Culture Club Album: “Greatest Moments: Best of Culture Club [Japan Bonus Tracks]”

Being an ardent fan of both Culture Club and Boy George, let me confess that I own all of their original releases and many of their Best Of collections and that I love them all, including this one. This acknowledged, I must nevertheless admit that my approval of this particular compilation is somewhat qualified by comparison. The first thirteen tracks are those that can usually be found on almost any collection of the group's hits and, consequently, represent some of their most popular and accessible songs. What makes this cd unusual are the five rare remixes that comprise tracks fourteen through eighteen. The Do You Really Want to Hurt Me, Church of the Poison Mind, Time Clock of the Heart, and the Kharma Chameleon Giants in Reo remixes are all excellent renditions of some of Culture Club's finest music. Each one manages to transform the familiar lyrics and rhythms of these classics in a fashion which highlights, rather than distorts, the energy and emotion so evident in the original tracks. Unfortunately, track fifteen, the Ram Jam Kharma Chameleon mix, is less successful than these other four. Somehow, the alteration in tempo and its failure to mesh smoothly with the vocals erases that undefinable something that made the first 1983 Kharma Chameleon release one of my all-time favorite songs. On the whole, therefore, I believe this cd is definitely worth the purchase for the avid fan or obsessive collector, like myself, in search of new versions of old favorites or some fine rare remixes, but perhaps not for those casual listeners only looking for a moderately comprehensive collection of Culture Club's most familiar hits.

If you're a CC fan, you already own all these songs already, but...get this Japanese rare Import CD if only for the FIVE, yup, FIVE amazing new REMIXES tacked onto the end of the CD, featuring stunning additional production by KINKY ROLAND, YUKIHIRO FUKOTOMI, and more - killer stuff for the true CD/Boy fan/collector alike!