20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of 10cc

10cc is in a rarified category of rock bands: those whose biggest hit is an anomaly within the group’s broader catalog. While the timelessly gauzy “I’m Not in Love” might not be complete uncharacteristic—though deceptively simple, its infinite layers of sound were part of 10cc’s long tradition of studio sorcery—it pegged 10cc as a soft rock band in the public's mind. Nothing could be further from the truth. 10cc was a cross between Queen and Frank Zappa: an art-damaged rock band for whom each moment of pure-pop bliss provided yet another opportunity for crafty experimentation. “Good Morning Judge,” “Art for Art’s Sake," and “Life Is a Minestrone” sound like they came from the mind of a hyperactive youth with a genius IQ. And while 10cc never quite returned to the ethereal plateau of “I’m Not in Love,” the underrated “From You and I” forms a nice bridge between the group’s accidental signature song and the rest of its unfairly overlooked (and highly entertaining) catalog.