1978-1990

A summation of the Go-Betweens' rewarding body of work. Frustratingly, several of their best numbers were left off in favor of some so-so ones. Even so, this collection is invaluable because besides a complete discography, personnel history, and liner notes courtesy of Forster and McLennan, it contains a few interesting unreleased tracks, two good early singles ("People Say" and "I Need Two Heads"), as well as some of the best of the Go-Betweens' frequently amazing B-sides, including the shimmering "Rock and Roll Friend." From that perspective, it's a worthy epitaph for a special band. [Collectors/world travelers: Look out for the double-CD/record Japanese/U.K. versions that include all the tracks mentioned above — the U.S. release is a single CD that eliminates six of the rarities.]