20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Call (CD - 2000)

The Call: Michael Been (vocals, guitar, bass); Tom Ferrier (vocals, guitar); Jim Goodwin (vocals, keyboards); Scott Musick (vocals, drums, percussion); Greg Freeman (bass).

Additional personnel: Bono (vocals); Garth Hudson (keyboards).

Producers: Michael Been, The Call, Hugh Padgham, Jim Goodwin.

Compilation producer: Mike Ragogna.

Includes liner notes by Bill De Young.

Personnel: Michael Been (vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar); Tom Ferrier (vocals, guitar); Scott Musick (vocals, drums, percussion); Garth Hudson (keyboards); Jim Kerr, Bono (background vocals).

Photographers: Pat Johnson ; Gary Gershoff.

The Walls Come Down may offer more songs, beating this by six songs, but 20th Century Masters may satisfy the tastes of the group's casual followers somewhat better, since it includes "Let the Day Begin" (Al Gore's 2000 campaign theme, incidentally) along with "The Walls Come Down" and "Surrender," among other Call anthems. Michael Been's songwriting remains admirably strident, but the Call probably remains best heard in concentrated form for anyone other than the converted -- so this is the place for most listeners to go. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

It's often thought that the Call never got their fair due. The group's heyday, after scoring a few minor chart hits, was the '80s and by the '90s, they were largely forgotten. However, by 2000, to the relief of many a Call fan, this retrospective and an archival live album were issued. The Hip-O label managed a cross-licensing feat that covered the group's whole career, thus eclipsing the limited MERCURY YEARS compilation.

Included are some early '80s tracks that find the Call agitated, political, and new-wavey ("War Weary World," "Turn a Blind Eye"), as well the group's earliest hit and signature song, the anthemic "The Walls Came Down." The Call's sound grows more expansive on "I Don't Wanna" and "Everywhere I Go." The band's most mature music came at the end of its initial run, as represented by the earthy "What's Happened to You," featuring guest vocalist and Call fan Bono. As most of the albums this disc draws from are out of print, this compilation is valuable to both once and future Call fans. minimize