Hearing the opening strains of “Superman’s Song” as The Best of Crash Test Dummies begins is like being slapped in the face by the loving hand of the mid-’90s. The Dummies were at their best during the peak of the Can-rock era, alongside Sloan, Pursuit of Happiness and countless other alt-rock grunge spin-offs. Even more so than the nostalgia, though, this compilation is a reminder of one very important fact — the Crash Test Dummies were pretty damn good in their day.

Brad Roberts’s instantly recognizable baritone is the centrepiece of a collection of songs that are universally and remarkably familiar — “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm,” “Afternoons & Coffeespoons” and “The Ghosts that Haunt Me” don’t just stand up as good songs, they’re actually even better than you remember them.

The album’s second half is littered with less well-known singles from later in the band’s career, including the quirky gems “He Liked to Feel It” and “Keep a Lid On Things.” The only place the album doesn’t fare well is on “The Unforgiven Ones,” a much bleaker song that Roberts wrote while living in downtown Manhattan post-9/11.

Despite the one understandable misstep, The Best of Crash Test Dummies fulfils the ultimate goal of any such compilation — it takes listeners beyond nostalgia and reminds them that some songs are genuinely timeless.