Review by Rachel Jablonski
You may remember when he had some of his ribs removed for personal pleasure. Or perhaps his role as an actor on the former television series The Wonder Years sticks out in your mind. And you were probably quite appalled when he was found the cause of the horrific events at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Lest we forget the power of gossip, rumor, slander, and tainted media, let’s now reflect back to the best moments in the career of shock rocker Marilyn Manson.
Lest We Forget: The Best Of documents the roughly ten years in the career of Marilyn Manson thus far. The collage of familiar Manson tunes plus a new track, a cover of the Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus,” demonstrates the wide range of rock character the band has submitted over the years. The collection of songs crunched into a single album is sure to entice not only die hard Manson fans, but the fair-weathered and completely unfamiliar listeners as well. Lest We Forget: The Best Of is everything that is Manson rolled up into one nice neat package.
A handful of cover tracks present themselves on the Best Of disc. The well known Manson rendition of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” is unsurprisingly featured as is “Tainted Love” from the 80’s band Soft Cell. “Personal Jesus” is a brand new Manson creation borrowed from the one and only Depeche Mode. Not only am I thankful that the cover is NOT the entirely overdone Depeche Mode cover “Enjoy the Silence,” but I’m also thankful the song, which is a respectable song from a respectable band, is not completely butchered. Manson has stuck pretty much to the song’s original recipe while adding his own heavy spin to things. This track has been heavily saturating airwaves since its release. Manson covers never seem to lack in popularity.
In company with the cover tracks are signature Manson songs. Fan favorites, such as “Mobscene,” "The Dope Show," and “Disposable Teens” perhaps, get their just due on the record. Surprising to me, the renown tune "I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)" did not make the album cut. Though this comes as a shock I consider it a good move. I will never understand the appeal others find in the song. I don’t like the song, but the song likes me I guess.
My favorite three Manson tracks did make the cut however, but somehow ended up composing the grand finale of the album. I have long been a fan of “Long Hard Road Out of Hell” which was featured on The Lost Highway film soundtrack in 1997. The dark and gruesome song is a perfect match for the off beat movie premise. And I couldn’t leave off, nor could Manson, the classic tune “The Beautiful People.” This may be one of Manson’s most recognized songs and it remains one of his best as well. Finally, “The Reflecting God” simply has a great groove that energizes me somehow and ends the album with a bang.