In celebration of Foreigner’s 40th anniversary, the band has released a career-spanning 2CD retrospective called 40. The 2 CD set will include 40 remastered songs from the band’s four-decade career.
Rhino records have done a fine job in bringing us a well-rounded overview of hits from the band's nine studio albums. Also, the remastering is very well done and the songs sound better than ever.
As much as I love Foreigner I was a little disappointed with this retrospective.First, Disc 1 for the most part is great, with all killer no filler hits from the band's creative peak (1977-1984). Unfortunately, Disc 1 includes eight "radio edits" of these timeless hit songs. Personally, I would have preferred the full-length studio album versions.
Second, Disc 2 could have been handled a little better. I would have included Under the Gun and Until the End of Time from 1995’s Mr.Moolight , as well as the compilation-only tracks Prisoner of Love and With Heaven on Our Side from 1992’s The Very Best...and Beyond.
Third, as enjoyable as the new versions of I Don’t Want To Live Without You and Say You Will are, I would have preferred the originals. If I had my way I would have added a third disc and place these alternate versions there.
Last but not least, with only one new studio album between the three double disc compilations that have been released since 2000’s Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology, I was hoping for some new material to be included on 40. I know that if you look at the promotional video for this set, it claims that 40 features two new tracks recorded especially for this release. I don’t believe a re-recording of one of your own songs should be considered as a new track. Foreigners last studio album of new material came out in 2009. Come on guys! Its your 40th Anniversary, you could have given the fans a little something more than one new song and a re-recording.
40 is still a solid representation of the band's history. But in opinion, this set could have been so much more. Recommended for completists or anyone who has never picked a Foreigner greatest hits package.
