War - Anthology (1970-1994) 2CD

For some reason, there still isn't a truly comprehensive single-disc War collection on the market. Rhino's Grooves and Messages easily comes the closest, although its unnecessary remix disc kicks up the price a bit (and one could argue about a couple of omissions in favor of latter-day tracks). That makes Rhino's own double-disc Anthology (1970-1994) even more valuable -- it might be too much for casual fans who just want War's biggest hits, but there's absolutely nothing missing here. All the hits are included, of course, as well as some overlooked singles and fine album tracks; plus, Anthology does fans a service by gathering the highlights from their uneven later work, which is more disco-tinged and less distinctive. A concise overview this is not; what Anthology illustrates instead is the full scope of War's versatility, and their loping, easygoing way with a groove. War's eclectic, Latin-spiked sound was tremendously distinctive, and if a few tracks get a little too mellow and start to drift, the band's interplay usually redeems the extended jams. Anthology's extensiveness does illustrate that, aside from their big singles, War was often more about musicianship than tight songwriting; thus, two discs' worth will probably be most enjoyable for funk aficionados looking for a different, lighter sort of groove to get lost in. Casual fans are better off with Grooves and Messages, but Anthology is a definitive War package, containing everything most fans will ever need.