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Greatest Hits: Past, Present & Future (Edited) Review
07/13/2005 7:28 AM, AMG
Past, Present & Future is the first ever Rob Zombie retrospective. The collection is steeped both visually and aurally in the scary monsters, sexy women, and schlock horror images that have always adorned Zombie's death's-head calling card; from a strictly musical standpoint, his turgid industrial sludge and beyond-the-grave vocals benefit greatly from the set's liberal editing. That's because Zombie has always had one fabulously filthy gear, and his pedal is always scraping the metal; Past's 19 tracks simply streamline his career's death race into one satisfying 2000-mile straightaway. "Thunder Kiss '65," "Dragula," and the incredible, impossible, wonderfully stupid "More Human Than Human" attack the eardrums with toxic vengeance; collaborations with Alice Cooper and Howard Stern approach the proto-industrial grind of KMFDM; and kooky covers of "I'm Your Boogieman" and "Brickhouse" run the originals' disco beat through a freaky fun house filled with lurid porn samples and booty-shaking bottom end. (The latter track even pulls poor Lionel Richie into a duet with Rob and raunchy Trick Daddy protégée Trina). "Pussy Liquor" is just dumb, but again, you have to be amazed at Zombie's ability to get away -- and even do well with -- such stupidity. After all, behind the dreads, monster makeup, and platform boots, Zombie is a likeable, talented creative with a flair for reinvention. Like so much of his source material, his work isn't meant for deep contemplation -- only chomping-at-the-bit consumption. That's why he can make it sound like he invented the word "Yeah!" In addition to its host of past guilty pleasures, Past, Present & Future includes two previously unreleased songs and a DVD with ten Zombie-directed music videos, three of them never before seen. Never known for his humbleness, Zombie also designed the accompanying full-color, 36-page booklet, which includes a bizarre photo timeline in which the Astrocreep seems to age 50 years in less than 20. [This clean version removes some of the album's more colorful language.] ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
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