Something Corporate – Played in Space

I’ve come to the conclusion that there are only two reasons for best-of compilations (well, three if you count the simple fact that record labels just want to find ways to make more money).  The first is if you, as a fan, are just getting into a band that already has a healthy back catalogue out and you’re not sure where to begin. Grabbing up a best-of compilation can help give the listener a quick summary of the band’s career and point them in the right direction for where they should begin buying their albums.

The second reason is the nostalgia effect. When there’s a band you haven’t listened to in a couple years – maybe they broke up (like Something Corporate) or you just stopped listening to them for some reason. Whatever the reason, a new best-of compilation and re-ignite your love for the band and send your mind soaring back in time to when you loved the band.

That’s really the only purpose of Something Corporate’s two disc best-of album, Played in Space.  After going on hiatus in 2005, the Orange County piano-led pop-rock band announce a reunion for 2010 and Played in Space sole purpose is to remind the listener of the band and remind them of the good times listening to I Woke Up In A Car, Hurricane, Punk Rock Princess or If You C Jordan – and that’s what it does. The second the songs came through my speakers, I was reminded of listening to them back when I first got into the whole Drive-Thru Records craze and it left a smile on my face.

So from the nostalgic element, Played in Space succeeds – but from a pragmatic realist point of view, Played in Space is rather pointless. With only two full lengths and an EP under their name, a “best-of” compilation seems somewhat unnecessary.  Any fan of the band probably already has both the records and if they don’t, they may as well just pick up the missing album instead of a CD with only half “new” songs.

The first disc from the compilation has eight songs from leaving Through The Window, five from North and one from Audioboxer; while it’s an enjoyable listen, it offers nothing new. The second disc, featuring the nine-minute opus Konstantine, a b-side, two re-mixes and a new song is all well and good but is a weak incentive to buy the album.

There really is no target audience for this record. It’s for the fans due to the nostalgia element, but not for the fans since they’ll already own all of it. Yeah, it’s good – just kinda pointless.