Fun Lovin' Criminals – Bag Of Hits

New York trio that with an amalgam of funky hip hop, rock and jazz since the late 1990s stormed the charts. For single Scooby Snacks (1996) were dialogues from the hip cult films by Quentin Tarentino and used together with a tough crime video grew this song into a hit. This success the band knew never to match, but the albums were always sold well. Albums like 100% Colombian (1998), Loco (2001) and Classic Fantastic (2010) threw in Netherlands high eyes, so that the Fun Lovin' Criminals can expect a nice fan base.

OK, so let's start off by saying that fans of the band (which I am) need absolutely not bother with the 1-disc edition; it has no added value whatsoever, consisting - as it does - of the hits from "Come Find Yourself", "100% Columbian", and "Loco" - plus one track from "Mimosa". It is, however, an excellent choice for the casual listener and people who want a door into the always entertaining world of the FLC.

The bonus CD, however, is a great find; 12 mixes, 5 of which previously unreleased, all showing the utmost respect for the source material - meaning that while the various contributors all put their signature on the tracks, none opted for the all-too-prevalent trend of basically replacing the source with 'beeps and hisses' that have nothing to do with the original. Instead, all of the mixes enhance the music and (in some cases) put a different accent on the atmosphere - the proper, loving way to make a remix.

Outstanding tracks here are "King Of New York", as remixed by Jack "Meat Beat" Dangers, and the Rockamental Version of "Scooby Snacks", with a fuller, smoother reworking of the layout.

In a sentence: tight compilation, with EXCELLENT remixes on disc 2.