Review Summary: A laudably complete slow collection bogged down by the inclusion of too many filler songs.
As any semi-experienced band will know, the next step you have to take after managing to get yourself seen is to remain in the spotlight. There are several ways to do this, but undeniably the most popular are relentless touring and a constant stream of back-to-back releases. This helps the fans remain happy and the general public keep your name in mind, therefore assuring you relevance in your chosen scene.
As an experienced band, Poison knew to follow this route once they came back in the early 2000’s. So after releasing a live/studio combo - to signal their return - and a new full-length album - to give the fans something to chew on – the band kept their momentum going with a string of compilations and live albums which still drips steadily to this day. Whether through their old label, Capitol, or through their new one, Cyanide, the releases came thick and fast, presenting very little in the way of new material but ensuring Poison’s status as a hit-rehashing factory.
The first of these releases, following on the heels of the semi-successful
Hollyweird, was
Best of Ballads and Blues, a thematic compilation which does exactly what it says in the box: compile Poison’s slower tracks in one handy-dandy package. This is also a common practice among aging hair-metal bands, with Mr. Big and Great White having similar releases, and while it brings absolutely nothing new to the table, it guarantees the purchase of at least the once-fangirls (now fan-women) dying to revive their favorite drippy ballad. As such, these are generally unassuming and unpretentious releases, and in that particular,
Best Of Ballads and Blues is no different. It seeks to do nothing more or less than capitalize on the old hits, which are presented in haphazard fashion and with no pretence at historical chronicling or anything of the sort. And in that field, it succeeds, even if it’s a few songs too long to really be considered a Best Of.
In fact, this is more like a collection, as it presents
every single slow track Poison ever wrote, even including those from the C.C.-less period. However commendable this intention may have been, however, it ends up detracting from the overall effect of the disc, as the mostly very slow tempos start to become grating rather quickly. This is a problem which affects all ballad-oriented releases, but is particularly evident here because of the huge number of tracks. The latter half in particular is turgid, presenting a slew of uninteresting filler songs which should have stayed in their respective records, and which end up bogging the
really good moments, such as the majestic
Life Goes On, the welcome
Good Love or the awesome “alternate” acoustic version of
Something To Believe In, this album’s little bit of fanservice. Not to mention, including a song like
Life Loves A Tragedy really stretches out the concept of “ballads and blues”, as that is basically a typical Poison midtempo with a few melancholy leanings.
Overall, there are just too many shortcomings to really make this a recommended record. Unless you’re particularly sappy or have a retro-rocking girlfriend, there is no reason for you to buy this, as it features none of those dumb, fun riffs that make hair metal – and Poison – so great. If you’re up to an extended collection of bluesy power-ballads, you could do worse than this, but even then, prepare to be subject to a number of boring, unnecessary tracks. While the accuracy and span are commendable, this is definitely one best left on the shelf.
Recommended Tracks
Life Goes On
Lay Your Body Down
Something To Believe In #2 (Acoustic Version)
Stand (Acoustic Version)
