Outside Society (Remastered)

With her memoir Just Kids receiving the National Book Award, Patti Smith is enjoying a renaissance and likely a new audience of curious folks who are either unfamiliar with her work or who haven’t kept up with the twists and turns. This 18-track “Greatest Hits” of sorts includes most of the songs that tell the story of Smith’s long and varied career. Her reimagining of Van Morrison’s rock classic “Gloria” drew the line in the sand for this defiant and artistically ambitious rock practitioner. “Because the Night,” co-written by Bruce Springsteen, was the FM radio staple. “Dancing Barefoot” is an elegant, earnest statement of purpose. “People Have the Power” stood as Smith’s sudden reentry into the music world after years in exile, while “Summer Cannibals” represents her rebirth and her official “comeback” after the death of her husband, Fred “Sonic” Smith. Her acoustic cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is further evidence of Smith’s ability to draw from rock’s rich history and make it her own.