The idea of distilling The Fall's essence down to 12 tracks is an exercise in sheer perversity. Mark E. Smith and his variety of lineups have put out more than two dozen studio albums and as many live albums, singles, and EPs. Yet if you're looking for a brief introduction to the group, it's hard to quibble with these choices; they just won't give you a full narrative of the group's exploits. The songs are jumbled in random order. "Bill Is Dead" is the only track sounding out of place; it's found on 1990's Extricate and is atypical for the group, featuring Mark E. Smith actually singing (though to be fair, he's mocking the idea of a power ballad). Most of these tracks are singles from the group's prime late-'70s/early-'80s period. "Fiery Jack" and "Totally Wired" are seminal 1980 singles. "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul" defines the band's coming of age, while "Hey Luciani" moves toward the group's maturation.