Clocking in at just 25 minutes, 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection: The Best of Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders nevertheless manages to capture the main highlights of
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, as well as those of
the Mindbenders' and
Fontana's separate careers.
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders' chart-topping "The Game of Love," the
Mindbenders' "A Groovy Kind of Love" and
Wayne Fontana's pretty "Pamela, Pamela," are all featured here, along with a few of the less well-known tracks from
the Mindbenders, both with and without
Fontana. The
Lennon and
McCartney-esque "She Needs Love" doesn't have the impact of "The Game of Love," but it does display some of the range that
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders had; "It's Getting Harder All of the Time," is another archetypal piece of brisk
british invasion pop; and the literate, mildly
psychedelic "Schoolgirl" suggests the direction
the Mindbenders could have gone in with better luck and songwriting. Big fans of
Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders will probably want a more in-depth collection, like
Fontana's 1994 anthology The Best of Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders; however, despite its brevity, 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection: The Best of Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders gives more casual listeners a good grounding in the band's history. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
