Boston: Tom Scholz (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, piano, electric piano, keyboards, organ, bass, drums, special effects); Brad Delp (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, percussion); Fran Cosmo, David Sikes (vocals); Kimberly Jorgensen (spoken word); Barry Goudreau (guitar); Fran Sheehan (bass, percussion); Sib Hashian (drums, percussion); Jim Maseda (drums).

Recorded at Foxglove Studios, Watertown, Massachusettes in winter 1975; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, California in spring 1976.

Though Boston's GREATEST HITS package does a fine job of compiling the AOR staple's most-well known tracks ("More Than a Feeling," "Don't Look Back," "Rock & Roll Band"), collectors will want to own this album for the three new songs. "Higher Power" adds a metallic, Blue Oyster Cult-ish spooky edge to the classic Boston formula while "Tell Me" recalls the classic ballad "Amanda." The standout, however, is the multi-layered take on "The Star Spangled Banner," which shows Tom Scholz can Boston-ify even the most well-worn chestnuts.

Since Tom Scholz is such a slow worker, there were only four Boston albums between the group's 1976 debut and this Greatest Hits collection in 1997. That may mean that there isn't much music to compile, as the reliance on their biggest-selling album, Boston, suggests, but that doesn't matter for most casual fans, since Greatest Hits gathers all of their best songs, from "More Than a Feeling" to "Amanda," on one compact disc. For the collector, the record isn't quite as appealing, even if it contains three new songs as bait. These three songs simply don't deliver the melodic punch or guitar crunch that distinguishes the group's best work. It's nice to hear original vocalist Brad Delp on "Higher Power," but "Tell Me" is slight, and an instrumental version of "The Star Spangled Banner" is nearly an insult. So, for the devoted, Greatest Hits is a mixed bag, but for less dedicated listeners, it may be all the Boston they need. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

When Boston's self-titled debut landed in the Top 5 in 1976, their combination of powerful lead and background vocals, up-front guitars and slick production made the world safe for corporate rock. Twenty years hence, Boston mastermind/studio geek Tom Scholz has been releasing records and touring on an average of once every seven years, going through a handful of vocalists and engaging in major court battles for recording freedom. All this leads up to the GREATEST HITS package, a mixture of old and new Boston that is like a time capsule of '70s rock riffs. An Up-With-People message found in the newer material ties in with Scholz's support of PETA, evidenced by pictures of photogenic animals dotting the CD booklet.