The Ultimate Collection: MxPx

Album Review

So, is MxPx's The Ultimate Collection, well, ultimate? It depends on perspective. There are no weak songs on either of the discs, and it does include many of the band's singles ("Chick Magnet," "Punk Rawk Show," and "Money Tree," to name a few), but the compilation isn't comprehensive. The songs included are from the band's earlier albums such as Teenage Politics and Life in General, as well the 2006 Deluxe Edition of Let it Happen and 2007's Secret Weapon. However, there is nothing from the albums that the band released in between — songs from Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo, The Ever Passing Moment, and Before Everything & After didn't make the cut. It's a strange omission, and one that doesn't make much sense — there's plenty of room for more. Still, the songs that are present do a good job of capturing MxPx's upbeat nature, so perhaps it's a matter of quality over quantity. In the end, The Ultimate Collection could be a disappointment for longtime followers who were hoping for a bit more frills, but new or casual fans will probably find that it suits their needs just fine.