Released at the peak of ' popularity in the early '80s, 1983's effectively chronicles the time when the duo could do no wrong -- namely, the period between 1980's and 1982's , which includes only one other album, 1981's excellent . While this reaches back to their early-'70s work for for the only big hit they had at the label, and also has their two other big hits from that decade, and the bulk of derives from those three albums: That's a long list of singles, but it still misses some terrific singles from this era, including (the latter two were included as bonus tracks on / 's 2006 reissue). As good as those songs may be, doesn't necessarily miss them: with the exception of a live version of (good, but not essential), this is the cream of the crop of ' best period, and it makes for a tight, excellent listen, and it's bolstered by the sublime and the good rocker Latter-day compilations like 2001's and 2004's (which was reissued a year later under the title ) may cover their entire career in more detail -- and the duo certainly made great music before and after this era -- but as a snapshot of at their finest, can't be beat. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine