The Best of the Move [Repertoire]

One has the marvel at the recent activity surrounding the Move -- from a ten-year period in which the legendary band was scarcely represented on vinyl, we're now at a point where practically every note they ever recorded for release is in print on CD, and there's even a collection of BBC performances as well as a few bootlegs circulating. This 24-song collection concentrates on their single A- and B-sides for Regal Zonophone, Deram, Harvest, Fly, and Ariola. The first 15 songs, from "Night of Fear" to "California Man," are arranged in A-side release order, and tracks 17-23 are devoted to the most relevant of their B-sides. This probably isn't the wisest way to have programmed the disc, since it means sliding through a multitude of styles and sounds across a five-year period twice, with a previously unissued Italian version of "Something" tagged on as the 24th song. Additionally, whether or not this is actually "the best of the Move" is a matter of contention -- one could make a case for a compilation of that name that would draw on a few of their album tracks as well. It also has competition from Omnibus, a double-CD set containing all of their single A- and B-sides, albeit at a heftier price. On the whole, however, this disc is a good compromise, assuming one doesn't mind the separation of the single sides -- the sound is very bright and almost startling in its clarity, to the point that even the mix on "Brontosaurus" is crisp, and acoustic guitar-based numbers like "Tonight" are glorious.