It comes as a bit of a surprise that the Toy Dolls had enough singles to fill up not one but two entire CDs, particularly considering that some casual observers might dismiss them as a one-hit wonder. But when you add up all dozen of their 7" singles (one of which was actually a five-song EP),... [+] Expand

It comes as a bit of a surprise that the Toy Dolls had enough singles to fill up not one but two entire CDs, particularly considering that some casual observers might dismiss them as a one-hit wonder. But when you add up all dozen of their 7" singles (one of which was actually a five-song EP), their pair of three-song CD singles, and a bunch of 12" releases, it really does add up to a prolific (if not especially notable) non-LP discography. That one hit -- "Nellie the Elephant," which made number four in the British charts in 1984 -- is here, of course. Bet you didn't know, however, how many other of their songs made the U.K. indie charts in the early to mid-'80s, including the original 1982 version of "Nellie the Elephant," "Cheerio & Toodle Pip," "Alfie from the Bronx," "We're Mad," "She Goes to Finos," "James Bond (Lives Down Our Street)," and "Geordies Gone to Jail." Nor, perhaps, were you aware that several of their songs were recorded in two versions for the singles market, including not only "Nellie the Elephant," but also "She Goes to Finos," "Turtle Crazy" (as a B-side singalong mix), "Geordies Gone to Jail" (as a Japanese version), and "Tommy Kowey's Car." (Incidentally, the original version of the last -- on their 1980 debut single -- is a big punk collectible, as only 500 copies were pressed; it and its B-side, the original version of "She Goes to Finos," are both included here.) Though the band got a little poppier and less abrasive with the passing years, the approach remained pretty consistent throughout: fast, frivolous, punky songs with hooligan chant choruses, sung with the pumped-up, heavily British-accented cheeriness of proud village idiots. The wiseass cockiness might be too much for the uncommitted in such a large dose. But there's no faulting the thoroughness of this package, which also provides track-by-track annotation and a complete discography. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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