July 7, 2011
4 stars
“For true Joel Plaskett fans, it’s been a wonderful year or so. With last year’s release of the sprawling eight-disc set from Plaskett’s teenage outfit Thrush Hermit, listeners got a little insight into the evolution of more than a few tunes. This collection is the missing piece, with 20 demos, B-sides and castaways to flesh out your Joel-ection. Extraordinary and A Million Dollars aren’t much different than their pre-released renditions, but this gentle take on Nothing More to Say is more than worth the purchase, while Drunk Teenagers (both from 2007’s Ashtray Rock) sounds bigger and dirtier than ever. All in, this works as both a must-have for fanatics as well as a quasi-greatest hits for newcomers.”