Fall and Rise of Hugh Cornwell

Like most compilations from his old group the Stranglers, Hugh Cornwell's first solo collection subscribes to the "leave them wanting more" theory, as it whets the appetite instead of fully satisfying. If this was the be-all, end-all when it comes to Hugh's first six solo albums, then cuts like "Picked Up by the Wind" and "Black Hair Black Eyes Black Suit" would be included, but brevity is the thing here, and this tight, no-filler track list packs quite the punch, and that's hard to argue against. New song "Live It and Breathe It" lives up to the other numbers here -- as opposed to when the Stranglers would screw up comps with throwaways like a cover of "96 Tears" -- and the black humor of the old days is back with the cover art that features Hugh's well-done plus well-revered solo albums, along with a sledgehammer that says "F*ck it all!" ~ David Jeffries