Cracker - Greatest Hits Redux
I have been a fan of Cracker since the first time I heard “Low” on the radio, back in 1993 when Kerosene Hat was released. Even to this day, that album stands out as one of my favorite records of the 1990s, with just about everything the band has done since (and prior) also making the list of albums I hold dear.
Today, a very interesting thing is happening with Cracker: two versions of their Greatest Hits are being released, one by Virgin, the former major label home of the band, and the other by the band themselves, titled Greatest Hits Redux.
Cracker has made no secret of their attitudes towards Virgin and the whole major labor process and have seen great success in their career with little-to-no support from either. Because the way the music business works, Virgin Records owns the recordings and holds the right to do whatever they want with them, and releasing this unsanctioned Greatest Hits album is just one example. To combat this move, Cracker has re-recorded the songs for their Greatest Hits Redux album and have released it today, the same day as Virgin’s record.
Greatest Hits Redux is a wonderful album. The songs sound very similar to their original counterparts, but still have enough nuances to give each piece a more updated flavor which the band claims more closely resembles the songs as they have evolved over time.
I urge all fans of Cracker to pick up a copy of the band-released Greatest Hits Redux and give a big fat middle finger to Virgin’s effort. Purchase Greatest Hits Redux on iTunes here. (It’s even cheaper than the Virgin version!)