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Feb 27, 2018 Web Exclusive By Adam Turner-Heffer

For many, the news last year that Wild Beasts were coming to an end was a bitter pill to swallow. The London-via-Yorkshire art-pop band were, during their existence, one of the most exciting prospects of the last 10 years the U.K. has produced and were a constant influence on less imaginative bands. Over the course of their five studio records, Wild Beasts were a source of wonder and amazement, a curiosity who slowly dialed-down their weirdness but importantly never compromised.

To celebrate, or is it commiserate, their untimely end, the band, typically awkward as ever, decided to eschew the usual easy “greatest hits” route by instead recording a live session of some of their best moments, with a few left-field choices thrown in for good measure. What is important about this is re-contextualizing their final, and somewhat unfairly maligned, record Boy King which for some felt a bit too shiny for good measure.

That album’s lead single “Big Cat” for instance, seamlessly follows this collection’s opener (and arguably, their best song) “Wanderlust,” going some way to prove that even when going more “pop” Wild Beasts were still fundamentally the same band. Crucially, however, this record shows just what a force of nature Wild Beasts were live, despite often coming across as quite understated. It’s partly the room’s mix of course, but this album expertly demonstrates each member’s individual importance to create a much greater whole.

While the record is a little “newer albums heavy”-a medley version of “The Devil’s Crayon” is the only appearance of their still brilliant debut-this collection still manages to showcase a healthy amount of each of the rest of the band’s impressive back-catalogue, closing on perhaps their last truly great song “Celestial Creatures.” Wild Beasts, it’s been a pleasure, we will miss you. (www.wild-beasts.co.uk)

Author rating: 7.5/10