It can't be easy being in Ocean Colour Scene. Everywhere you go you get abuse for being a backward-looking, dated, embarrassing, tired, old band. And these days, what with this new fangled Dance music stuff, your records don't sell so well. And by 'so well', I mean: number 75. But do they deserve the hate they get?

Because, much like Shed Seven did with their best of, Ocean Colour Scene have proven that they made some fantastic singles, and when they're arranged together in a nice row, it’s impossible to disagree.

I mean come on! You can't fail to love that opening guitar riff from "The Riverboat Song"! The memories of Chris Evans at his peak as well! What about the Mod monster that is "100 Mile High City"? Was there a better record to be played loud in a car driving down a High Street? Methinks not. Of course, there's the bona-fida anthem "The Day We Caught The Train". Turn off your dull Seafood records, put this on, and sing along to it in a sunny Garden with a cool bottled beer in your hand! Now!

And some of the forgotten gems. The plantitive, moving "So Low", with it's almost-good lyrics! The whistle-while-work-bath-shower-cook and sleep of recent single "Up On The Downside". The actual emotional beauty of "Better Day"! Beat THAT Mr.Starsailor! What about the Stonesathon "You've Got It Bad"? As my Dad would say, 'You don't GET records like that anymore!".

Not the the 'Scene were a perfect band. The living hell of "Traveller's Tune". Or "Profit in Peace", which seems intent on stopping this darn war in Vietnam. And the painfully 'authentic' “It's A Beautiful Thing“.Terrible. Scary B-Side nightmare yer bag? Try "Hucklebury Grove".

But Hey! Lets let these minor faults go. Put away your snobby indieness, DiS readers, and invest in this record. Jump around your room to it. Play Air-Guitar as if your life depended on it to it. And if you get worried about it sitting next to "The Soft Bulletin" by The Flaming Lips on your shelf, stay calm. You can always hide it. Or sell it on. Or...