Nick Heyward & Haircut One Hundred - The Greatest Hits of Nick Heyward & Haircut One Hundred (1996)

Haircut 100 wasn't given the respect the band deserved in the early '80s. The group was -- and unfortunately still is -- often lumped in with the one-hit wonders from that period. It's not their fault that U.S. radio stations only concentrated on one track, the cuddly single "Love Plus One." They were far better than people give them credit for. This compilation mixes the band's U.K. chart favorites with the highlights of vocalist Nick Heyward's solo career. Although many best-of albums usually aren't comprehensive enough when reflecting the finest moments of an artist's discography, this is a welcome exception, the perfect introduction to Heyward and Haircut 100. It's hard to argue with the selections. "Favourite Shirts" should've been the smash that "Love Plus One" became. Recalling a young Aztec Camera with its infectiously jangling riff and positive vibes, "Favourite Shirts" has a sense of innocence that alternative rock in the '90s sadly lost. The summer-soaked gaiety of "Favourite Shirts" and "Fantastic Day" is exhilarating; listening to them is like inhaling fresh air. Although Haircut 100 wasn't the same without him, Heyward actually improved as a songwriter when he left the group. Solo cuts such as "Blue Hat for a Blue Day" and "Whistle Down the Wind" display his maturity, but his ear for toe-tapping melodies hasn't aged. "On a Sunday" and "Love All Day (And Night)" resurrect Haircut 100's untainted pop. The CD ends with a downer -- the pretty three-a.m. ballad "The Day It Rained Forever" -- but the party has to end sometime.© Michael Sutton /TiVo