Legends in Music Collection: Eric Burdon & The Animals

Polygram Special Markets' The Best of Eric Burdon and the Animals contains a selection of ten highlights (eight on cassette) from the Animals' late-'60s recordings for MGM. At the time, these were credited to "Eric Burdon and the New Animals" instead of the Animals, which is appropriate — this is clearly the work of a different band, one with psychedelic aspirations. Overall, their recordings weren't as consistently impressive as those of the earlier incarnation of the band, but there were some highlights, most of which were featured on the 1967 album The Best of Eric Burdon and the Animals, Vol. 2. Released in 1997, PSM's The Best of Eric Burdon and the Animals covers the same ground as the earlier collection, most notably sharing the hits "San Franciscan Nights," "Monterey" and "Sky Pilot." The rest of the compilation isn't as strong, largely because it suffers from the same haphazard selection as most budget-line collections. There's a preponderance of covers, from Sam Cooke ("Shake") to Frank Zappa ("All Night Long"), and also includes the bonus cuts "Paint It Black" and "To Love Somebody." So many covers gives a misleading impression of the band's work, but it doesn't make the album unlistenable. It's a reasonably entertaining collection, actually, even if it isn't necessarily representative. Budget-minded, curious listeners may find it worth the price, nevertheless...