Greatest 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 don't. Notably, their most recent full-length release, Strange Exchange, is represented by just one song. Most of the old songs come from the pop-punk Scott Silletta era rather than the melodic, moody Plankeye of recent years.
The new songs are a mixed bag. Drummer Adam Ferry, who jumped ship with Silletta to start Fanmail, returns for two songs here, which is a nice touch. "Captain" rocks with a defiant vibe, and the chorus of "Down to the Altar" has a classic hymn feel. "Scared of Me," though, recycles the "Goodbye" formula of slow, pensive verses and an upbeat bridge. And the vocals on "Psalm 20" are woefully undermixed to the point of being unintelligible.
The band also offers new versions of two classic songs. "Bicycle," which originally appeared on their Commonwealth album, is given a more upbeat, fast-paced treatment, which is interesting, but still can't outdo the original. The new version of "Goodbye," arguably their best-known song, is even slower than the original, and leaves out the rave-up bridge, instead trailing off into nothingness, accompanied by a mournful organ.
The Plankeye fans at whom this album is targeted most likely own the band's back catalog anyway. Plankeye should have tossed out the 'greatest hits' part of the album, shaved ten bucks off the price, and released the seven new cuts as an EP. Or, as long as they were in the studio recording seven new songs anyway, they could have just done three more and released another full-length album. As it stands, the new songs and 19-track length are nice, but what's the point?
2.5 tocks
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