Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
As Good as It Gets: The Best of Gene compiles tracks off the three studio albums Brit-rock band Gene released starting with their stellar 1995 debut, Olympian, and ending with 1999's Revelations. As such, it works nicely as a roundup of the best of what they put out before 2002's Libertine -- largely considered a return to form after an extended commercial and creative slump. Suffering justified comparisons to the Smiths from their inception, Gene however always managed to rock with a bit more grandeur and classicism than the boys from Manchester. Despite lead singer Martin Rossiter's penchant for lovelorn warbling and Morrissey-like lyrics that often address loneliness and alienation, he is easily a more accomplished vocalist than his idol. Similarly, Steve Mason's slabs of arpeggiated guitar harmony call to mind Queen's Brian May as much as Johnny Marr. That said, Gene's albums can be spotty and the band never quite reached the same level of popularity or cultural importance enjoyed by the Smiths. All of which makes As Good as It Gets a great introduction to some of the most criminally overlooked pop to come out of England since the Action called it quits. Gene's strengths lie in devastatingly emotional lyrics paired with infectious singalong melodies and huge guitar hooks, all evident here on tracks including "Sleep Well Tonight," "We Could Be Kings," and "I Can't Help Myself." On the downside, longtime fans may be dissapointed at the omission of some other solid album tracks like "Save Me, I'm Yours and the inclusion of a cover of the Jam's "Town Called Malice" which, while good, only serves to distract from what makes Gene great on its own. Ultimately, Olympian is the ideal place to experience the "best" of what Gene have to offer, but for curious listeners who don't want to wade through the albums, As Good as it Gets is just that.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Hugh Jones, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gene, Producer, MainArtist - Ian Cooper, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raj Das, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Roland Herrington, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Ben Jones, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lee Butler, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1994 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Hughes, Producer - Gene, MainArtist - Tim Oliver, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1996 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Carol Kenyon, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Gene, MainArtist - Tim Oliver, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Merrick Hughes, Producer - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Julian Wilson, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1997 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Roddy Lorimer, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Hugh Jones, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gene, MainArtist - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1994 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, ComposerLyricist - Hugh Jones, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gene, MainArtist - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steven Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Martin Rossiter, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Tim Oliver, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Merrick Hughes, Producer - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Tim Oliver, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Merrick Hughes, Producer - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, ComposerLyricist - Hugh Jones, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Gene, MainArtist - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steven Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Martin Rossiter, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1994 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Hughes, Producer - Gene, MainArtist - Tim Oliver, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1996 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Mason, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Gene, MainArtist - Phil Vinall, Producer - Matt James, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kevin Miles, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Martin Rossiter, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1994 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Gene, MainArtist - Paul Weller, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Album review
As Good as It Gets: The Best of Gene compiles tracks off the three studio albums Brit-rock band Gene released starting with their stellar 1995 debut, Olympian, and ending with 1999's Revelations. As such, it works nicely as a roundup of the best of what they put out before 2002's Libertine -- largely considered a return to form after an extended commercial and creative slump. Suffering justified comparisons to the Smiths from their inception, Gene however always managed to rock with a bit more grandeur and classicism than the boys from Manchester. Despite lead singer Martin Rossiter's penchant for lovelorn warbling and Morrissey-like lyrics that often address loneliness and alienation, he is easily a more accomplished vocalist than his idol. Similarly, Steve Mason's slabs of arpeggiated guitar harmony call to mind Queen's Brian May as much as Johnny Marr. That said, Gene's albums can be spotty and the band never quite reached the same level of popularity or cultural importance enjoyed by the Smiths. All of which makes As Good as It Gets a great introduction to some of the most criminally overlooked pop to come out of England since the Action called it quits. Gene's strengths lie in devastatingly emotional lyrics paired with infectious singalong melodies and huge guitar hooks, all evident here on tracks including "Sleep Well Tonight," "We Could Be Kings," and "I Can't Help Myself." On the downside, longtime fans may be dissapointed at the omission of some other solid album tracks like "Save Me, I'm Yours and the inclusion of a cover of the Jam's "Town Called Malice" which, while good, only serves to distract from what makes Gene great on its own. Ultimately, Olympian is the ideal place to experience the "best" of what Gene have to offer, but for curious listeners who don't want to wade through the albums, As Good as it Gets is just that.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:08:10
- Main artists: Gene
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2001 Polydor Ltd. (UK) This Compilation ℗ 2001 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.