Being a constant presence in music for more than 30 years is a feat few have very successfully negotiated, but Belfast's Andy White – now based in Melbourne – has persisted. Judging by his "what-else-could-I-do?" shrug of the shoulders, it would be too easy for White to have just thrown any old bunch of tunes together, but as this comprehensive 12-disc box set proves, his quality control is rigorous.
From his 1986 debut (Rave on Andy White) to his forthcoming Imaginary Lovers, White has held fast to his creative, personal and political principles, and the wealth of good songs here prove that. The connective tissue from then to now is an intuitive love of well-chosen words (from Bardic to beatnik) and melodies dominated by pop, rock, folk and psych.
Rave on? Too right, Mr White.
