Several months after releasing their first album, The Smiths issued this collection of singles and rarities, several of which are BBC versions of songs from their debut.

The Smiths treated singles as individual entities, not just ways to promote an album, and therefore many of their finest songs were never issued on their studio albums.

As if this wasn't enough, this compilation contains the first appearance of what may be the band's finest moment. "How Soon Is Now" encapsulates everything good about The Smiths; Morrissey's mocking lyrics, Marr's stunning vibrato guitar, and a rhythm section you could set your watch to.