AMG Review of Born Annoying

Jim Harper
All Music Guide

Comprised of B-sides culled from Helmet's various singles, Born Annoying suffers from the usual complaints that dog such compilations: there's a reason why the songs were only B-sides. Tracks like "Geisha to Go" and the 1993 recording of the title track stand up well against Helmet's albums, but the earlier version of "Born Annoying" and "Rumble" sound a little too generic to be considered essential. The band's cover of Killing Joke's "Primitive" is also good but bland, summing up the general feel to the whole album; the songs are okay but they lack the unique feel of the band's best material. It's really only for the completist.