Search - Max Webster :: Best of

A great place to start your collection!

Sampson Simpson | Canada | 06/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Max Webster was Kim Mitchell's weird, goofy, progressive hard rock band in the 70's. For Mitchell fans, owning some Max is absolutely essential. Max albums were always more consistent than his solo work, and the musicianship would rival such bands as Rush or Saga.Not much need be said about the tracks here. This album is loaded with classics. You can't have a Max "Best Of" without "Gravity", "Let Go The Line" or "Battle Scar" and you get them all here. From rockers, to ballads, to the really weird and goofy stuff, it's a great cross section of Max moments.The one neat thing about The Best Of Max Webster is the inclusion of "Kids In Action". It's actually not a Max song: it's a Kim Mitchell solo track from his extremely hard to find (and excellent) debut EP. Purchasing this album is worth it strictly for "Kids In Action" even if you already own the entire Max catalogue. If you don't own the entire catalogue, this album will probably prompt you to do so. This band were so creative and different, you will most likely crave more. Enjoy."

Iwasafanbeforeyouwasafan

Gregg LaMarsh | Toronto Canada, eh? | 09/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Max Webster was without a doubt, the most under-rated rock band in history (honorable mention Gentle Giant). This album does a good overview of most of their best stuff. It would've been nice to have included 'On the Road' and 'Coming Off the Moon'.Those 2 songs plus the Kim Mitchell solo song 'Lager and Ale" would've made this an even better collection.
As a 17 yr. old, I saw Max perform at the 1974 Greenwood Pk. Free Rock Fest in Toronto and went home to make the following diary entry," Just saw another great band who I predict will make it all the way". That other band was RUSH, who had played my high school with their old drummer a few months before.
I suggest that anyone interested also seek out the entire Max catalogue, esp. those first 2 zany albums.At a time whrn many local acts such as Triumph, were content with putting out mediocre cookie-cutter, corporate rock, these Max recordings represented a more genuine respect for the creative process. They understood the value of being original and it was no coincidence that RUSH's management signed them early on."

A sampler of unserious yet literate rock.

Anthony D Ravenscroft | Santa Fe, NM United States | 05/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kim Mitchell is one of the most unique rock guitarists ever. His style is in a league with Buck Dharma, Bill Nelson, & Frank Zappa.Let's face it: Max Webster was mostly Kim Michell & his friends. The lyrics (the better ones are from Pye Dubois) border on poetry, sometimes evocative, sometimes just weird -- yet always inspiring sing-along. The guitar work floats between classically inspired & jazzy.Yet, when it all comes down, these people like to rock out, & it shows. A friend who saw MW live said, "There's this guy in tights flying back & forth across the stage all night." Yeah, that would be Mitchell. Think of it as Art Rawk that refuses to take itself that seriously.This is basically an update of Diamonds, Diamonds. Its greatest flaw is that it doesn't have that crowd-pleaser "Toronto Tontos" from the first album (s/t in Canada, released stateside as Hangover, & sadly hard-to-find)."