The Guess Who Album: “Anthology”

For starters, this is definitely the best Guess Who compilation based on song selection and sound quality. Its an obvious choice for new listeners or someone who wants to buy one Guess Who cd. This is a double cd and for even casual listeners, any available single cd collection is simply a waste of money. The single cd's will always leave out better songs to include all of the so-called "essential" hits which of course includes "Clap for Wolfman" which is really not one of their shining moments. What really makes the song selection so great here is the inclusion of the pre-"Wheatfield Soul" selections, especially the early top 40 hit, "Shaking All Over" which is suprisingly difficult to find on cd. The others are also very enjoyable. The more obscure non-singles and non-hits such as "Those Show Biz Shoes", "Hoe Down Time", "Wednesday in your Garden", "Pain Train" and "Dreams" are mostly excellent. Listeners only familiar with the biggest hits will certainly enjoy hearing these songs for the first time. As a long time fan familiar with all their recordings, I could quibble with a few selections where I would have choosen to select what I consider to be even better songs such as "Running down the street". But, there is no denying this cd successfully achieves what other compilations missed. Specifically, great sound quality and comprehensive, intelligent song selection.

Now this is more like it. This is what I consider the complete "Guess Who". While all of the hits are there and since they have all been reviewed to death over the years especially (dare I say it) "American Woman" I'll focus on some of the songs that should have been hits or overlooked album cuts that are also happily included . From the "B' side of the hit "Laughing" is "Broken", one of the best "B" side ballads never released on its own. The practice that took place back in the 70's in Canada anyways was to sometimes release a single as a two sided hit hence it was known as "Laughing/Broken". Also is the pre Guess Who tune by the then named "Chad Allen and the Expressions" "Shakin' all Over" as well as an alternate version of "Shakin'" Other songs that deserved to be included " Smoke Big Factory" and "Shoe Biz Shoes" are also represented. Randy Bachman the lead guitarist and Burton Cummings the main vocalist and keyboard player were a terific duo as songwriting partners. They had differences and Bachman had other successes with the groups "Brave Belt, Union, Ironhorse and of course Bachman-Turner Overdrive" as well as both he and Cummings having solo successes. They reunited over the last year and seeing them together again was pure magic. If you can't see them live you can relive it through these cuts. Or buy their live CD and DVD as well to complete the set.

If you're a fan or have more than a single-disc, passing interest in the Guess Who, this set is exactly what you need. It is essential in multiple respects.

Previous Guess Who compilations have been marred in any number of ways, first by limited song selection, then later by lackluster mastering. Early comps were issued in the days of vinyl and as such were designed for the space limitations of that medium. Fine for their day, they did not translate to an expanded digital format all that well. Attempting to give the band their due, RCA surprised even fanatics by issuing an exhaustive, three-disc collection back in the mid-'90s. At first glance, it appeared to contain all the Guess Who one would need. A few fan-favorite tracks were missing - not an uncommon complaint with comps - but a generous helping of obscure album tracks were included. Unfortunately, the so-called mastering engineer over-equalized and compressed the everloving s**t out of the tracks, resulting in excessive, distorted frequencies and hiss, and leaving the music with virtually no dynamic range or room to breathe. It quite literally sounded like listening to a bad FM broadcast.

Most previous grievances are rectified with "Anthology", a nearly perfect retrospective. First, the track selection is superb. All the hits from 1965-1975 are here including "Shakin' All Over", making this the first and only truly comprehensive Guess Who compilation to be had. Second, a handful of tracks are represented by their rare, superior single mixes, appealing to collectors. As with other GW comps, a few fan favorites are absent but scarsely missed as outstanding album tracks such as "Pain Train", "The Answer" and "Cardboard Empire" make their U.S. digital debut here. Lastly, kudos to mastering engineer Vic Anesini, who makes no ill-advised, vain attempts to over-compress, over-EQ, or over-modulate volume levels, easily making this the best-sounding GW comp ever.

My only complaint with the set is that the "Canned Wheat" tracks run a bit too fast. I suppose it is possible that that album and its singles have always been mastered at the wrong speed and the intent was to correct that anomaly, but they sound sharp and unnaturally fast here. (This would not be an unprecedented move: when it was discovered that the Stones' "Beggars Banquet" and side one of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" had always been mastered too slow, decisions were made to restore those classics to their intended, faster pitch on subsequent reissues.)

Prior to obtaining this excellent CD release I was an occasional listener of The Guess Who. This CD has made me a 'full time' listener. This band was tight. All the songs on this CD grow on you, some catch your attention right away. With each album they grew musically, you can hear it as the music progresses year by year. Burton Cummings was the "jewel" that made this band shine. His contribution was essential to their success. After hearing this CD I'm ready to purchase The Guess Who's entire collection. Purchase "Anthology" you won't be disappointed.

I had gotten "The Guess Who at Thier Best" 3 years ago but this Anthology is the best and closest thing you will come to a greatest hits package from TGW. I knew of most of the songs but there are so many gems that I hadnt heard I was very pleased with them. The first disc I had heard most of the songs but hearing The Answer, Broken, Pain Train, When Friends Fall Out (Single Version), It's My Pride, Do You Miss Me Darlin', and Shakin' All Over was very cool. The second disc had the majourity of stuff I hadnt heard and thier are a couple of songs that stick for me which include, Smoke Big Factory, Samantha's Living Room (Donnie Mcdougal sings this song, which is quite different considering I thought Burton would sing it), Those Show Biz Shoes, Carboard Empire, and the Domenic Trioano co-written song When The Band Was Singin' Shakin All Over.

If you looking for the ULTIMATE greatest hits compolation, from The Guess Who this is the one to get!