Greatest Hits [Steel Box Collection], from Sony's German division, is devoted to album versions as opposed to the single edits and mixes of Bangles hits like "September Gurls," "Walk Like an Egyptian," "If She Knew What She Wants," "Hero Takes a Fall," "Live," "Manic Monday," "James," "Complicated Girl," "Bell Jar," and "Eternal Flame." The running time is exactly 32 minutes, and the sound is state-of-the-art, which means not only nice and loud but with a lot of presence -- this CD puts the instruments in your lap and the voices in your ear, drums and rippling guitars filling the room even on cheap speakers. You have to love little details like the multi-layered guitar parts exposed on their version of Emitt Rhodes' "Live," which comes out like a live performance. The only thing missing that would make this low mid-priced import perfect is "A Hazy Shade of Winter," which somehow got overlooked. There are no notes and none needed.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo