AMG Review of Big Music: A Complete Collection [2 LP]

Matt Fink
All Music Guide

This 20-song compilation is a fine cross-section of the more diverse sides of the early Small Faces. Though the majority of the tracks fall among the fine three-minute pop nuggets the band is more associated with, such as the extremely catchy "Don't Burst My Bubble," "Sha La La La Lee," and the more obscure "My Mind's Eye," there still is a good range of material here. Of the five live tracks included, the soulful "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "All or Nothing" allow Steve Marriott to try out his best Otis Redding impression, and are true highlights. A cover of "If I Were a Carpenter" translates surprisingly well into the Small Faces arrangement. "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am" is proto-glam at its best, and the instrumental blues workout of "Picanniny" rounds out a pretty decent collection. Still, the overriding features of the tracks represented here is the propulsive, high-energy sonic attack that challenges the Who in sheer magnitude of sound. The Small Faces might never have achieved the notoriety of similar and lesser British Invasion bands, but anyone looking for a fine document of one of the best bands of the period need to look no further (though there really isn't anything essential here that can't be found on similar compilations).