Infinite Soul: The Best of The Grip Weeds

After 16 years together, it's high time the Grip Weeds were treated to a compilation, and Infinite Soul: The Best of the Grip Weeds cavorts merrily around the band's past pastures, pulling out the best blooms from the group's four albums for listeners' perusal. Having snapped up the Grip Weeds onto his Wicked Cool Records label, Little Steven does the selecting with panache, highlighting their influences and showcasing the diversity of their retro-garage sound. The Weeds' heroes were easy to spot — they oftentimes wore them on their sleeves — and the set points out the majority in quick succession: the Who, the Beatles, the Byrds, and the Jam, who are paid tribute to on "Every Minute," "Love's Lost on You," "Save My Life," and "Ready and Waiting," respectively. The Kinks, the Zombies, Bob Dylan, and even Sonny & Cher leave lighter marks elsewhere. But obviously the New Jersey legend wouldn't have been impressed with a mere bunch of apers, and it's the Weeds' own distinctive styling that he showcases across the rest of this set. Tablas and Eastern mystery pulse through "Life and Love, Times to Come"; here the Canterbury scene is pulled toward the garage. A subtle mix of styles highlights the lovely, lilting "Give Me Some of Your Ways," while slippery rock sliding between the decades and subgenres defines the band's "Infinite Soul" sound. Kristin Pinell's sweet vocals illuminate "Closer to Love," one of the few times the lead guitarist steps up to front the band. Add a storming new number, the hard-rocking pop of "She Brings the Rain," and this set indeed brings fans all the best the band has to offer and then some.