The Playwutchyalike: The Best of Digital Underground - Digital Underground

2003's Playwutchyalike differs significantly from 2001's No Nose Job in its treatment of Digital Underground's album material, and yet both compilations play to the group's strengths rather well. The only miscue worth truly griping about here is the absence of "The Return of the Crazy One"; aside from that, it comes down to weighing album tracks against one another. This disc smartly includes the album mix of "Underwater Rimes," and it also features a number of other tracks not found on No Nose Job: "Sex Packets," "Nuttin' Nis Funky," "Heartbeat Props," and "We Got More." However, the likes of "Carry the Way," "Flowin' On the D-Line," "Doo Woo You," and "Dope-a-Delic" -- all of which are present on No Nose Job -- are sacrificed. Again, some significant singles are found in their truncated radio-edit versions, which is detrimental to songs that are more enjoyable in the loosest form possible. The group's best material has aged extremely well, with "Same Song," "Doowutchyalike," and especially "Kiss You Back" proving that the group's most popular hit wasn't even their best. As with No Nose Job, Playwutchyalike ends the coverage at 1993's Body-Hat Syndrome, with none of the group's post-Tommy Boy material (wisely) considered. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide