Best Of The Beat, The - Beat (The) > Reviews > The Best of the Beat

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it rate alongside the competition	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Great beats, great lyrics, brilliant songs  -  all hits
Disadvantages:	Couple of songs not so hot

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I bought this recently and was amazed at how many songs I still new the words to that still had me bopping away - some great vocals and unexpected harmonies. Unfortunately, as with most greatest hits, the insert fails to provide lyrics, but does give a great write-up on the band.

For all The Beat and ska fans, this album is a must! Even if not so much into ska, its a great album full of hits, almost all you will remember.

01 - Mirror in the Bathroom - reminded me of teenage days, being too conscious of looks and it really brought the ska beat to the front, preparing you for the rest of the album.
02 - Save It For Later - having a great tongue in cheek line, "just hold my hand while I come, to a decision I meant!", brings to mind the struggles of couples having the discussion about previous partners, and one finding out just how many the other has had, and is trying to deal with it.
03 - I Confess - great love song with a ska beat - good combo, and is one of my favourite songs on the album.
04 - Tears of a Clown - , just a classic song, with a great, well... beat!
05 - Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret - Whine & Grine feels too reggae for me, its ok, but not, for me at least, having a ska feel. Stand Down Margaret is one of the few songs on the album against the establishment, which alot of the bands at the time seemed to be throwing out like candy. One of my least favourite on the album.
06 - Best Friend, good song, yet another chart hit, but just average compared to the rest of the album.
07 - Rankin Full Stop - this is the first song I heard by The Beat many years ago and is a brilliant ska beat. Should bring back lots of memories.
08 - Can't Get used To Losing You - one of their more main stream songs, brilliant love song, amazing how many can be done with ska and not feel wrong, great beat and vocal combo.
09 - Hands Off, She's Mine - very The Beat, great hit, but compared to the rest of the album, more middle than top.
10 - Twist & Crawl - lyrics make it a love song, the beat makes it angry, really good for a song about meeting up with someone who broke your heart, but again more average than some of their best stuff, but considering everyone song on the album was a hit...its not bad.
11 - To Nice To Talk To - great song - a reminder how stupid I used to feel as a teenage when faced with someone I had a crush on.
12 - Doors Of Your Heart - my favourite song on the album, great lyrics, vocals and music arrangement, explains why it was a hit. Starts with what feels like a love song, but leads into querying racism, and ends as it starts.
13 - Click Click - least favourite song on album, have to admit that I always skip past this one - the images of suicide by gun are a tad too dark for me.
14 - Sole Salvation - another good song, softer than the rest of the album.
15 - Drowning - Album ends with Drowning, one of their best songs and a great one to end on. Perfect The Beat and ska, and one of the few songs on the album about "the establishment", life's struggles, but less angry than most done in this era.