del Amitri
Hatful of Rain: The Best of del Amitri

Appeared Exclusively at The Music Box On-line in December 1998

Written by John Metzger

Greatest hits collections are sometimes hit-and-miss affairs that frequently overlook some of the better aspects of a band's catalogue. This is not the case, however, with del Amitri's latest offering Hatful of Rain: The Best of del Amitri. Indeed, del Amitri has a knack for writing infectious pop songs that contain a folk-oriented twist, but too often its albums are churned out before its material is truly ready. In other words, Hatful of Rain: The Best of del Amitri collects the finest moments from each of the group's outings in order to form the definitive del Amitri collection. Throughout the endeavor, the ensemble molds acoustic and electric instrumentation into solid pop gems like the lively Roll to Me, the anthemic Stone Cold Sober, and the country-tinged Kiss This Thing Goodbye. On the mellower side of things are the tight vocal harmonies and swirling organ of Here and Now and the lonely desperation of both Move Away Jimmy Blue and Nothing Ever Happens.

Hatful of Rain: The Best of del Amitri should help to grab some respect for the del Amitri. After all, it's packed with cleverly written pop songs that display the best of the group's songwriting capabilities. Respect is something del Amitri clearly deserves and might have gotten sooner if only it hadn't rounded out each of its albums with fluff. Perhaps a greatest hits package is what it needs to circle the wagons, refocus its energy, and put together a cohesive package of new material. ½

Hatful of Rain: The Best of del Amitri is available from
Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here!

Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 1998 The Music Box