, I don't think the band had that in mind when releasing it. Keep it available for a longer period so more fans can buy the special edition, that way the band gets more money too!!
A Great Compilation - By: IWFIcon, 01 Feb 2007 
It's nigh on impossible to condense a near 17 year career into the 80 minutes that can fit onto one CD, but whilst this may not give the whole story it offers up proof that when they were good, The Charlatans were very special indeed.
Another chronologicallly ordered singles compilation, this takes us from their debut single Indian Rope (surprisingly they don't start with The Only One I Know) to 2006 single Blackened Blue Eyes. If neither track is essential, a lot of what lies in between is.
The Only One I Know is the baggy Manchester sound at it's best whilst Weirdo brings a kind of gothic northern sould to the party. The soul of this particular party though has to be the cuts from the Charlatan's best album Telling Stories. Four songs are taken from it (One To Another, North Country Boy, How High & Tellin' Stories) & even they only hint at the majesty of the album as a whole.
Even though it didn't seem to appeal to fans of that album, I always found Wonderland a great album too. It only produced two top 40 singles & both make it onto this collection, the sublime Love Is The Key & A Man Needs To Be Told.
Sadly from there, the collection does noticeably dip in quality. The last two studio albums (2004's Up At The Lake & the afformentioned Simpicato) were disappointing & even cherry-picking the "best" from those two doesn't leave much excitement. The new track is also a lesson in pointlessness. You're So Pretty We're So Pretty was a good song to start with, & was scheduled to be a single once upon a time, but the disco tinged remix does nothing for the song, or for the the collection as a whole.
Whilst this is undoubtedly a compilation that tails off to the end, it serves as a great reminder of how good the Charlatans were at their peak. Who knows, it may even serve as a reminder to the group themselves after the last two disappointments.
The most underrated singles band of our time? - By: Nick, 29 Nov 2006 
I agree with the other reviewer re. this single cd edition being less than ideallly comprehensive - maybe because their earlier albums were on another label (Beggars Banquet) & partly represented by the earlier 'Melting Pot' compilation? - but for the songs that ARE on here, five stars! The Charlies are hugely undervalued but everyone one of these is a classic pop/rock/indie/who cares! tune'n'spirit packed glory.
Brilliant band shame about the selection!! - By: Mr. S. Fathers, 16 Nov 2006 Why oh why are they so light on the early period - OK 'Then' is no classic but no 'Over Rising', 'Jesus Hairdo' or 'Just Lookin''???? What's that about??? And yet - we get alll the singles from 97 in order, even 2 songs from the very poor album (by their standards) 'Up At The Lake'?
Go out & buy 'Between 10th & 11th' instead - an underrated CLASSIC.
