AMG Review of First Three Gears (2000-2003)

Gregory Heaney
All Music Guide

Chronicling the early years of Christian pop-punkers Relient K, The First Three Gears collects their first three albums in one set. Featuring Relient K (2000), The Anatomy of Tongue in Cheek (2001), and Two Lefts Don’t Make a Right...But Three Do (2003), the three-disc compilation takes listeners on a journey through the band’s formative releases with a few surprises along the way. Included on the first two albums are a handful of bonus tracks from the Creepy EP and the A.D.D. EP, with acoustic versions of “Softer to Me” and “Pressing On,” as well as some demo and live tracks. While this collection makes for a great introduction to Relient K, the limited amount of extras (just five bonus tracks and a booklet with photos of the band) means this set will probably only appeal to the serious collectors among their fan base.