Music | CD Review: Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits, Vol 2
By Conor Luke Barry, Otwo Editor | Sep 9 2008
Artist: Goo Goo DollsAlbum: Goo Goo Dolls Greatest Hits Volume 2 Rating: D+It is rare that a band has enough quality material to fill one ‘Greatest Hits’, so when the Goo Goo Dolls waltz in with their Greatest Hits volume 2, you know that we’re in dodgy territory.Of course Volume 2 is destined to be made up of the less popular tracks from already-released albums alongside the unreleased, yet clearly inferior material, labelled ‘B-sides’.Presumably aimed at the die-hard fans the album comes off as an unnecessary cash cow.Tracks like ‘Hate This Place’ and ‘I’m Awake Now’ sound like a mediocre warm-up act at an open mic night.The album also includes an extra disc of live performances and music videos in what seems suspiciously like a quantity over quality logic. It is as if the label is apologising for such a lacklustre album by shoving as much extra material in as possible.Even so, there are some hidden gems on the disc. ‘Torn Apart’ and ‘Slave Girl’ are examples of their more original early punk style. The difference is welcome and refreshing, and could be considered the highlight of the album.However, even these tracks cannot make up for the disappointing overall package. If you are a die-hard fan, there may be a certain appeal and you can bump that score up a grade point, however you will be disappointed with this soon-to-be dust gathering release.In a Nutshell: An unnecessary anthology of unremarkable work packed with bonus features appealing only for the obsessed.