ANTHOLOGY

Personnel: Mick Ralphs, Ariel Bender (vocals, guitar); Ian Hunter (vocals, keyboards); Mick Ronson (guitar); Verden Allen (organ); Morgan Fisher (keyboards, synthesizer). Audio Remasterer: Mark Chalecki. Liner Note Author: Ben Edmonds. This two-disc set from Shout Factory collects 32 tracks by Mott the Hoople and the band's frontman Ian Hunter. A straight-ahead rock-&-roll band that garnered a solid cult following during its time together, Mott the Hoople's biggest contribution to rock history is certainly its version of David Bowie's "All the Young Dudes." The track, taken from the band's 1972 album of the same name, remains as stellar an anthem of youthful cool and rock-&-roll attitude as any ever committed to wax. The track appears on disc one alongside other Mott killers such as "All the Way to Memphis" and "Crash Street Kids." Disc two collects the finest moments from Hunter's lengthy solo career, the majority of which was spent in collaboration with Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson. Among disc two's standouts are "Once Bitten Twice Shy" (a hit for Great White in the late '80s), "Cleveland Rocks" (later the theme to THE DREW CARREY SHOW), and the bittersweet title track. Though neither Mott nor Hunter became true superstars, their brand of good-times glam-tinged rock & roll holds up remarkably well decades later.