AMG Review of Stiff Singles Collection

Dave Thompson
All Music Guide

One of several compilations rounding up the two spells that MacColl spent with Stiff Records, on either side of her breakthrough "Chip Shop" hit, Stiff Singles Collection features all five of her Stiff 45s; that is, the debut "They Don't Know," the withdrawn "You Caught Me Out," the comeback "Terry," the hit cover of Billy Bragg's "A New England," and the astonishing flop "He's on the Beach." B-sides of all but "You Caught Me Out," the 12" bonus "I'm Going Out With an 80 Year Old Millionaire," and a clutch of "He's on the Beach" remixes complete the album, and do offer up a superb portrait of '80s MacColl. The box set tells the same story with considerably greater depth and accuracy, though.