The Best Of is the first compilation album by English rock band James, released in 1998. It contains singles from the band's studio albums Gold Mother (1990), Seven (1992), Laid (1993), Whiplash (1997), plus one track from the EP James II (1985) and two new tracks. The compilation reached number one in the UK Albums Chart.[4]
| The Best of James | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | 23 March 1998[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1984–1997 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 69:19 | |||
| Label | Mercury/Fontana | |||
| James chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Best of James | ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| Q | [6] |
In a review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four out of five stars, describing it as "An imperfect collection of a frustratingly uneven band" and "a tantalizing missed opportunity", opining that the album's lack of chronological order made it "difficult to listen to [the] songs". Despite this, he went on to say that "no other James album accurately conveys [the band's] eclecticism or their musical strengths".[5]
Awarding the album five out of five stars, Q magazine's John Aizlewood observed that "They're as stubborn (another admirable James trait) as disenfranchised mules; their audience is not growing (Whiplash sold 150,000) and they've influenced precisely nobody, but every track here – including new songs 'Runaground' and 'Destiny Calling, which unveil the mature James: "Tell us when our time is up/Show us how to die well/Show us how to let it all go" – bristles with inspiration."[6]
Clash included "Destiny Calling" on their list of the top 10 best James songs.[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks written by James, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Origin | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Come Home" (Flood mix; 1991 re-release) | Gold Mother | 3:55 | |
| 2. | "Sit Down" (1991 re-release) |
| Gold Mother | 4:04 |
| 3. | "She's a Star" | Whiplash | 3:40 | |
| 4. | "Laid" | Laid | 2:36 | |
| 5. | "Waltzing Along" (single version) | Whiplash | 3:36 | |
| 6. | "Say Something" | Laid | 3:25 | |
| 7. | "Born of Frustration" | Seven | 4:36 | |
| 8. | "Tomorrow" |
| Whiplash | 3:41 |
| 9. | "Destiny Calling" | previously unreleased | 3:50 | |
| 10. | "Out to Get You" | Laid | 4:26 | |
| 11. | "Runaground" | previously unreleased | 4:09 | |
| 12. | "Lose Control" (1991 re-release) | Gold Mother | 3:55 | |
| 13. | "Sometimes" | Laid | 4:37 | |
| 14. | "How Was It for You" | Gold Mother | 2:57 | |
| 15. | "Seven" | Seven | 3:19 | |
| 16. | "Sound" | Seven | 4:58 | |
| 17. | "Ring the Bells" | Seven | 4:43 | |
| 18. | "Hymn from a Village" |
| James II | 2:52 |
A limited edition version contains a second CD of live material, recorded at Whitfield St Studios in London on 21 January 1998:
- "Runaground"
- "Ring the Bells"
- "Out to Get You"
- "Johnny Yen"
- "Lose Control"
- "Laid"
- "Sound"
Charts
editCertifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | 3× Platinum | 900,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "New Releases: Albums". Music Week. 21 March 1998. p. 36.
- ^ "Reviews – Records Out on March 9, 1998: Singles". Music Week. 28 February 1998. p. 36.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 23 May 1998. p. 29.
- ^ "JAMES songs and albums | full Official Chart history".
- ^ a b "James - The Best of James Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b Q, April 1998
- ^ Bowes, Richard (18 January 2024). "Secrets I Can't Keep: James – Their 10 Best Songs". Clash. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "James chart history, received from ARIA on 26 October 2018". ARIA. Retrieved 24 June 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1998". Official Charts. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ "British album certifications – James – The Best of". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
