Faces - The Best Of Faces Good Boys When Theyre Asleep (19 tracks) +Album Reviews

Top Notch Collection from an Underrated Band

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Faces never got the respect (or the audience) they deserved. Despite the fact that they cracked the U.S. Top Forty only once--"Stay with Me," No. 17 in 1972--over a brief three-year period in the early seventies they produced some of the most raucus, ballsy rock 'n' roll of the era.Listen to bands like the Georgia Sattelites and the Black Crowes and you'll hear that they owe as much to the Faces as they do to the Rolling Stones.This 19-track collection covers the Faces' entire four studio album career--nothing from the live Coast To Coast recorded after bassist Ronnie Lane left the band. You get three songs from First Step and Long Player, six from A Nod Is As Good As a Wink and four from Ooh La La. In addition you get "Pool Hall Richard" and "You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything" (which was previously available only on the long out-of-print Snakes and Ladders: The Best of the Faces from 1976) and the previously unreleased "Open to Ideas."Keep in mind, this is only a compilation and as such some of your favorite tracks are going to be missing. [Personally, I would have liked to have had "Around the Plynth" from First Step, and "Richmond" and "Maybe I'm Amazed" from Long Player.] What you do get is the entire range of the Faces' repertoire: classic rockers like "Stay with Me" and "Bad 'n' Ruin" and tender ballads like "Sweet Lady Mary" and "Debris." Conflicting egos couldn't hold the band together. By 1973 Ronnie Lane left to form Slim Chance. Rod Stewart's solo career was taking off. Ron Wood would soon become Mick Taylor's replacement in the Rolling Stones. What is left behind is some terrific rock 'n' roll. Start with this well-chosen collection, but you'll want to go back and also get their other albums because after hearing these 19 songs, you'll be wanting more. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

The World's Greatest Bar Band

J. Carroll | Island Heights,NJ | 11/04/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What great talent! Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLaglin, and Kenny Jones, all talented performers, who created for a short while, the world's greatest bar band. Rocking hard and playing loosely this band just seemed to throw things together and hope for the best. Not just a back up band for Stewart, Faces created music for a Saturday night, out on the town, hitting the clubs, and having a real good time doing it. Listening to songs like "Cindy Incidentally," "Pool Hall Richard" and "Borstal Boys," you can hear the skill of the band, but Faces always seemed to be more about having fun. This collection is more complete than Snakes and Ladders and you will be hard pressed to find a band that better epitomizes the swagger of good old-fashioned rock and roll. There are many bands that have created more memorable music, but few that sound like they are having more fun."

When Rod & Woody ROCKED...a must have

Thomas Downey | Roseville, MI USA | 08/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rod Stewart should have retired years ago...today he wouldn't know a good rock & roll song if it bit him. But back in the day, Rod was one of the best. This disc is the testement to Rod when he was the Mod.But the Faces were far more than just Rod's backing band. Ron Wood slathered some mean guitar licks, the like he hasn't played since joining that other band. Ronnie Lane penned some sweet songs and (gasp) actually stole the mic from Rod a few times. The music is raw, edgy & loose; so loose it almost feels like it could fall apart at any second like 5 drunkards walking into a wall. But it holds together, and it rocks.If you're a fan of the old Stones, Black Crowes, early Aerosmith, the Replacements or the like, you should own this. If you think Rod's heyday was the 80's, you should be beaten about the head & shoulders, given a bottle of bad whiskey & forced to listen to this. Sadly Rod hasn't sung like this in years, nor will he ever again. Your eyes will be opened.All rock & roll should be this good."

Almost perfect!

Thomas Downey | 08/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a Faces fanatic of long standing, I can't tell you how long I waited for a decent best-of compilation CD to come out. I wasn't holding my breath, though; after all, they only had one radio hit ("Stay With Me"), and even that song is often (mis)identified as simply a Rod Stewart song. So God bless the good people at Rhino for finally giving an underappreciated band its due. All the shoulda-been-hits are here, sounding better than ever; I really believe Mr. Stewart's performances with the Faces were the pinnacle of his career, better even than his early solo albums. And you can really appreciate Ronnie Wood's guitar skills here because he's not taking a back seat to Keith Richards. The liner notes by critic Dave Marsh do a good job of explaining what this band was all about, but even without such editorial assistance, the music itself could more than stand on its own. Of course, there are some worthy songs that aren't included ("Tell Everyone," for instance, or "Richmond," or "The Pineapple And The Monkey"), but more likely than not the compilers simply ran out of room to put more music on a single CD. Perhaps Rhino will eventually put out a more complete 2-CD anthology package. 'Til then, however, this is the perfect introduction to the Ultimate Party Band."

A Definite Desert Island CD ..You Can Bring the Gin as well.

Original Mixed Up-Kid | New York United States | 02/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What we have here are the standout tracks from one of the better UK bands that graced the world of rock.

As a unit the post Steve Marriott Faces were very cohesive in the studio with a unique recklessness that remained true to the spirit of rebellion while never being sloppy.

The gorgeous elegance of the ballads, the primal emotion of the rock and roll,the heartfelt blues were structured in the vein of looseness but always remained solid in their great musicianship..Their sound flowed not like many others..They sounded like musicians at play but great playing is what they created.

This CD is one great sampler, one excellent play list of tracks..The Stones comparison is not valid...Rod Stewart, upon leaving Jeff Beck sang with that continuous raspy swagger but not so much as the front man but as a member of the band,Ronnie Woods guitar playing is and was reckless abandon and remains a key element of greatness and was a great fit with his style of play and his persona to the Stones ,Ronnie Lane's voice bass playing and compositions that touch of UK nostalgia casts him into history as one great rock ballader,as the drummer Kenny Jones whose talent was recognized by The Who as he became their drummer after the death of Keith Moon..and the naturally good-time dance hall rock and funky wizardry of keyboardsist Ian McLagan glued the faces as one heck of a great band..The tracks cover their 5 studio albums,their Best Of CD and an unreleased track from 1975 that is unmistakable Faces.

The very loose and patchy Coast To Coast Live album is not represented but some great live cuts are found on their box set which is a must as well...

"

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