Though
Collectables
'
Psychotic Reaction: The Complete Psychotic Reaction
did include every one of the band's 18 officially released tracks,
Big Beat
's
Psychotic Revelation: The Ultimate Count Five
does indeed replace it as the ultimate
Count Five
compilation. It's not just because it includes every one of those 18 tracks and then some, with half a dozen unreleased outtakes, demos, and unedited versions. It's also because there's a great 24-page booklet on the history of the band by
Alec Palao
that clears up much of the mystery surrounding
the Count Five
, with quotes from most of the members. While the additional material is neither that revelatory or voluminous, it does include some nice bonuses. Prominent among them is the original unedited version of
"Psychotic Reaction,"
with a previously unheard tag and key change at the end, though
Double Shot Records
was wise to release the reassembled version that became the big hit. Also on hand is an unedited version of
"They're Gonna Get You"
from
's sole LP, as well as a demo of the group's non-LP single
"Contrast"
and some fair unreleased originals by
John "Sean" Byrne
. The excellent packaging doesn't disguise the failure of any of the band's other material to come close to matching the
garage
-
psychedelic
classic
or how derivative much of it was of
British Invasion
bands (particularly
the Yardbirds
). Still, they did conjure some above-average tracks like
"Double Decker Bus,"
the
-tinged
"Peace of Mind,"
and the poppier
psychedelia
of
"Merry-Go-Round,"
making this ultimately worthwhile for the committed '60s
fan. ~ Richie Unterberger