Besides the fact that they're getting back to releasing too many discs for a best-of, this approach has problems. The main issue is this is almost a really good collection on its own, and leaves too few essential selections for an adequate follow-up. Except for the fact that no material from Black Celebration, one of their most popular and single-worthy albums, is represented in favor of newer material that could be of marginal interest, it includes a majority of the tracks one would expect to find here. The other issue is there's room. They could have squeezed on one or two more cuts and really made it an impressive and well-rounded collection with just one disc. As it is, it both looks incomplete due to its title, and feels incomplete due to its omissions.

As a bonus to those on the fence about its value to their collection, it includes the new track “Martyr.” Personally, I feel that the bonus tracks from both of their most recent best-of releases have been some of the strongest of their later output. While “Only When I Lose Myself” catered to more of the epic mid-tempo tracks that Martin is expertly capable of writing, “Martyr” is a more radio friendly track that straddles the line between their more guitar-focused efforts and a healthy dose of vintage programming sounds. It's comparable to “Suffer Well.” (Which we could have dropped for “A Question of Time,” don't you think? Sorry, I promise to let that go now.)

There is also a bonus edition containing a DVD of their music videos. It looks to be a more expanded version of their previous best-of DVD. Although with a couple of omissions, it seems a welcome addition to anyone not already owning the first.

But regardless of my gripes, the CD is what it is. And is it a good collection? Yes, it's actually very good, and any casual to moderate fan of the group would do very well to pick it up. As far as sheer hits and singles go (not knowing if or when a Volume 2 will be released) this is the best single-disc collection we'll receive from the band, and it contains almost all of the necessary tracks to make it essential to any music collector's library who doesn't already own many of the proper albums from the innovators and masters of new wave synth-pop: Depeche Mode.