Faithfull is a great set of songs, although it has always seemed to me a bit redundant, what with Broken English and Blazing Away, but then I buy each new missive of Miss Faithfull's and search relentlessly for her older stuff, such as North Country Maid and Faithfull Forever. Why? Because Marianne Faithfull believes in her music, which means even the stuff she critiques as "misguided", Rich Kid's Blues and Faithless are great. A Perfect Stranger also renders this release as a questionable option, however it is the set with Ghost Dance (a wonderful version of the Patti Smith elegy) and the other selections are a very good representation of her musical journey. As a prospective buyer, you must decide how deep you want to delve into this wonderful artist's music. If you want a general representation, A Perfect Stranger is by far the most musically encompassing of her Island Years. Marianne Faithfull's Greatest Hits from her sixties years would be for those wanting to listen to the young Marianne. Blazing Away would be my second choice as a retrospective (but this is a live album) and Faithfull would be my third. However, if you want to explore this artist's work with an ear for the more comprehensive (and believe me, there is a lot of musical terrain and textures to explore) start with Broken English, Strange Weather, and 20th Century Blues, then work your way into all of her other available releases. My personal favorite is A Secret Life, but I believe one of Marianne's best qualities as an artist is to make you stretch your appreciation of musical styles. Faithfull is a wonderful way to begin, but look at these alternatives as well.