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Although this most quintessential British group hasn’t had a major hit in their native land since Isn’t Life Strange tickled the top 10 in 1972, their star has risen progressively in America where demand for their sweetly soporific brand of high-grade synth-pop keeps the Brummy balladeers in gold-plated Peaky Blinders caps.

One of the most anthologised acts in history, this time their labelmasters focus on the period that saw The Other Side Of Life, Sur La Mer, Keys Of The Kingdom (all produced by Tony Visconti) and A Night At Red Rocks With The Colorado Symphony Orchestra (released in 1993, but we won’t quibble) take advantage of the album-oriented rock branch of MTV.

With Justin Hayward retaining his lucid pipes on Your Wildest Dreams and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere, romantics might believe life is eternally moody – and there is no denying the majesty of hits like Question and Nights In White Satin with strings attached.

If that’s too gloopy, then the inclusion of a rare 1991 BBC radio acoustic session adds balance and the Red Rocks DVDs and some Wembley performances from 1994 (!) complete the package. Looks like they’re never reaching the end./o:p

Max Bell worked for the NME during the golden 70s era before running up and down London’s Fleet Street for The Times and all the other hot-metal dailies. A long stint at the Standard and mags like The Face and GQ kept him honest. Later, Record Collector and Classic Rock called.