HISTORY NEVER REPEATS: THE BEST OF SPLIT ENZ (AUSTRALIAN VERSION)

This 30th Anniversary compilation is not as good as Spellbound (which is the best compilation of the band by a long shot) but still features the very best of Split Enz. It is sorely missing any rare or non released material that Spellbound featured. Overall you have the usual brilliant tracks that all Enz fans have grown to adore such as History Never Repeats, Dirty Creature, My Mistake, I See Red, I Got you, Shark Attack, One Step Ahead, Pioneer/ Six Months in a Leaky Boat, Poor Boy, I Hope I Never, and Message to My Girl. I Walk Away is a bonus track which makes this different to the original version but it is not really enough to recommend one over the other. The track Charlie is Live and a bit of a curiosity in a sense for that reason but it was never one of their best tracks, rather a vintage look at their early incarnation, played in a recent concert here.

The Enz transformed over the years from colourful costumed mannequins on acid to clean cut ladie's magnets. However, the sound transformed even greater as is evident on this compilation. The pop 80s were inundated by Split Enz on the charts and we Australians heard ad infinitum 'I Got You' and '6 Months on a Leaky Boat' on a daily basis. In fact I think I hear it striking up on the radio now! However they are so good one can't really complain. This compilation is really the singles and nothing else and here is where it falls down for me as there was so much more to this band.

In a manner of speaking this compilation is a condensed version of Spellbound but not as good as it doesn't feature their early prog related tracks from the first 3 albums. Semi Detached is missing as is some of their best material from Second Thoughts. Therefore this is no more than a poor man's version of what the Enz churned out from the 70s to 80s. I can only recommend this if you are desperate to hear what they sound like, but you are far better advised to grab hold of Spellbound which showcases the progressive side of the band.