|PIC1|OK, we know that the cynicism usually rises up a notch or two whenever a Greatest Hits compilation makes its way up for release. But this is one where the question marks can get shelved.

After a decade of intellect, integrity and songs that lift the soul and open the eyes, Switchfoot have earned the right to wave their accomplishments about a bit.

'The Best Yet' does just that - and more.

With five albums behind them and a stack of accolades and awards, Switchfoot have had plenty of best bits to choose from. What the band have settled on are eighteen songs that highlight perfectly why it is that these five guys from San Diego have moved in and settled down in the hearts and minds of millions of fans across the globe.

'The Best Yet' includes their massive hits 'Meant To Live' and 'Dare You To Move', as well as the radio successes 'Stars', 'Oh! Gravity.', 'Awakening' and 'This Is Your Life'. Other numbers are the superb 'The Shadow Proves The Sunshine', 'Company Car' and 'This Is Home' - a track featured on the soundtrack to The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.

Then there's the Deluxe edition of the album, a CD/DVD package featuring 14 music videos and band commentray. Includes video favourites like 'Stars', 'Dare You To Move' and 'Meant To Live' along with some rarities spanning Switchfoots career.

While it might be tempting to point to the band's mainstream chart success as a cause of their even wider appeal, it works better if you look at it as a symptom. The reality is that for Switchfoot, their greatest asset is their ability to articulate the sounds and sense of a generation.

Theirs is an organic, ground up type of success, the sort that no amount of marketing or PR could ever emulate. Switchfoot are sung all over the world because their songs connect perfectly with their audience.

There's only one real problem with Switchfoot's 'The Best Yet' it's the knowledge that there's way, way more to come.