Tricky Ruff Guide To: Best Of CD - Import

The reigning king of trip-hop is given a best-of treatment on this fine Island compilation. The set includes "Aftermath," "Broken Home," and "Christian Sands."

It's not sequenced in chronological order, but that's about the only flaw with Island's 2002 compilation, A Ruff Guide. Over the course of 17 tracks, the highlights from Tricky's Island albums unspool, hitting every single and many of the great album tracks (including cuts from the Nearly God album). Although this may seem like it'd be just for the fellow travelers -- the kind of casual fan that just wants the hits -- this is actually a very useful compilation for those that followed his career closely, since Tricky's albums after his brilliant debut Maxinquaye grew more erratic with each release. Therefore, this collection works really well as a collection of the moments where Tricky flashed his brilliance on uneven albums ("Broken Homes," "Tricky Kid," "For Real," among them). Yes, Maxinquaye is the masterpiece -- one of the great, defining albums of the '90s -- but as a summary of his uneven career this is excellent. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The best of the king of Trip Hop's years on Island Records. 17 great tracks for your enjoyment.

PJ Harvey, Terry Hall, Alison Goldfrapp (vocals); DJ Muggs, Grease, Sisters-N-Brothers Choir, Rock.

Recorded between 1993 and 1999.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Producers include: Tricky, Kevin Petrie, Dame Grease, Mark Saunders, DJ Muggs.

Personnel: Tricky (vocals, various instruments); Martina Topley-Bird,

Q (6/02, p.139) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...An eye-opener....magnificently militant rhythm, its the calling card of a huge talent..."
NME (Magazine) (5/11/02, p.37) - 7 out of 10 - "...A strange and fearful psychic landscape underlines episodes as diverse as the apocalyptic 'Aftermath' and an unusually sensitive 'Scrappy Love'..."