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2015 release. Fronted by Beate Slettevoll Lech, a stunning singer, songwriter, and composer, with the unparalleled backbone of Marius Reksjø (bass) and Erik Holm (drums) and such regular top-notch collaborators as David Wallumrød (keyboards), Beady Belle has progressed, digressed, and evolved to become one of Norway's most consistently excellent bands, both live and in the studio. This fabulous three-disc collection offers a superb selection of tracks that effortlessly demonstrate the power of Beady Belle's work. The first two discs present the group in the studio, featuring a selection of tracks that fans helped choose, while the third disc contains a live recording of a performance in Oslo, Norway, on August 15, 2013. Instead of chronological order, the tracks are sequenced to complement each other and create a smooth flow. There are tracks from each of the band's albums, showcasing an array of collaborators including Jamie Cullum, India Arie, Torun Eriksen, Bugge Wesseltoft, Jørgen Munkeby, Geir Sundstøl, Anders Engen, and countless others. Despite line-up adjustments, the sound remains unmistakably Beady Belle throughout. From the minimalist funk opening of "Saved" and the hint of reggae funk on "So Far, So Good" (both from the breathtaking 2013 concept album Cricklewood Broadway) through the unlikely fusion of jazz and bluegrass stylings that is "Diamond in The Rough" (from 2010's At Welding Bridge), the Latin-influenced beats and Middle Eastern structures of "My Name on the World" (a return to Cricklewood Broadway),the soul-funk-jazz gumbo of "Lose & Win" (Home (2001)), "Irony" (Closer (2005)), and "Self-fulfilling" (Belvedere (2008)) to the swamp-blues-meets-smooth-jazz of "Runaway Mind" (At Welding Bridge), the slightly off-kilter club jazz of "Skin Deep" (Closer), and the jubilant disco-inflected grooves of "Moderation" and driving rhythms of "Ghosts" (both from Home), the first disc displays an eclecticism that would suggest inconsistency in any other band. But here, each track is imbued with the immediately identifiable essence of Beady Belle.
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