Snap! ?

As much as I love the Jam and dig this compliation am not sure it's worth $50 clams for this deluxe reissue. Thoughts?

http://hip-oselect.com/catalogue_jamsnap.asp

RELEASE DATE:AVAILABLE NOW
CD Edition limited to 5000 non-numbered limited edition copies.

In the days before reissue specialist labels and so-called Catalog Development departments at major record companies, 'best of' albums were just another duty for the record company staff. More often than not, greatest hits albums were lackluster slap-dash affairs that came and went. A rare few rose above and took a life of their own: Bob Marley Legend. Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits. Squeeze Singles - 45s and Under. Long overlooked for that list is The Jam's Snap!

An expertly assembled double-album collection of all of the band's single A-sides with select B-sides, album tracks and rarities, Snap! was a fitting summation of Britain's biggest band at the time. As a bonus, the album's first British pressing came with a free 4-song EP from The Jam's farewell concert at London's Wembley Arena in December 1982.

As the world rushed to adopt the new CD format in the mid-1980s, Snap! was gutted to a strict singles collection. A shadow of its former self, Snap! withered, replaced by subsequent retrospectives.

21 years on, Hip-O Select proudly reissues the original Snap!: The full 29 song track list, including the four UK #1s – "Going Underground," "Start!,""Town Called Malice" and "Beat Surrender" – fan favorite b-sides and album tracks, including "The Butterfly Collector," "English Rose," "Thick As Thieves" and "Tales From The Riverbank"; plus the exclusive remix of "Funeral Pyre" and the "That's Entertainment" demo. Also included – for the first time on CD – is the rare Live! EP: "Move On Up," "Get Yourself Together," "The Great Depression" and "But I'm Different Now." The original packaging – from the custom inner sleeves to Paolo Hewitt's liner notes – has been restored, augmented by lyrics to each song. The renewed Snap! is a brilliant reminder of why The Jam are among Britain's most revered and beloved bands.

Part of a series of high quality limited edition foil stamped 7-3/4" x 6-1/4" non-cloth bound books.

My old roommate had this on vinyl. We were incredibly disappointed when the hacked-up CD version came out.

If this was a regularly-priced set, I'd be all over it. But not for $50 (+ 5.50 s/h).

I'd stick with the "Direction Reaction Creation" box set.

You can still buy it at some outlets for about the same price as that compilation.

If it was something that was rarer along the lines of a Rhino Handmade release I'd probably get it. But, with a Jam boxset and b-sides popping up on other reissues the price is a bit steep. The question is how readily available on CD are those b-sides. The four song ep is neat but not for that price.

I have the 'hacked up' Snap. It's definitely getting on in years as the cover touts "2 LPS on 1 CD!!" and it has a brief explaination of what this new fangled 'compact disc' is on the back. I still probably wouldn't pay $50 for a small expansion. I would think about it if the content and price were more along the lines of the 'London Calling' reissue.

My introduction to the jam was finding snap! on cassette for 50 pence at a car boot sale. I listened to it about a million times. It seemed to me they took all the best songs off of it to get it on CD. I really love snap. I'd give $30.

I think I have just about all the jam albums on CD now anyhow…

Originally posted by Member 656:
I'd stick with the "Direction Reaction Creation" box set.

You can still buy it at some outlets for about the same price as that compilation.

I have that box set and that is pretty much all you need as far as compilations……I do have every release on CD,though to go along with it…….including a double Cd of "All Mod Cons" and "Sound Effects" gold edition from Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs that I found a few years ago at CD Cellar used for $8.99…..I was offered $30.00 for it after I bought it……it's not going anywhere…..I also recommend "The Complete Jam" on DVD….lots of fun stuff on that one…..