Outside Society *** Vinyl

For the length of time that Patti Smith has spent as a recording artist, she has a remarkably small catalogue: only ten albums recorded in over three decades. Yet small as it may be, she still stands as one of the most influential artists of her time. Despite the fact that she wears the moniker 'Godmother Of Punk' her oeuvre encompasses many styles and is impossible to fence into one genre. But perhaps we should interpret this badge of honour as a salute to her attitude rather than as a reference to her musical style. Outside Society is a perfect presentation of her work as it chronologically explores the entirety of her career, from her first album Horses from 1975 to her last; Twelve from 2007. The compilation includes hits such as "Gloria", "Because The Night", "Dancing Barefoot" and her own intimate rendition of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". It also gives you a good introduction to the artist as a person, as the liner notes are brief recollections of the recordings written by Smith herself.