The Best Of

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Ultimately, the Faces’ legacy is not built on concepts, or even songs, but spirit. The band’s greatness comes from the feeling they brought to the material — the looseness and affection with which they delivered the music. That essence is imparted on <i>Good Boys When They’re Asleep</i>, a best-of compiled by keyboardist Ian McLagan. The collection touches on every stage of the band’s brief, four-album career, and places famous songs (“Stay With Me,” “Ooh la la”) next to overlooked but crucial album tracks (“Bad ‘n’ Ruin,” “Debris,” “Glad and Sorry,” “Borstal Boys”). The collection also makes available a pair of tunes drawn from the band’s final two singles: “Pool Hall Richard” and “You Can Make Me Dance, Sing, or Anything…” both excellent, although the latter song features replacement bassist Tetsu Yamauchi instead of Ronnie Lane. Though the band persisted until 1975, Lane’s 1973 departure effectively ended the Faces, and if there is a downside to <i>Good Boys</i> it’s that it should put a bigger emphasis on Lane’s contributions. Rod Stewart was the band’s mouthpiece and salesman, but Lane, undoubtedly, was its heart.

via Apple Music