Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best sound & best comp, February 1, 2005
This 2003 compilation (covering both the Decca and Immediate eras)has the best mastering of any SF title in print. The 1999 "Darlings" set has plenty of nice rareties not included here, but the sound of this set beats that one hands down. The entire debut album is on the first disc - and unlike the Deram remaster from '97 - the material explodes from your speakers like the early Who at their best. The Decca material is raw, soulful, maximimum r & b/rock and roll, with hints of the introspection and psychedelia to come. The Immediate material is simply breathtaking in its scope and variety.And those(Immediate) tracks on disc two are - unlike Fuel 2000's thin sounding transfers - full-bodied, with plenty of beautifully defined bass and drums from one of the most subtle rhythm sections in rock, Ronnie Lane and Kenny Jones. I suggest to any SF newbie, buy this collection and listen close, dance, laugh, cry - then pick up the rest of this classic band's catalog, for they were as great in their day (1965 - 69) as Faces (SF minus Steve Marriott, replaced by Ron Wood and Rod Stewart) would be in theirs (1969 - 75). Together, two of the very best rock and roll bands during a very critical and constantly evolving decade.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant sixties rock group, February 16, 2005
The Small Faces were one of the most distinctive groups of the sixties and have continued to be a major influence on rock music down the years. The founder members were Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenny Jones and Jimmy Winston. Jimmy didn't last long and was replaced by Ian McLagan after their debut single, Whatcha gonna do about it, made the UK top twenty. With the new line-up, the Small Faces had several major UK hits.
Sha la la la lee, Hey girl, All or nothing and My mind's eye were all huge UK hits, with All or nothing going all the way to number one. After a minor hit with I can't help it, they left Decca and signed for the Immediate label.
They just missed the UK top ten with Here come the nice. Itchycoo Park made the UK top three and the American top five (it was their only American hit). Tin Soldier made the UK top ten. Lazy Sunday, a brilliant summer song, was a UK number two hit. The universal made the UK top twenty in 1968, after which the group disbanded. Afterglow of your love became a minor UK hit in 1969. Re-issues of Itchycoo Park (a top ten hit in 1975) and Lazy Sunday (a minor hit in 1976) complete their chart history, unless there are further successful re-issues.
After the group disbanded, Steve Marriot, the lad singer, formed Humble Pie (best known for their UK top five hit, Natural born boogie) while the other three formed the Faces with another musician, Ronnie Wood, and a new lead singer, Rod Stewart.
The music of Humble Pie and the Faces is outside the scope of this compilation, which provides a comprehensive study of the Small Faces' music from both Decca and Immediate labels, including all their UK hits and many great album tracks. Note that most hits compilations tend to have either the Decca tracks or the Immediate tracks. If you buy this, you may never need another Small Faces collection, although even this one does not contain everything.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Virtually Everything You Need Is Here, January 29, 2008
A great 2 disc set from a band often overlooked by many. I normally don't buy collections or greatest hits albums because the music is often re-buffed and can sometimes loose its feel. I purchased this collection though, because all the songs I liked were right here, versus having to buy 4 different albums. I was surprised by this groups diversity as in some of the tracks can almost be classed as "bubblegum", while others are much more "acidic" (mainly those done '68-'69).
The biggest kick is that you get to listen to the evolution of a young Steve Marriot prior to him linking up with Peter Frampton to form Humble Pie. Songs like "Tin Soldier" and "Afterglow" are simply AWESOME and show the power of Steve's voice and the direction he was heading with the music. A great collection that offers a great preview of one of the greastest rock voices the world has ever come to know.
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See all 25 tracks on this disc
by The Small Faces 
