Lipstick Traces - A Secret History

Lipstick Traces kicks off with the piano-driven, rocky, passionate "Prologue to History", which celebrates everything that is great about them in one song and proceeds to charge through no less than 19 other B-sides (including the previously unreleased "4 Ever Delayed"--anthemic and soaring--and the punky, edgy "Judge Yr'self"). Still, there's no "The Drowners" (The Holy Bible period once again overlooked) and a noticeable lack of "Patrick Bateman", but only the most sour-faced, die-hard fan could complain at what's on offer. The covers can be split equally into part fanboy tribute and part misguided whimsy--the Clash's "Train in Vain" (yes!), "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (surely not)--but there's no escaping the fact that this is a quality package of 35 Manics tunes, most of which are pretty much essential. --Cortman Virtue