Mike ScottThe Waterboys
The Whole of the Moon: The Music of Mike Scott & The Waterboys
(1998)
Reviewed by Steven S. Baldwin
Does it get any better than this? The Waterboys may not have ever reached the critical mass needed to earn the title World's Greatest Band, but the critical and fan recognition they have received is more than deserved. Their unique blend of classic and folk rock with Celtic and even jazz influences has a timeless appeal--a fact to which this most recent greatest hits collection bears solid testimony. If you are at all fond of the band, you'll be pleased to know that this is the most definitive greatest hits collection to date, including many of the Waterboys's staples from most of their incarnations, and more recent work from Mike Scott's two solo albums. If you haven't gotten to know them yet, here's a superb starting point on a most rewarding musical and spiritual exploration.
Even though the band is now officially defunct, it's a great year to be a Waterboys fan. Following the release of Mike Scott's second solo album, Still Burning, late last year in the UK and recently here in the States, we've seen a two-disc live album, The Live Adventures of The Waterboys. Both come highly recommended, and this new disc is just the icing on a wonderful three-layer cake. The Whole of the Moon boasts sixteen great songs covering nearly fifteen years of their history, including two live cuts and a never-before-released song, "Higher In Time." As an added bonus, the sleeve also provides lyrics and band photos.
Unlike their last retrospective, The Best of The Waterboys '81 - '90 which excluded more recent work, this new one offers a better view of the whole picture to date. A picture with some glaring omissions. CD time constraints prevented the inclusion of many songs that should have been on here, thus the older collection isn't entirely eclipsed. Actually, there are only four repeats which are natural choices for duplicate inclusion: "The Whole of The Moon," "Strange Boat," "Fisherman's Blues" and a previously unreleased live version "A Girl Called Johnny." There could have easily been more, as the eight songs from the previous album are also worthy of repeated recognition, especially "Spirit" and "Don't Bang the Drum." Not only that, but curiously neither collection contains some earlier hits like "A Church Not Made With Hands" and "Savage Earth Heart."
Although this album is better represented, one of the best songs from 1986's Fisherman's Blues, "We Will Not Be Lovers," should have been added as well. (At least some of these songs can be found on the recent live release.) Their most-acclaimed 1985 album, This Is The Sea, is best featured on both greatest hits packages. Between them only two songs, "Trumpets" and "Be My Enemy" are excluded. Sadly, 1990's Room to Roam, the most neglected Waterboys album, is practically overlooked on both discs. It offers only one song on either collection, "A Man Is In Love," and The Whole of the Moon ignores that album's contributions entirely. "A Life of Sundays" and "Raggle Taggle Gypsy" were obvious choices missed both times. Who knows how the powers-that-be make their selections?
At least The Whole of the Moon picks up where the other left off, with two of the better songs from 1993's Dream Harder, although even here "Good News" could have been added as well. Other personal favorites sadly absent include "Everlasting Arms" from Still Burning and "Bring 'em All In" from the 1995 Mike Scott solo album of the same name. Sometimes you can't have it all. Obviously, a two-disc collection would have better represented The Whole of the Moon. The answer to this dilemma: buy them both! Put them into your CD disc-changer and enjoy. After all, a song as brilliant as "The Whole of The Moon" bears repeating. It's best to view both greatest hits albums as being complementary companion pieces, especially given the low number of repeated songs. Of course, you could tape both discs, add your own choice of missing hits, and pretend you have your own box set. With The Waterboys, more is always better.
The Best of The Waterboys '81 - '90 track listing:
A Girl Called Johnny
The Big Music
All The Things She Gave Me
The Whole of the Moon
Spirit
Don't Bang the Drum
Fisherman's Blues
Killing My Heart
Strange Boat
And a Bang on the Ear
Old England
A Man is in Love.
The Whole of the Moon track listing:
The Whole of the Moon
Glastonbury Song
Medicine Bow
Fisherman's Blues
A Girl Called Johnny (live)
The Pan Within
She Is So Beautiful
Rare Precious and Gone (live radio session version)
Strange Boat
Red Army Blues
This Is The Sea
Higher In Time (previously unreleased)
The Return of Pan
What Do You Want Me To Do?
When Ye Go Away
Love Anyway
5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
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