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Various Artists
Tooth & Nail Records: The Ultimate Collection
Album length: 2 Discs, 22 tracks
Street Date: March 11, 2008
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For 15 years, Tooth & Nail Records has been one of the top labels in the Christian music industry
(not to mention one of the best "underground" labels in mainstream alternative music for the past few years). So an
"ultimate collection" would seem like a fantastic idea. And it was when, a few years ago, the label released a six-disc
collection for their tenth anniversary, chock-full of the best they had to offer. This year, they are putting out another
offering as part of a series of EMI collections, each dubbed The Ultimate Collection.
The track list here is very strong, with well-known bands and songs like Emery's first single "Walls" and the super popular
"Reinventing Your Exit" from music heavyweights Underoath. In addition, several unexpected songs made the cut as well. Tooth &
Nail alumni Stavesacre, Plankeye, Ghoti Hook and Pedro The Lion have their place in the mix - although they're just kind of
hanging out at the end of the second disc away from the bigger songs, making it seem like they were just thrown on at the last
second. And while the rest of the songs may be great songs, it's rather disappointing that any time Tooth & Nail releases a
compilation, it's the same songs that are chosen. Looking through my music library, I noticed that I had some of these songs
on three or four different collections already. By now, most everyone has heard Anberlin's "Readyfuels" or Thousand Foot
Krutch's "Rawkfist."
Again, the songs featured on this collection are some of the best. But excitement can't be found for the avid Tooth & Nail
fan who most likely already has most or all of the songs in his or her catalog. Including songs from past bands whose music
may be a little harder to get would entice more people to look into this set. Bands like Wish For Eden, Furthermore, and maybe
even some old school Blindside would be perfect additions. And there's always the string of one-album-wonders to choose from:
Grand Incredible, Discover America, Peace of Mind, The Undecided, etc. They may not have done much on the label, but they're
still part of Tooth & Nail's history.
In the end, it just seems like not a lot of thought was put into making this compilation. It's the same old songs used over
again and with boring artwork. For the Tooth & Nail-listening veteran, don't spend your money on this, but instead support
the label's newest artists, like Children 18:3 or Search The City, or even an album you just haven't picked up yet.
However, for music fans who are just being introduced to the label, or Christian music even, this would be a fine start,
as it showcases some of the best they can give you.
- Review date: 3/7/08, written by Scott Fryberger
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 Record Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Album length: 2 Discs, 22 tracks
Street Date: March 11, 2008
Disc One
- Readyfuels - Anberlin
- Walls - Emery
- The Sound - Further Seems Forever
- Top Of The World - The Juliana Theory
- Chick Magnet - MxPx
- Rawkfist - Thousand Foot Krutch
- Broken Heart - Falling Up
- The One Thing I Have Left - Hawk Nelson
- Spy Hunter - Project 86
- January 1979 - mewithoutYou
- Mouth Like A Magazine - Showbread
- Fell In Love At 22 - Starflyer 59
Disc Two
- Suspension - Mae
- New Medicines - Dead Poetic
- Heart Strings - Demon Hunter
- Caroline - Seventh Day Slumber
- Strike Back - The O.C. Supertones
- Reinventing Your Exit - Underoath
- Shut Me Out - Kutless
- Sugar Rush - Joy Electric
- Threshold - Stavesacre
- Goodbye - Plankeye
- My Bike - Ghoti Hook
- Whole - Pedro The Lion
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