Although possibly destined to be one of the overlooked compilations of the year, S.O.S. Band's Greatest Hits is worth your attention. The band, an R&B/Dance outfit from Atlanta, Georgia scored 10 hits on the Dance charts in the 80's, 9 of which are included here. The top hits of the band are very good indeed and remain as some of the strongest R&B-based Dance recordings of the decade. This is easily the most comprehensive collection of the band's music yet released, and there is nothing of key importance missing. The previous S.O.S. Band compilation missed two key hits included here - the theme S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit) and the Minneapolis Funk of their last major hit No Lies. It's time to add the S.O.S. Band to your collection.

The S.O.S. Band always wore their influences on their sleeve but were rarely derivative. The band emerged in the early 80's with sparkling late-era Disco influenced strongly by Chic's Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. After hooking up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis their music was marked by the elegant mid-tempo Funk that would become a Jam and Lewis trademark. Throughout, the band's music bears the distinctiveness of lead vocalist Mary Davis' emotive voice. While distinctively of the 80's, much of this music has aged quite well.

The collection kicks off with the elegant mid-tempo anthemic sweep of Just Be Good To Me, one of the first hits produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The sound of Just Be Good To Me is reminiscent of the style elements that would fully mature on Jam and Lewis' production of Human League's Human. After a winter storm caused Jam and Lewis to fail to return on time to Minneapolis from Atlanta production sessions with the S.O.S. Band, Jam and Lewis were excised from the Time by Prince. Just Be Good To Me is one of the records that proved they could make it as a production and songwriting team. Take Your Time (Do It Right), the band's first major hit and included here, is still a late-era Disco masterpiece. Propelled by Chic-inspired guitar, a vocal filled with innuendo, and a beautifully delicate Glockenspiel melody, Take Your Time (Do It Right) carves an instantly memorable groove. Other highlights include the guitar Morse code of the band's anthem S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit) and the intense bass workout of The Finest.

S.O.S. Band Greatest Hits is extensive enough (15 tracks) to include some tracks that haven't aged particularly well and sound like filler such as the Jam-Lewis throwaway Just the Way You Like It and silliness of Groovin' (That's What We're Doin') but most of these recordings are crucial to understanding 80's R&B and Dance music. The album closes on a high note with the band's last major hit No Lies. Jam and Lewis let their Minneapolis background hang out here and No Lies would rest quite comfortably in a mix tape alongside Sheila E's The Glamorous Life. Finally, the complete compilation the S.O.S. Band deserves is here. It is a cause for celebration.