The Best of Fine Woodworking Outdoor Projects From Summer 2013

This is simply an essential album: Three discs that contain the best of ska, a rhythm born in Jamaica (pre-dating reggae) and was so popular in England during the sixties (where they call it bluebeat), to the point where it was the inspiration for a movement (the two-tone) that in the early 80 s gave way to Madness, The Specials, The Selecter, Bad Manners and The English Beat as main exports who earned worldwide fame.

Consider this a primer, because there is no way a career spanning 25 years can be summarized justifiably within the cramped space of an 80-minute disc. The Best of Depeche Mode, Vol. 1 takes a very selective skip through the group's past, and it leaves no room for anything off Black Celebration an album many fans (albeit the most depressive ones) cite as a favorite. While the relatively thorough Singles 81>85 and Singles 86>98 can be seen as the proper entry route, they don't have the benefit of covering 2001's Exciter or 2005's excellent Playing the Angel, so this disc as of 2006, at least is very nearly the best possible way to get a feel for the whole daunting discography.