This two-disc career retrospective from stalwart Newfoundlanders
Great Big Sea spans a 20-year recording career that included ten full-length studio albums. Compiled by the band's members,
XX is split into two distinct volumes. The first disc focuses on the group’s more pop-oriented material, while the second one leans harder on the folk side of the spectrum, with highlights coming from fan favorites/live staples like "Old Black Rum," "Mary Mac," and "General Taylor." A handful of new cuts, most of which land somewhere in between the two styles, will be of interest to longtime fans, but for the most part,
XX serves as a well-stocked introduction to the spirited Canadian group. ~ James Christopher Monger