The classic "Latin Funk" band hasn't had a real hit album since the early 1980s, but Avenue Records felt the need to put out yet another greatest hits package, despite the release of two volumes of "The Best of War and More" in the 1990s. The fact that no original "War" song from after 1984 is included on the disc can be taken as proof that this new package isn't much more than a grab at the wallets of music fans who are just now discovering the magic of "War." Although I'm tempted to say these people could have been just as well served buying the band's previous greatest hits albums, "Grooves And Messages" is saved by three features.

First, and probably most important to the people who will be buying this album, the music remains spectacular. Even when acting as "Eric Burdon's" musical mouthpiece in their early days, the band's sound was built on the mixing of urban and funk stylings, resulting in the immediately familiar, "Spill The Wine," heard recently in the movie "Boogie Nights." Later, after jettisoning Burdon, "War's" sound incorporated their East L.A. home turf's Latin sounds, and crystallized to showcase some of the coolest grooves coming out of the '70s. Songs like "Low Rider," with the famous ascending bassline and harmonica blasts, and "Why Can't We Be Friends" with its universal message of peace and understanding scored well on the charts, while "Summer" landed the band a place in rock history as the first new song ever included on a "greatest Hits" package.

The second saving grace comes with the arrangement of tunes on "Grooves And Messages." Rather than a random grouping of songs, Avenue Records presented the 16 tracks on Disc 1 in chronological order, allowing the listener to follow the band through its different stages. It opens with, "Spill The Wine" and "Tobacco Road," with Burdon on vocals, before delving into the post-Burdon era of songs like "The World Is A Ghetto," and my personal favorite War song, "Me And Baby Brother." The most interesting feature on "Grooves And Messages," however, is found on the second disc, which features eight of "War's" songs (all repeats of tunes on disc 1), as remixed by various dance DJ, techno artists and the like. I'm definitely no big fan of dance music, and the results of these 'collaborations' rarely approach the original, but the contents of this disc are more important for pointing out the influence "War" enjoys in today's music world. As the press sheet accompanying the disc points out, many of the band's songs have found their way into movies, TV shows and commercials, while samples of their songs have been used by a number of today's biggest artists, including "Tu Pac" and the "Beastie Boys." The remix disc is really a tribute to the long-lasting resonance of the band's music. Besides, with that second disc, you basically get another full-length album - it's over 45 minutes - and for every horribly boring, barely-reminiscent-of-the-original track like "Armand van Helden's" steroidal take on "Slipping Into The Darkness," there are a couple of outstanding, lovingly done remixes. The best of the bunch are the "Plump DJ's" rendition of "Galaxy 2000," and the slyly grooving version of "Why Can't We Be Friends?" as done by "Hithunter." The latter is more of a remake than a mere remix, and it's a great update of a great song.

Money may be the reason this package is being released (and the reason for my lower rating), but whether you're the biggest "War" fan, or you've heard just the basics and want to learn more, "Grooves And Messages" is a great addition to your collection.