Goddo - 12 Gauge Goddo: Blasts From The Past (1990)

In 1990, the members of Toronto rock trio Goddo -- singer and bassist Greg Godovitz, guitarist Gino Scarpelli, and drummer Doug Inglis -- were inching toward a reunion after seven years apart. Viewed in that context, the greatest-hits collection 12 Gauge Goddo: Blasts From the Past seems to have served both as a party balloon for their get-together and a trial balloon for the future. First and foremost, this disc celebrated the too-brief heyday of the veteran Canadian rockers with a well-chosen set of the finest moments from their three '70s studio albums: the raw energy of "Bus Driver Blues," the swaggering power of "So Walk On," the earnest elegance of "Chantal," and the smirking double entendres of "Sweet Thing." At the same time, however, 12 Gauge Goddo also tested the comeback waters by bookending its oldies with two 1989 tunes: the moody, broody ballad "Quicksand" and the stomping arena-rocker "Was It Something I Said?" In fact, the very existence of 12 Gauge Goddo -- significantly, the first Goddo release on compact disc -- could be seen as a bid to, well, gauge whether there was enough lingering public interest to justify a reunion. Presumably there was; in 1992, Goddo resurfaced with King of Broken Hearts, which featured both "Quicksand" and "Was It Something I Said?" Ultimately, whatever the motive behind its release, 12 Gauge Goddo presents a thorough, thoroughly satisfying overview of the band's early career.