As is typical for the UK Ace label, they were ahead of the curve with this 1987 release, gathering together Wilson's essential sides, and filling out a 24-track menu (62 minutes) with well selected rarities that span Wilson's entire career. Rhino's similarly titled single-disc retrospective checks in with eight fewer cuts, and the revitalized Brunswick's 2002 collection ("20 Greatest Hits") with four less. Masters are a mix of mono (1-3, 7, 9, 11-12, 15-16) and stereo (4-6, 8, 10, 13-14, 17-24). Those who want a more extensive catalog of Wilson's career (including a look at his earliest work with Billy Ward & The Dominoes, and a deeper helping of his early '70s soul sides) should look for a copy of Rhino's out-of-print 3-CD "Mr. Excitement," but most will be perfectly satisfied by this collection. [2005 hyperbolium dot com]