Drawn from the first four of five albums the band cut for
Epic
during the mid- to late '70s,
Greatest Hits
is a dynamic selection, highlighted by the two hits
Sailor
scored during 1975-1976 but in no way dominated by them. Indeed, the signature sound that the group perfected for
"Glass of Champagne"
and
"Girls Girls Girls"
is swiftly revealed as just one of several at its disposal. From smoky dockside
cabaret
(
"One Drink Too Many"
) to nostalgically tear-drenched
music hall
memories (
"Josephine Baker"
),
melded catchy melody to vibrant production, then layered heavenly harmonies over all, a trick comparable to either
the Beach Boys
or
10cc
-- and at its most memorable, the ecologically prescient
"Traffic Jam"
(from the group's debut), both at once. Neither was there any slackening of quality as the band aged. The two selections from its fourth album, the dramatically
surf
-whipped
"Romance"
and the street-smart
"Put Your Mouth Where the Money Is,"
are as vibrant as any of their predecessors -- and that despite the band's fame and acclaim being firmly in the past by that time. Indeed, the very release of
appeared to place a full stop at the end of
's U.K. career, although the group itself would remain a force elsewhere in Europe until well into the 1980s. There has never been a straight CD release of
. However, 1990's
Girls Girls Girls: The Very Best of Sailor
serves up 13 of the original collection's 14 tracks, then adds three more. [
Sony
's 1996 reissue featured seven bonus tracks.] ~ Dave Thompson