The Small Faces

Nine songs from '60s BBC broadcasts, augmented by 15 mysterious tracks described as "studio outtakes" and "acetate mixes." The BBC material is the most interesting portion, with live versions of the hits "What'Cha Gonna Do About It," "Sha La La La Lee," "All or Nothing," and "Lazy Sunday," as well as covers like "You Need Loving" and a raw version of "You Really Got a Hold on Me" that's better than the one they released. Fidelity on these is pretty good, though not stellar; the only song not available on their official records is a cover of the soul number "You Better Believe It." The remaining tracks, though supposedly alternates or acetate mixes, often sound only marginally different from the studio versions, or not different at all. "Don't Burst My Bubble," though, is a neat soul-rock number that doesn't show up on any of the original records; the instrumental backing track for something called "The Hungry Intruder" may also tempt completists. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide