Goldfinger

The Best Of Goldfinger [CD/DVD] (2005)

Brian Shultz

There's certainly a number of things to discuss when bringing up Goldfinger. While the band is partially responsible for the mid-90's third wave ska revival explosion, they also put out Goldfinger, widely considered one of the top albums of its genre. But like many of their peers (Less Than Jake, the Suicide Machines, Reel Big Fish), the band slowly alienated a good portion of their fanbase with releases focusing a fair deal more on punk-pop / pop-rock as time passed. They achieved a second wave of fame in one of the least credible ways possible (a cover), and then found front-man John Feldmann taking advantage of their popularity to spread his vegan beliefs. It's been a mildly bizzarre journey with its healthy share of backlash. Five full-lengths later the band is given the greatest hits treatment in the form of a "Best Of" compilation CD and DVD.

The Best Of Goldfinger, while a bit untimely and suspiciously released barely a month after the band's latest proper full-length, Disconnection Notice, is a mostly complete package, the CD version containing 17 tracks (13 "hits," 1 previously unreleased, 3 movie soundtrack cuts) and a DVD with all the band's music videos and a few previously unreleased live videos from 2003 performances at the House of Blues. So while this purchase is questionable for the aforementioned who were alienated about halfway through the band's catalog, it's essential for completists and a likely buy for lifelong fans.

While void of tracks from Disconnection Notice, the chronological track listing draws fairly equally from the rest of Goldfinger's albums. Goldfinger provides three, Hang-Ups three, the band's covers EP, Darrin's Coconut Ass: Live one, Stomping Ground four, and Open Your Eyes three. "The Innocent," the band's post-9/11, MP3.com-only tribute and collaboration with Mest and Good Charlotte is sure to elicit some groans from listeners, while the more NOFX-esque "Hopeless" is pretty interesting, and closer "Rio" a raw throwback with some funky keyboards and upstroke-laced chorus. "Here In Your Bedroom" is a nicely modest and more ska-influenced opener for the disc, and its fellow album tracks here should be enough to stir up nostalgia for anyone who had their interest in the band long stripped.

The DVD contains a total of 8 videos, with the only real standouts including the Alien spoof of "This Lonely Place" and the subject of incest and the corporate marketing of the meat and tobacco industry in "Open Your Eyes" (the latter is honestly the most well put together and shot video of the bunch). While shrewdly thrown together is ten minutes of relatively throwaway "bonus footage" as well, the two live videos for "Spokesman" and "Stay" are well-shot with crystal clear audio.

While The Best Of… is certainly a healthy package for Goldfinger fans, the only issue left deciding is how much of a Goldfinger fan you actually still are.