Idlewild celebrate 10 years with a best of.
No matter how much I love a band I usually regard greatest hits albums as entirely superfluous. However after being a huge fan of Idlewild for many years I must admit that they deserve one on account of the amount of massively loveable singles they've managed to produce.
This collection gets of to an exhilarating start with 'You Held the World in Your Arms' leaving you barely a moment to catch your breath before launching into 'No Emotion', 'Roseability' and 'When I Argue I See Shapes'. Then the pace shifts to incorporate the lush fragility of 'Love Steals Us From Loneliness' and the epic torch song 'American English'. Next comes firm favourite 'These Wooden Ideas', which is nicely nestled next to the gorgeously stirring 'El Capitan'.
Things then step up a gear for 'A Modern Way of Letting Go' before settling down into my personal favourite from this collection 'Let Me Sleep (Next to the Mirror)'. Still exquisite lyrically and musically sublime, 'Let Me Sleep...'is just one of many examples of Roddy Woomble's strength as a songwriter. Although not a personal favourite 'I'm a Message' fits well in this collection although 'In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction' serves as a reminder of how much the band have evolved throughout their career.
'Little Discourage' is still an outstanding example of Idlewild's knack for catchy songs on sombre subjects and although a fans favourite seems often overlooked. 'As if I Hadn't Slept' is harmoniously lovely and understated.
If 'Scottish Fiction' was a setlist for an Idlewild gig it would certainly be a crowd pleaser, and although I think the likes of 'Satan Polaroid' and 'Everyone Says You're So Fragile' should have been included that's a minor gripe to have about a best of that is such good value. There is no need for any 'filler' songs here and although a new single would have been nice I've no doubt that fans will love the selection of songs here and there's a special edition version with a DVD too.