In another bumper value package from LTM Records, 'The Greatest Hit' bundles together the original 1982 album with 9 bonus tracks of EPs and singles. Granted, for a band who - until earlier this year - only had one released album to their name, it's hard to fathom how they have had four CDs on sale over the past two years and there is some duplication here. Quibbling aside, much of The Blue Orchids best material is featured here ('Bad Education', 'A Year With No Head') although the album itself is rather patchy. Bramah himself must tire of the Mark E. Smith comparisons but they are somehow unavoidable, what his delivery lacked in well-tutored enunciations he made up for in personality and bite. For this reason the Doors-indebted dolefulness of 'Sun Connection' and 'Wait' see Bramah as the perfect frontman. Unfortunately when he and the other key factor in the groups' sound - keyboard player Una Baines - were not on form, they produced drowsy uninspired fare like 'The Hanging Man'. Interestingly the 'Agents Of Change' EP that closes this compilation deviates away from the formula with piano taking the place of bluesy organ; 'The Long Night Out' and 'Release' revel in their languid settings. Let's not forget either that - vocal duties aside - The Blue Orchids bore little resemblance to The Fall.