Comprised of one disc of hits and one disc of rarities, the double-disc retrospective Fishbone 101: Nuttasaurusmeg Fossil Fuelin' the Fonkay attempts to fulfill the needs of both the collector and the casual fan and winds up satisfying neither. The first disc, featuring hits and cult classics "Freddie's Dead" and "Everyday Sunshine," is a fine overview of their career, hitting nearly all of the band's best moments. On its own, it would be the album to own for casual fans. However, the second disc, while of utmost interest to dedicated followers, is filled with B-sides, demos, alternate takes, and rarities that will simply bore neophytes. Of course, all of this material is necessary for collectors, but they will probably be frustrated by the extraneous hits collection on the set. If Fishbone 101 had been separated into two individual collections, both albums would have fulfilled their goals perfectly. As it stands, it's a set that is bound to frustrate both casual and hardcore fans, and thereby can only be recommended with reservations.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo