The Mission UK - First Chapter (CD)

All Music Guide

Featuring covers and singles from the pre-God's Own Medicine era, The First Chapter can at times reinforce the critics' view that the Mission were nothing but a pompous goth band intent on dredging up rock's past. The opener, a shoddy cover of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows," is a perfect example of that, proving that at times Wayne and his mates should have left well enough alone. Fortunately, this collection includes some of the Mission's finer moments. Cover versions of Free's "Wishing Well" and Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot" manage to merge classic rock tracks with the Mission's glossy and dramatic approach with ease. The best moments of The First Chapter are found in the Mission's own compositions, especially the single "Serpents Kiss" and "The Crystal Ocean," both of which shimmer with Hussey's signature 12-string sound, and one of the best non-drum machine rhythm sections that came out of the English goth rock scene.

- Chris True, All Music Guide