Tooth and Nail Records, along with its cohort BEC, have released a slew of "best of" albums in the past year. Each album seems to collect about three songs from each of the band's previous albums while in most cases throwing in some redone works or a few new songs. All the bands that Brandon Ebel's labels have dedicated a retrospective album to had been on at least one of the labels since the early to mid 1990's. The most recent showcase belongs to that of "Christian" rock veterans Plankeye.
Wings to Fly closes Plankeye's musical career, which has spanned over eight years and six studio albums. The album features five original songs along with two remade Plankeye classics and twelve of the band's best songs, totaling at a remarkable 19 tracks.
As with most of Plankeye's later works, the best original tracks are the softer, more melodic songs. "Down to the Alter" and "Scared of Me," both of which feature Adam Ferry returning to the drum kit, are easily the best original songs on the album, while the more poppy "Ladies and Gentlemen" and "Captain" show some lack of lyrical depth and poetry that was evident on some of Plankeye's more pop oriented albums, especially Strange Exchange.
Wings to Fly also features remade versions of "Bicycle" and "Goodbye," although for some reason "Bicycle" is listed as an original song to this album. Regardless, the newer version of "Bicycle" is easily better than the version found on Commonwealth. The tempo has been dramatically increased and Luis' vocals have developed beautifully to complement this catchy rock song. The remade version of the Christian rock ballad classic "Goodbye" is strikingly unpleasing. The song has been slowed drastically, using minimal instrumentation and choppy vocals. Although this version of the song ends at "My voice it will be still" and leaves the entire bridge and final chorus out, it drags longer than the original.
The tracks detailing the best of Plankeye's history are of course some of the band's staple songs. One song from Strange Exchange, The Spark, and Spill and three tracks each from Relocation, The One and Only, and Commonwealth easily capture the best of the band. The only songs that seem to be missing are the singles "Commonwealth" and "Say now that you're sorry," from the band's best albums Commonwealth and Relocation, respectively. While it seems odd that radio singles would be replaced with album only tracks, it does in no way detract from this album.
As this is a best of, it isn't a necessary addition to one's record collection. However, this album is a perfect complement for anyone who stopped listening to the band after lead singer Scott Silletta and drummer Adam Ferry left or for anyone who never heard the band before "Goodbye." The songs are put in a track order so that the music doesn't get old, which makes this one of the longest albums I can sit down and listen to the whole way through. And unlike some other Tooth and Nail-related best of's, this album features enough new material to make it a good investment even if one owns all previous Plankeye releases.
B+
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by John WilsonGreatest hits albums are a unique prospect. In general, the people who would buy the greatest hits disc already have all the old songs anyway. Plankeye realizes this, so they threw five new songs and two remade cuts onto their greatest hits album, Wings to Fly. The criteria for including songs are unknown. While some of their 'greatest hits' make it on here, ("Goodbye," "Someday," "B.C.") others…Similar sounding releases
2004Gatsbys American DreamIn The Land Of Lost Monsters
2000Tragedy AnnViva La Revolucion
2005Foo FightersIn Your Honor
2003The Jealous SoundKill Them With Kindness
2003ZwanMary Star of the Sea
2003BleachAstronomy
