Amazon.com

It's tempting to label ex-Kumbia Kings vocalist Frankie J as Latin pop's answer to Usher. Both have smooth, supple voices; both smartly co-mingle R&B, hip-hop and radio-ready grooves; and both young men have a fondness for hats. But whereas Usher has a penchant for showbiz showboating, Frankie J lets his talent take center stage. The One expands on the rhythmic flavor of Frankie J's 2003 solo debut, What's a Man to Do?, but it also positions him as something of a rarity these days: an un-ironic, legitimate male pop star. Every song on The One seems ripe for radio play. "How to Deal" and "Story of My Life" are alluring ballads; "Without You" and the title track (featuring 3LW) showcase slick urban grooves; and "On the Floor" is an unlikely highlight, beefed up by a smart sampling of Wham's '80s hit "Everything She Wants." Frankie J's regular-guy appeal and boyish charm shine throughout the album. The only misstep is including past hits "Don't Wanna Try" and "Suga Suga"; The One is solid enough to stand on its own. --Joey Guerra ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Frankie J Vs Jon Secada
Frankie J, a whining baby? Such an ignorant statement, that perhaps the author needs a hearing aid and just like Amerie, a few well aimed slaps. Frankie J's music is inspired, unique and his voice is incredible, exactly what the music industry needs. Jon Secada on the other hand sounds like a senile old man, on a heavy mix of narcotics, possibly coinciding with the failure of his career. So u can hardly compare Ice Cream and excrement?
And for a person whom enjoys, and i quote 'Nick Cater: Pre Backstreet Boys', and 'Bonnie 'I Need A Hero' Tyler', to insult Frankie J, is somewhat moronic. Heres a piece of advice, maybe Rich King Breakfast Nook should go back to his Barry Manilow and David Hasselhoff and let the big boys/ those with taste in music enjoy PROPER CLASSY material, i.e FRANKIE J and BOYZ II MEN. So be a good boy and cease your verbal diarrhoea, before mummy confiscates your copy of Jason Donovan.

What a whiny baby
I'm a huge Jon Secada fan like everyone I know so when someone compared this goof to Secada I figured it was worth a listen. After the first song, Obsession, I about drove into the side of a McDonalds just to make my CD player stop working. He should have just titled the song, "I'm going to whine like a little baby, how much can you take?". It makes the whining Boyz II Men did on "I'll make love to you" look like a mild temper tantrum compared to this onslaught of bawling.

Also, you'd better be Secada if you're going to try to pull off the sing in two languages thing. Secada can do it, this clown can't. If I were a chick, first of all I'd be totally hot. Second, if some latin guy came up whining at this level, I'd slap him and tell him to grow a set. Nothing is more pathetic than a guy who cries like a toddler. Frankie needs to be put in timeout and given a wiggles video to watch until he's ready to be a big boy.

Frankie J /The One
I think this was a great title for this album,because it definitely is the one album to have. I am a big fan of Frankie J. I love his passion for music, his determination for people to understand him and his music,and his tremendous talent all around. All of that is reflected in this album his voice, songwriting, and feeling his emotion all at the same time. That's the great thing about this album he can touch and tap into your soul through his vocals and that's what makes him a great artist and he will continue to rise. I don't agree with alot of the reviews for this album posted here. I think you people have no ears for talent and can't rate anything the correct way if your life depended on it. I think you people suck, Frankie J has got it and you little people don't and your very jealous of his success get a life!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's got the talent, the style, the voice,and especially the looks, he is the sexiest. So he has it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think my review for this album really does it justice Thank You and I Love YouFrankie J*******************************

Mr Frankie Fenner, could I interest you in something?
Me and my mates down at Larkhall think this guy's a complete knobhead! That was my friend Shell Dockley's personal opinion, but many of the other girls such as Maxie Pervis, Denny Blood and Virginia O'Caine agree (though Virginia did claim the healing powers of his voice caused the miracle allowing her to walk again). Not only does this guy look like Jim Fenner, but his manners match to! I met Frankie J once (before I went inside obviously) and he was a naughty Mr Fenner, and looked right up my skirt! He also tried to put his big hands all over me! My friend Darlene Cake insisted on playing this album constantly, and since we share a cell...I mean a room together, I had no choice but to listen to it as well. However, our personal officer, Di Barker, was outraged by this album and furious at the noise it was making and aggressively confiscated it, claiming that us girls should be listening to more culturally enhancing music, such as Turkish belly dancing music, which she claims is good for her health. She also claimed it saved her marriage. I hate this album, the music is awful, but actually it is very good. The songs are easy listening and provide good background music, such as when my friend Julie revealed her name wasn't actually Julie, but Sonia. The songs "How To Deal" and "Story of My Life" helped the 2 Julies recover from the shock. Neil Grayling seems to have a particular liking for Frankie J (I wonder why?), and has often hit me for not liking his music, and has slapped me and Sylvia Bodybag down the staircase once or twice. However, I have been threatened on occassion by the other girls not to buy this album, once being told that if I did the woman would 'cut my t**s off and make curry with them', as well as being warned by another woman that if I did I would have my t**s dipped in the chip pan! Therefore, I do not dare buy it, and I pass these warnings on to you!

Obsession (No Es Amor) - I LOVE THIS SONG
There is a Latin radio station in our area and even before I copmpletely understood the lyrics (my Spanish is very shaky) I loved this tune.When I heard it on mainstream radio in English I was screamingly happy.

It's addictive, with the staccato rhythm of the verses going into the long, smooth notes of the girl singing the chorus.In the English verion, the hip hop part throws it off for me.It's like they threw in everything but the kitchen sink but it's enjoyable even for all that, from beginning to end.

I'm definitely going to pick up the CD now that I FINALLY know who this is. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

The first solo album by the Fugees' most distinctive voice quickly wipes away the pretensions of so many current hip-hoppers' discs. It does so by both engaging their widescreen ethos--"To Zion," with its martial drums and gospel choir, is as epic a production as has been heard in 1998's pop music--and speaking the plain truth. Miseducation focuses equally on Lauryn Hill's life (especially the birth of her child) and social concerns about the present and future. Its often quiet surface, if anything, lends intensity. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (796)

This cd has that thing and more
Quite possibly one of the best albums of all time, The Miseducation of lauryn hill is strikingly wonderful. In the midst of so many dopey female artists these days, L. Boogie rises above the crowd to make a personal cd with so much vibe, heart, and feeling that almost anybody could easily love it. Her voice is wonderful, and the songs have a great amount of musicality. The different instruments used in each song add a specialty to the songs as well. I'm very picky about rap and not a very big rap fan, but Lauryn's raps are all so vibrant, meaningful, and, with their catchy choruses, irresistible. You feel like you know Lauryn when she sings, since the songs are so personal. Her faith ignites the entire cd in a somewhat indirect way. She's great in concert too!This is music at its best, whether you're a fan of hip-hop or not. Go buy this album. You're missing out on a lot if you don't own it. and to all u desperate Britney Spears fans: try this girl as a role model instead.

The start of commercially acceptable hip-hop
I love Lauryn Hill and I always will. But after listening to her "Unplugged" album and seeing her this year at Smokin' Grooves, I think I wanna stick to living in the past and keep bumping this record, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

In case you didn't realize it, 1998 was when hip-hop/rap was acceptable to EVERYONE. Back then, you didn't deserve to have any friends if you didn't play The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Vol. 2 Hard Knock Life or It's Dark and Hell is Hot at your parties. In fact, the inclusion of Lauryn's smash, "Doo Wop (That Thing)", on radio playlists helped get Jay-Z and DMX on the radio and MTV.

Never before have I heard a woman who could sing AND rap great (Mystic would come years later). From the reggae-influenced "Lost Ones" (no, it's not about Wyclef, contrary to popular belief) to the very last bonus track, this album offers us a look into Lauryn's pains, loves, beliefs, and of course, talent. "Every Ghetto, Every City" tells about back-in-the-day situations, "Superstar" criticizes wack emcees, and "To Zion" is a great tribute to her seed. The duet with Mary J. on "I Used to Love Him" is also stellar (check out the subtle sample of Raekwon's "Ice Cream" in that song).

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is by no means a perfect album, as evidenced on the unnecessary hip-hop/R&B remake of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and on the lazy sounds of the D'Angelo duet, "Nothing Even Matters". But those flaws are very minor compared to the overall greatness of this album. I don't know if Lauryn will ever be this great again, because now she's an emotional wreck and a certain individual named India Arie Simpson took over her role as "black female singer/songwriter with a guitar". But Lauryn, you have a fan for life.

GOOD BETTER BEST ! !
Lauryn is one of the most versatile people in the business. She's amazing in all the categories. She's a songwriter, producer, rapper, poet. I mean this lady truly is wonderful. She always carries a message with her unique rock hard flows and rhymes she gives like no one else. This album is for any fan of music, not only rap, or Rnb. But anyone who wants something good to hear. She talks about the truth of the world and criticizes evil. Go and get it and sleep on it till the entire album sinks in your pulse.

Why Has L. Hill's Singing Ever Produced Even a Single Fan?
Why indeed? This will never do -- as one critic, Croaker, said of John Keats. Oh that Ms. Hill was an Emily Dickinson or even a Jennie Lind ... Why the toneless sound, chasing vainly after a melodic line and harmonic consistency? Why the baby-talk intonation? Why the absence of simple voice quality? Can anyone distinguish even a single word -- without cribbing it first from album notes? I see her old CDs are a whopping $2.99. Doubtless that is becuz they have been played down to scratches. (Scatches r better!) It is possible to sing greatly without much voice and a one-octave range, but only if you are Billie Holiday. I knew BH, and Lauryn ... you are no Lady Day!

the best album ever
soulful, hip hop-py amd great!!!!!!!!! all the songs shine, so does her voice. She shows such writing and composing skills on this album.

Intro -
Lost Ones - Four Stars
Ex-Factor - Five Stars
To Zion - Five Stars
Doo Wop (That Thing) - Five Stars
Superstar - Four Stars
Final Hour - Four Stars
When It Hurts So Bad - Four Stars
I Used To Love Him - Five Stars
Forgive Them Father - Five Stars
Every Ghetto, Every City - Five Stars
Nothing Even Matters - Five Stars
Everything Is Everything - Five Stars
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill - Five Stars ... Read more

Reviews (886)

OVER-RATED, OVER-RATED
This CD is probably the most overrated album in the history of rap. face it people, 50 is not the next Tupac and this album proves it. If I hear 'In the Club' one more time I'm going to kill myself. The only reason there is as much hype behind this album as there is because of Eminem and Dre's production. I liked his first single 'Wanksta' and the Ja Rule diss song was stupid but kinda funny. I'm not a big Ja Rule fan but he's better than 50. In the Club is just straight up retarded (go shorty, it's ya birthday. what the hell is he talking about) The only reason anybody likes '21 Questions' is because Nate Dogg is a bad ... and steals the show. 50 has no range as a rapper. A good rapper can speed up his flow on occasion and slow it down when needed. 50 has one speed and never changes. I support every rapper that disses 50 now, Scarface, Ghostface, Ja, Sticky Fingaz. I really wish people would buy CDs from geniuses like the Wu Tang Clan, Gang Starr, and Sticky Fingaz instead of wasting their money on overhyped trash like this.

Get Rich Or Die Trying
50 Cents has poor diction and a drawling rap style, but with the help of clever lyrics, backup artists, and good beats, producers Dr. Dre and Eminem make the album much more than it would have been in lesser hands.

Overall most of the songs on this track are quite entertaining and there are lots of songs on here, including some hidden bonus tracks. On long car trips I don't find myself yearning to skip songs, which in the age of CDs, means I must like the CD overall quite a bit.

Yet, there aren't a lot of great songs here. In Da Club, the most popular, is the best. There are a handful of other really good ones (see below).

I rate this CD a very respectable FOUR stars:

What Up Gangster *
Many Men (Wish Death) *
In Da Club **

Patiently Waiting and 21 Questions are near stars.

I also like P.I.M.P. but the embarrassingly bad performance of this song by 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg at the MTV Music Awards turned me off of this song.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Ratings: CDs are rated simply by how many good songs are on the album. Great songs get two stars, and good songs get one star. Songs that get no stars are those that I might like but not enough to give it a star or ones I find boring or actively dislike. CDs are not penalized for songs that I don't like because they are easy enough to skip over. There is no maximum number of stars a CD can get, but of course the more stars it gets, the better the CD.

BIG FAN
This is a really good cd. G-Unit's cd is even better though.

Garbage
Now we moved past weak voices to mumbing ones? This fool should have been dismissed a long time ago, but it is amazing what this MTV society will buy into these days.

Always about it
Hey everyone, the stupid retard that keeps giving 50 cent 5 stars, his name is "always about it" look for this b***h. He also is the one that keeps giving g-unit, nelly, j-kwon, chingy, ja rule, and cassidy five stars. Amazon should delete this f**ker. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not to be mistaken with Bill Withers's Greatest Hits or even the 1994 best-of with which it shares its name, Lean on Me nevertheless shares much with those two earlier retrospectives--notably the likes of such '70s soul-pop gems as the title track, "Ain't No Sunshine," "Lovely Day," and "Use Me." Like the earlier Lean on Me, this remastered selection includes 18 tracks, 13 of which overlap with the '94 set. Withers's oeuvre is something less than expansive: he recorded 10 albums for Sussex and Columbia between 1971 and 1985, then gracefully exited the business with three top 10 hits to his credit. The singer's warm vocals and wise lyrics have held up splendidly through the years, making him a likely candidate for periodic rediscovery. This anthology stands as the title of choice for the next wave of soul fans Withers wins over. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Let's Not Forget!
I've read all the reviews on this album through Amazon, and I totally agree that the incomparable, upbeat Lovely Day is certainly one of the most joyous, happy songs ever written. And of course Lean On Me. That one was my all-time favorite Bill Withers song, but then on this greatest hits collection, I ran into another gem of a song, " Let Me Be The One You Need". That, to me is one fine piece of beautiful music. I can listen to it over and over again and still get the same vibes as when I first heard it. I love the way Bill puts his heart into the song, the same way he does for Lean On Me. It's funny how I've listened to Bill Withers for most of my life, but I don't recall " Let Me Be The One...." Which is still a good thing, because now in this adult life, I can really appreciate and relate to the words and music even more. Like I said before, everyone really hit home about the other hits on this great album, but I remind you all, let's not forget "Let Me Be The One You Need". Just buy the CD and play it, or if you already have it, listen to this gem. It's what a love song is all about.

The Best R&B Soul Artist to ever listen to!
"Lean On Me" was one of my favorite songs I ever listen to. Because it's way cool and it's more good. Just like my others I listen to on the CD like "Lovely Day","Let Me Be The One You Need","I Wan't To Spend The Night","Ain't No Sunshine","Grandma's Hands", "Lovely Day","Use Me"(good one),"Hello Like Before", "Just the Two of Us" (Best hit recorded with the late Grover Washington,Jr.),"Harlem" and "Tender Things" and "Who Is He(And What Is He To You)which was in my first CD I picked out called "Top Bill". The thing I like about this CD is that he make funk and soul on it just like he does his smooth ballads. I like the favorite ballad work he did on "Let Me Be The One You Need" and "Tender Things". Think he did a good job. On "Just the Two of Us ",the song was much more like a funk ballad that features the late Grover Washington,Jr. when he did a great job playing along with him on the tenor saxophone with his band cracking it way down. So Anyway, "Top Bill" and "Lean On Me:The Best of Bill Withers are still my first two favorites I adore listening all the time. I think he's the best! Thanks Mr. Withers. Keep it up.

Bill Withers At His Finest
Bill Withers is and always will be a master storyteller. He can really pour his heart and soul into a song and he has a unique gift for writing songs that echo life's most challenging situations. This collection is a must for any fan of his or if you just love sweet soul music this album is a must have for your collection. All of his classics are here including his #1 smash from 1971 "AIN'T NO SUNSHINE" perhaps one of the greatest and most recognazible songs of the Soul/Pop genre. I love this album and I listen to it almost daily when I first bought it. Every track is a hit and better yet a great lesson in modern songwriting for those who aspire to someday write songs. Get this album and listen to this master singer and songwriter who retired from the music scene way too early. Is too bad that he doesn't record or goes on tour anymore, I would've love to have seen him live. Bill Withers is pure soul and has the keen ability to send a love song directly into your heart. We certainly don't have very many artists of the talent and sensitivity for crafting a good song like Mr.Withers. The only other artist that comes to mind who is still going strong and is as soulful and brilliant as Bill is the great Jose Feliciano. Feliciano and Withers wrote a song together back in 1973 entitled "Compartments" for Jose's album of the same name and the two of them worked magic together. Buy LEAN ON ME The Best of Bill Withers, you will love it and you will play it till your heart's content.

An underrated singer's remastered gems. A+ review
Bill Withers had a low key career that lasted only 14 years, in which he released some of the most beautiful music ever to grace this earth.

Although the Amazon.com reviewer incorrectly indicates that Bill only had two huge hits, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me", he/she must have not have done his/her due diligence as "Use Me" and "Lovely Day" also were smashes, but Bill is not about his "hits" but about his amazing ability to sing songs that are sexy, smooth, spiritual and does it in an understated manner that does not come off as generic, but serves as an example of a true original.

Listening to this amazing release (which should be the only one to buy if you are in the market as there are at least 3 out there) you get a feeling of all being well with the world. The remastering is amazing and the songs sound even more effortless than ever yet they stick with you for days.

I am amazed at not having discovered a fuller spectrum of Bill's work until now, as all the non-hits sound at catchy and lovely as the hits. Again, I have to express my surprise at how a seemingly low key performer manages to put together songs that stay with you longer than any of the "anthems" or even better known songs and/or performers.

Buy this at once if you love melody and music that is as relevant today as when it was first released. In my opinion, this greatest hits package should appeal to those who are seeking every "neo-soul" artist that puts something out there but, with some exeptions, nothing is better than the real thing.

There is not a dud in this 18-song collection and I can't remember the last time that I have experienced that.

Mellow but funky soul music
Bill is actually remembered for very few hits of his own, but his songs are popular among other singers, who record cover versions and sometimes have hits with them. This is one of several compilations that allow you to hear Bill sing his own songs in his own particular style.

Of Bill's songs, Lean on me is the one that is most frequently covered. It is a classic, anthemic song that can be interpreted as a love song or as a gospel song, while its basic simplicity allows it to be adapted to many different musical styles. Nevertheless, among Bill's own hits, the first one that comes to mind is actually Lovely day, partly because others have had a hit with Lean on me (so people who know the song don't always associate it with Bill) and partly because Lovely day is such a fantastic song anyway.

But Bill's great songs don't end with Lean on me and Lovely day - Ain't no sunshine, Just the two of us, Use me and Grandma's hands are just a few of the other great songs here and on other Bill Withers compilations. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though one of rock's most influential figures, David Bowie's accomplishments are pocked by some distinct ironies. His willful efforts at being a musical and visual chameleon spurred triumphs in genres as diverse as folk, glam, new wave, and electronica. Given the dizzying range and success of his '70s incarnations--from Ziggy to the Thin White Duke to the gaunt, goth-cypher of Low and Heroes--he seemed the artist most well-equipped to weather the changing tides of taste and trend, yet saw his career essentially shrink to cult status after scoring his biggest triumphs when he reshaped the soulless, dance-oriented club music of the early '80s into his own image. This 20-track compilation does little to address the Chinese puzzle that has been Bowie's post-'85 career, but it does deliver an artistically dizzying slate of hits as it skips from one early peak to the next, from evocative cabaret ("Space Oddity," "Changes") through muscular glam-rock ("Suffragette City," "The Jean Genie") to R&B ("Young Americans," "Fame") and post-punk flirtations ("Ashes to Ashes," "Fashion") to the dance-club hits ("Let's Dance," "China Girl," "Modern Love") and '80s one-off duets ("Under Pressure" with Queen, "Dancing in the Streets" with Mick Jagger) that essentially marked the end of his superstar reign. Whole eras and at least one classic '70s album (Low) go completely unaddressed, but all of Bowie's signature hits are here, as well as Earthling's powerful, underappreciated "I'm Afraid of Americans." --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Excellent compilation for an excellent musical artist
For over three decades now, David Bowie has been releasing music. And his music is nothing short of excellent. A number of popular artists have named him as one of their major influences, and with good reason. Classic/Alternative rock artists don't get a whole lot better than this. In late 2002, a retrospective of Bowie's career was released, in both one disc and two disc form. Read on for more information.

First of all, here's the tracklist for the two disc version:

Disc: 1
1. Space Oddity
2. The Man Who Sold The World
3. Changes
4. Life On Mars?
5. Moonage Daydream
6. Suffragette City
7. Ziggy Stardust
8. All The Young Dudes
9. The Jean Genie
10. Panic In Detroit
11. Rebel, Rebel
12. Diamond Dogs
13. Young Americans
14. Fame
15. Golden Years
16. TVC15
17. Sound and Vision
18. Heroes
19. D.J.

Disc: 2
1. Ashes To Ashes
2. Fashion
3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
4. Under Pressure
5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
6. Let's Dance
7. China Girl
8. Modern Love
9. Blue Jean
10. This is Not America
11. Dancing In The Streets
12. Absolute Beginners
13. Time Will Crawl
14. Under The God
15. Jump They Say
16. The Heart's Filthy Lesson
17. I'm Afraid Of Americans
18. Thursday's Child
19. Slow Burn

As you can see, you'll get all of Bowie's biggest hits on here. (Space Oddity, Changes, Under Pressure, Let's Dance, China Girl, Fame, and the fairly recent hit I'm Afraid Of Americans.) Perhaps one of the finest things about these songs is the musicians who co-wrote or made guest appearances on them. Under Pressure was a collaboration with Queen, Let's Dance and China Girl feature the late Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar, Fame was co-written by the late John Lennon, and the cover of Dancing In The Street is a duet with Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger. Twenty tracks of pure excellence. Just about every excellent track that was omitted from the one disc version of this compilation can be found here. These include Cat People, The Man Who Sold The World (later covered by Nirvana) and All The Young Dudes (later covered by Bruce Dickinson.) But even though this is many times better than its one disc counterpart, I have a major complaint - NO TRACKS FROM PINUPS! Bowie's covers of the Who's I Can't Explain and the Easy Beats Friday On My Mind must be heard to be appreciated, and sadly, they aren't here. This makes me mad, because I Can't Explain WILL fit on the first disc.

David Bowie is an excellent musician, but as I stressed above, make extra sure you are buying this two disc version so you can get everything the one disc version omits. The two versions have identical covers, so be sure to check the tracklist on the back to be sure you're getting this one.

Bowie for Absolute Beginners? And everyone else!
I find it very depressing that Amazon still hasn't put up the tracklisting for this album (the double CD version "Best Of Bowie" for America) so I guess I'm gonna have to do it.

Disc 1
1. Space Oddity 2. The Man Who Sold The World 3. Changes 4. Life On Mars? 5. Moonage Daydream 6. Suffragette City 7. Ziggy Stardust 8. All The Young Dudes 9, The Jean Genie 10. Panic In Detroit 11. Rebel, Rebel 12. Diamond Dogs 13. Young Americans 14. Fame 15. Golden Years 16. TVC15 17. Sound and Vision 18. "Heroes" 19. D.J.
Disc 2
1.Ashes To Ashes 2. Fashion 3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) 4. Under Pressure 5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) 6. Let's Dance 7. China Girl 8. Modern Love 9. Blue Jean 10. This is Not America 11. Dancing In The Streets 12. Absolute Beginners 13. Time Will Crawl 14. Under The God 15. Jump They Say 16. The Heart's Filthy Lesson 17. I'm Afraid Of Americans 18. Thursday's Child 19. Slow Burn

This listing is very unique because it includes the big pop hits (the poppy R&B meets rock guitar "Let's Dance"), culturally significant songs (revolutionary singer-songwriter moments like "Changes" and "All The Young Dudes") and excellent singles that didn't get the attention they deserved the first time (the industrial rocker "Heart's Filthy Lesson"). The fact that "Best Of Bowie" takes songs form nearly every Bowie studio album (except for the cover packed "Pin Ups" and "Buddha Of Suburbia", which in all fairness was a soundtrack) shows all the levels that the man works on musically. The seventies are where Bowie shines with everything from the edgy alien hard rock of "Ziggy Stardust" to the glam rock perfection of "Rebel, Rebel". "Diamond Dogs" (only live track and the longest in length at over 6 minutes) should have been a shorter track, especially since they cut down the stellar cynical lyric with an R&B beat of "Young Americans" to a single edit. The Berlin tracks are a great way to end the first disc. "Low" is represented well by the dancy "Sound And Vision" while "Heroes" is tragic and wonderful. Then there is the eighties heyday from disco flavored new wave of "Fashion" to horn blasting "Modern Love" (which I viewed as a sardonic joke about yuppie culture, right?) to that poppy Motown cover "Dancing In The Streets" (with Mick Jagger adding his swagger). Then there was the nineties peak of creativity of the bleeping drum machine pop "Jump They Say" to the moody introspective AC of "Thursday's Child" to the techno rock dance of "I'm Afraid Of Americans" (the Trent mix) and closing with the passionate soul rock of "Soul Burn".

The unfortunate thing is that it misses with some track placement. I don't understand why "Time Will Crawl" represents "Never Let Me Down" and the obvious not "Day In, Day Out". Also, some tracks take getting used to like the collaboration with the Pat Methany Group with the world music with a dance groove "This is Not America". And now I understand why people dislike Tin Machine with the c-rocker blah bombast of "Under The God", but it shows an interesting side of Bowie. These very few questionable tracks (which I can live with) don't change my overall impression of the set being very strong. Slight omissions (why not "Rock And Roll Suicide" from "Ziggy Stardust..."?) and edits (or non-edits in some cases) doesn't change the fact that this album is filled with some of the greatest transformations from the rock chameleon that Bowie is. He has rocked us in a variety of ways and this album is needed for those who have adored him for years and is superb for those just starting out. Keep in mind that there are about 22 verisons of this CD, most single discs. This is the American double CD verison.

Skip this one... and go to the good records instead...
Bowie probably just had three our four phases in his carrer. The first was up to Stardust and Diamond Dogs (Hunky, The Man Who Sold Space Oddity, can be included into that phase), made up of nice songs and catchy ballads, interspersed with some elegantyl rocking tunes. Then what?... some kind of re-orientation release, Young Americans, doesn't sound or taste like anything in particular, and you wouldn't be worse off if you just forgot all about this record.

And then came an interesting phases in his career, in my view the most interesting one, where he consecutively released a stack of good records, starting with Station To Station, followed by Low and Heroes. Lodger is patchy at most, and doesn't taste like anything peculiar. He then somehow finishes off this great phase of his career with Scary Monsters, a nice reverence and look-back at his past years and early career. And what of Let's Dance, you may ask? Mhh... trendy but a bit in-between... you could well place it in this phase, although it already has a definitively different look-out on things. Let's Dance is definitively already an eighties album, but offers a rather good transition to the preceding decade's collection of works.

What then came, the third and last phase, is altogether different, some good things, and some things not that good. David definitively became an artistic Lodger, but who cares, he had already delivered his best (the first or second phases of his career, depending on your taste.)

All in all, if you want to know the man, I'd recommend you just skip this Best of collection and just get the Station, Low, Heroes albums, and maybe also the Monsters and Let's Dance releases. These were definitely his best and most mature albums. The rest is at times interesting but, in the end, just fills up space...

Mesmerizing Bowie
This is a great album. David Bowie himself might be a little odd. However, I've all ways liked his taste of music.
From Space Oddity to Ziggy Stardust. You'll get allot of good use from this set.
I have several of his CD's. However, this is one of my favorites. It has allot of his good songs on it.
There are just a tun of great choices hear.

Disc: 1

1. Space Oddity
2. The Man Who Sold The World
3. Changes
4. Life On Mars?
5. Moonage Daydream
6. Suffragette City    

7. Ziggy Stardust    
8. All The Young Dudes    
9. The Jean Genie    

10. Panic In Detroit    
11. Rebel, Rebel    
12. Diamond Dogs    
13. Young Americans    
14. Fame    
15. Golden Years    
16. TVC15    
17. Sound and Vision    
18. Heroes    
19. D.J.    
Disc: 2

1. Ashes To Ashes    
2. Fashion    
3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)    
4. Under Pressure    
5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)    
6. Let's Dance    
7. China Girl    
8. Modern Love    

great!
i bought this cd not know many songs from bowie, just wantin a cd that had some good songs. i never knew he did t hat "lets dance" song, which is now constantly stuck in my head. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Songs in the Key of Life (1976) was the highest high point of Stevie Wonder's career. More sprawling than Innervisions and Talking Book, this two-LP-plus-EP was also less of a consistent stunner than either of those masterworks. That Songs retains an enormous amount of visionary relevance, though, is demonstrated not only in Coolio's borrowing of "Pastime Paradise" as a template for "Gangsta's Paradise," but in the cold-as-ice synthesized string quartet of "Village Ghetto Land." This is Stevie, so naturally that cut's anger is balanced by the ultra-buoyant "I Wish," "Sir Duke," and "Another Star." The 2000 reissue boasts radically improved remastered sound. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (133)

Digital Sound Defiles a Pop Classic
"Songs in the Key of Life" is truly Stevie Wonder's opus. It is hard to imagine this, having already fallen in love with "Talking Book" and "Innervisions." Many, including myself, consider it to be the greatest pop album ever recorded. It is just about the most magnificent, wide-ranging and deeply moving recording I've ever heard. This record truly displays the depth and integrity of Stevie's gifts as a composer, instrumentalist, vocalist and producer. His choice of musicians on this record (including Herbie Hancock, George Benson, and Greg Phillangaines) is of course top-notch. Musically and artistically it is a masterpiece on every conceivable level. However, I am saying all of this of the original recording, not the one you see here.

I have been trying for some time now to dispell the notion that digital remastering somehow enhances the quality of an older record. I have heard remasters that were excellent, and I think for recordings of the 1950's and 60's vintage they can improve the overall fidelity of early stereo. However, Stevie's albums in the early and mid 70's were also masterpieces of recording technology. I have such fond memories of hearing this record on LP and being so entranced by the warmth and intimacy of the sound. Analog masters sound as though the musicians are with you in the room! Many new recordings lack this quality, sounding sterile and reproduced. I was greatly disappointed with this particular remaster, as well as all of the Stevie Wonder remasters that were recently released by Motown. It sounds to me as if someone simply compressed all of the waves and then cranked up the treble about a hundred notches. Some of the cymbal crashes on this record left my ears ringing, I can't understand why so many people prefer to listen to this.

Having come of age after the advent of CDs, I feel I am being as objective as one can be. I think this is not simply an issue of preference, or analog vs. digital. I think this about preserving and respecting the original 'voice' of the record. Stevie Wonder, in addition to all of his musical accomplisments, was a master producer. He knew what he wanted to hear, and when I listen to the original recording I am so stimulated by the entire sonic experience. There are textures and nuances in many of the layers (especially the intricate bass lines and synth work) that have been obscured by the high frequency, high compression sound format that has somehow become the standard. I am afraid that the fascination with technological advancement has superceded the pure listening experience, and it's disappointing.

Nevertheless, the music speaks for itself. I would only advise that those who wish to hear the album how it was intended to be heard in 1976 buy the original.

This Isn't Music. This Is History.
For those who care to know, this is my 1,000th review (ladies and gentlemen, please hold your applause!), and I thought it'd be a good idea to revisit Stevie Wonder's still-influential masterpiece "Songs in the Key of Life." Yeah, he's turned in other classics, and I'm also fond of "Music of My Mind" and "Hotter Than July," but "Songs..." ranks up there with "The Beatles" and Prince's "Sign o the Times" as one of the greatest double albums ever released. I still have the original vinyl edition (left to me by my late father), and very little of the material sounds dated, but all of it ranges from "excellent" to "even better." Wonder is most effective when he sings about love, as evidenced on the still-groovy "As" (which George Michael and Mary J. Blige would later cover), the brilliant "Knocks Me off My Feet" (which Tevin Campbell would later cover), and the ever-memorable "Isn't She Lovely." Other songs that hold a place close to my heart are "Another Star," "Sir Duke," and the soaring "If it's Magic." More than a quarter century since its release, this album has lost none of its luster. A classic album as towering as "Songs in the Key of Life" isn't simply music. It's also history.

So Lovely, So Funky
Beautiful, rich color and soul. Kicking up the blues into funk, improv, fusion, and prog. Huge fidelity recoding. Songs are so catchy and well-written. You'll be singing the songs before the first of the 2 discs are even finished. A masterpiece.

I couldn't belive...
I walked in to record town with 40 dollars that fatefull day. Totaly disgusted with the music sceen today i drifted in to the back of the store. I looked through the artists and stevie wonder's name appeared. Suddenly somthing came over me and i had songs in the key of life in my hand and i was walking to the cash register. I don't know why i bought it, i don't know what came over me. All i know is that this is one of the best albums of all time. Trust me it wont dissapoint you at all, it will inspire you to do greater things. Don't think, just buy it.

Fav. Songs : Another Star, As, Knocks me off my feet, summer soft, sir duke, if it's magic, ebony eyes, isn't she lovely, have a talk with god, i wish, love's in need of love today, saturn, village ghetto land, pasttime paradsie.

THERE ALL EXCELENT!!!!!!!!!

ignore songlife's review
it is apparent that u songlife have an incredibly foolish
nature when it comes down 2 stevie's important issues such
as slavery and race in his music. these are important topics
that need be addressed and stevie did it with truth and honesty.
if u r black-well then u r a brained washed negro. if u r white
u have never walked in black peoples shoes 2 understand the
painful effects of slavery and how it still affects black people
even 2day right now at this moment!if u r white, u would not

dare trade places with us black people because u couldn't handle
the stress,strife and racism that we black people have 2 endure
on a daily basis for over 450 years and counting.yes-songs like 'pastime paradise' and 'BLACK MAN'are essential and important 2 stevie's career-or betteryet 4 me and stevie 2 make u more upset about the issues of blacks being oppressed buy stevie's 1971 album 'where i'm coming from'and listen 2
'i wanna talk to you'or stevie's 1980 album-'hotter than july'
and listen 2 'cash in your face' or the track that stevie had
written and produced for the group third world called
'you're playing us too close' from the 1982 album
'you've got the power'/or the track 'its wrong'(apartheid)
from stevie's 1985 album,'in square circle'/or the track
'dark'n lovely' from stevie's 1987 album 'characters'/or the
track 'conversation peace' from stevie's 1995 album
'conversation peace'/now with all that being said i suggest 2u fool- stop living in a 'mickey mouse-disneyland'attitude
because racism is alive and well-because these issues are
important 2 stevie's music-YOU IGNORANT FOOL!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Taken literally, this album's title is sure to cause endlessarguments. Nothing from Dirty Mind, not atrace of the early anthem "Controversy," no "Erotic City"--no non-LPcuts at all, save some edited single versions--and a cold shoulder tothe criminally out-of-print Gold Experience. Damn.As a compendium of 17 key A-sides from 1979 to 1992, however, TheVery Best of Prince is (ahem) a quick-'n'-dirty review of the dayswhen the Artist was, in the estimation of R.E.M. guitaristPeter Buck, one of the weirdest musicians in the Top 10. Blessed withboth creative cunning and the wish to reach every listener possible,Prince revitalized rock and soul modes from the sex-crazed ("Little RedCorvette") to the cryptically spiritual ("Purple Rain"). Often heblurred lines between attitudes as surely as he did musical ones; theNew Testament image of "Thieves in the Temple" became in his hands acomplaint about a stolen girlfriend. Though a fine party artifact, thisdisc is still likely to prove too scanty even for many casual Princefans. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (91)

For casual fans only
One of the biggest pop stars to emerge from the eighties was, obviously, Prince. During the decade, he shelled out some of the biggest and best hits the pop music industry had ever heard. There have been a plethora of Prince hits compilations out before this one. Is this one any more special? Read on for my review of this so-called Very Best Of Prince.

PROS:
-Well, if you're a casual fan and you want the big hits, you'll find them all here. Little Red Corvette, When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy, Purple Rain, and most of the well-known songs are all here.
-To my knowledge, these songs are the full-length uncut versions, not the edited versions that are often played on radio stations.

CONS:
-As Amazon.com stated, the compilation title is sure to cause disputes, since everyones interpretation of what Prince's best work is is different.
-Many albums have no tracks on here.
-Eighty minutes just isn't enough time to represent one of the greatest pop stars of the eighties.

OVERALL:
Take my advice and get this ONLY if you're a very casual fan. My actual recommendation is to buy all the albums, but this can get a bit pricey. You may want to shell out a little extra cash and get the previous two-volume best of set. This is good material, but it's just not enough.

Guilty Pleasure
I see that a lot of Prince's diehard fans are appalled with the release of this album as is Prince himself. I can certainly understand why and I can hardly blame Prince or his fans being upset at this single disc collection of Prince's hits. I for one have never fawned over Prince. He is good but I don't consider him a god to rock and roll. I do however have found some of this music enjoyable which are the songs found on this album. I won't call myself a fan of Prince but rather a casual listener of his music. Maybe there could have been more music added to this best of collection of Prince's songs, considering Prince's extensive catalog of music. I'll admit that Warner Bros. only put together Prince's more popular songs. For the casual listener this is one of the best best of collections I've heard in the past few years. I enjoyed listening to all the songs I grew up on hearing on the radio like "When Doves Cry" and "Little Red Corvette". This album is a good party album for people who just want to hear Prince's more popular songs.

A total hatchet job
The problem with this album isn't the selection per se, (although excluding Erotic City is a major faux paus) it's that all of the songs are butchered. It's as though someone had a stopwatch going and when they reached the limit, they faded out the song. The songs are not even the radio mix in many cases. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.

17 Songs of Genius
It took me 20 years to catch up to Prince's stuff.
Back in the day, his music--much less some of his album covers (for instance, what WAS he thinking with the "Lovesexy" cover???)--were a bit too racy for little kids (and I was a little kid back in the early 80s when the Purple One's most groundbreaking stuff was coming out.) So, I never really got into his music until much later on.
Anyway, 20 years later, I realize both that "Little Red Corvette" ain't about a car and that this dude from Minneapolis is a freakin' genius. The gems on this 17-song album are a great primer into the wild world of Prince. Such essential tunes included here are "Purple Rain," "When Doves Cry" (although in its abridged single version), "Kiss," "Alphabet Street," "Sign 'O' The Times," and "Gett Off" (a song I love simply because of the slick little reference he makes to James Brown's "Mother Popcorn.")
That said, this is by no means a complete anthology of his work. "I Feel For You," "Soft and Wet," and "Adore" are essential Prince songs and are nowhere to be found here. In fact, if it had been left up to me, I would have included "If Was Your Girlfriend" from "Sign 'O' the Times" instead of "U Got the Look." But that's just me...
Paraphrasing a previous reviewer, this is a great starter kit for casual fans or people looking to replace those singles that got lost, scratched, or broken from the 80s.
In a word: essential.

This is the only Prince album you need!
I have to admit, I always liked Prince. I love the whole Purple Rain album, but I have to say I do not own even one of his albums.
I had to buy this. It has every single that I have always cherished. So if you are not a die-hard fan, but like his hits. This is the only Prince CD you need. I do wish they put "Pop Life" on it, but I am not complaining. This CD is Slamming' and should be in everyone's collection. Even if you are just a fan of just the singles Prince put out, this Collection has it all (except "Pop Life".)Yes there are a few more, the Batman theme etc. But, it's still awesome.
This CD still deserves a 5 out of 5 stars for the not so in love with Prince fans, but love his singles. I say get this CD. It has 17 unforgettable tracks that take you back to the days of retro fun and then take you into the present, this whole CD is a FUN RIDE!! Amen for this compilation. ... Read more

Reviews (190)

Uneven but enjoyable
Michael McDonald has one of the finest, most expressive voices of any white singer - or singer of any other color - on the planet. Motown music, as Michael so rightly points out in his liner acknowledgements, is perhaps the most passionate American music ever produced. Berry Gordy and his associates, along with the magical environment of Detroit and the incredible roster of singing groups, provided a musical sound that will be meaningful long after Christina, Justin and Britney are dead and gone. This CD has moments of sheer brilliance. I never thought I'd hear a rendition of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" that makes me cry like Marvin and Tammy's, but his is oh so close. "Everything is You" is stunning, and several other cuts are almost perfect. However, other cuts seem to lack real energy. There are several slow songs made slower by Michael's rearranging. They drag. And "How Sweet It Is" is too convoluted to understand in the context of the rest of the CD and the familiar sound of the song as performed by other Motown artists and James Taylor. I applaud his desire to step away, but he missed on that one by a mile. Also, I am so frustrated by the fact that Michael's voice shimmers throughout, but there are arrangements where the drum machine was simply turned on and turned off. There is no CREATIVITY to the music. The music, the playing of the song, in some cases fails to match Michael's energy, and, with a few exceptions, the drums are dead. If the musical presentation could have matched the vocal output and the spectacular harmonies, this would have rated a fifth star for me, even with the uneven songs. The truth is that Michael McDonald has made a fine CD that will be played often by mature adults who crave his great voice and the joy of hearing great old songs. "Ain't nothin' like the real thing", and Michael delivers.

One of the Best!
There is no question that Michael McDonald has one of the most distinctive and soulful voices in modern pop music today!

It would only seem fitting that "Motown" is a wonderful tribute to great artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Temptations, and the list goes on. What makes this record stand out is how McDonald gives these songs his own unique style.

The truth is this is the type of record that really grows on a listener. You need to honestly sit down and relax to enjoy the cd! "Motown" is work of art, and certainly only a few elite musicians can sing motown music to a high effect, and Michael McDonald does it in spades.

My favorite tracks on this record include the opener, "Heard It Through the Grapevine," "You Are Everything," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," "I Want You," "Since I Lost My Baby," and finally "Too High," with the supergroup, Fourplay.

This record has great musicianship from McDonald and his supporting cast of musicians, producers, and engineers. I have been a big fan of Michael McDonald since the Doobie Brothers, and I know that any fan of soul music can appreciate his effort with "Motown." "Motown" is simply one of the best and delivers good music on all cylinders.

Nick Kalenze.

Doing a Remake Album is Not Easy
In general, I think it is extremely hard to pull off a remake album. It even gets hard when its a remake from various artists. When Universal Music decided to do a project of Motown remakes, they went after not only someone who could fit the Motown sound - they went after a talented musician. Michael McDonald's credentials are well known in the music world. As one of the lead singers for the Doobie Brothers, he added a new dimension to the band. In the 80s, he had a modest solo career with such hits as "Sweet Freedom", "On My Own", and "I Keep Forgettin". Although not a "Christian Contemporary" artist, McDonald has dabbled in the area on songs such as "Lonely Talk" and "Homeboy" on the "Take it to the Heart" album. McDonald does good with the music on this album. McDonald adds his personal touch and style to a lot of classics. The album itself could have taken some different directions, but this is more of producer Tony Swain than of McDonald himself.

There definitely is a focus on three artists on this particular album - Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross & The Supremes. Yes there are nice remakes of "Since I Lost My Baby" by the Temptations, "You are Everything" by the Stylelistics and "How Sweet It is" by James Taylor. The remaining 11 songs all have the the Gaye, Wonder, and Supremes connection. There are three ways I could second guess this - 1) The Selection of the 14 songs could have been second guessed. If there was to be an influence on Gaye, Wonder, and the Supremes - perhaps some other songs like "I'll Be Doggone", "Sir Duke", and "The Happening" could have been included; 2) Include other artists such as The Four Tops, Billy Preston, The Isley Brothers, and Commodores. I would have also liked more songs by the Tempatations; 3) In general, the other problem is that the emphasis on the "Motown" music seems to be from the earlier days and there isn't much material included from the later days (such as including some Lionel Richie stuff). However the collection is what it is.

This album has had some good commercial success. This album wasn't getting much airplay, but this album did receive a boost when two of the songs were featured on an MCI television commercial - the remake of Gaye's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing". Some may criticize McDonald for selling out with the commercials - but in general there has been a bias on commercial radio against getting airplay of new material from 70s and 80s artists. As a result - I applaud McDonald's efforts. It got a lot of folks interested in this new album as well as introduced a lot of new fans to Michael McDonald.

I really like the intro that McDonald does on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". There are some great harmonies on this song as well. The background vocals also add a nice effect on "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing". The MCI songs are two highlights of the album, but there are others as well. The remake of The Supremes' "Reflections" has some classic McDonald crooning combined with a gospel choir background. "Reflections" is my all-time favorite Motown song and McDonald's version - while very different, does not disappoint. Three other excellent remakes are contributed by Stevie Wonder. In "Signed, Sealed, Delivered - I'm Yours" and "I Believe". , McDonald brings a energy and passion that show his talent as a vocalist as well as why he was an excellent choice for doing this album. The background vocals in "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" also add a great effect. As for "I Believe", I do think that McDonald's version is better. A third Wonder remake "Too High" is the last song on the collection. The McDonald remake brings more of a Jazz element than the original and I feel it also is pulled off well. Finally on "You are Everything", Michael McDonald keeps all the passion of the original song - another solid remake.

The collection leads off with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". I've never been a fan of this Marvin Gaye classic. I wasn't thrilled it was included on the collection and I don't think McDonald adds much to change my personal opinion. I do think than fans of this song will be happy with it. It is also worth noting that McDonald's wife Amy provides vocals on the Gaye remake of "Distant Lover" - this is another solid remake that is included. There is a great saxaphone on this collection.

Remake albums don't often include the lyrics. In the liner notes, Michael McDonald mentions how the lyrics were able to be reproduced with permission. The songwriters are listed for the songs, but I would have also included the original artists. I'm not sure if this album is going to satisfy the pure Motown fan, but I think Michael McDonald fans will be thrilled with this - as well as those fans who enjoy a good Motown tune. I do highly recommend this album.

The wrath of Gordy...
At last! Berry Gordy has achieved the ultimate goal. Motown has truly been assimilated into the collective consciousness of the pop music fans everywhere. The success of Mike's record irrefutably proves this. Instead of over-the-hill recording artists doing remakes of classic tunes like 'Misty', 'Girl from Ipanaema', and 'Autumn Leaves', now they're doing(or undoing, depending on your point of view) Motown standards. And just as they hacked-up and otherwise massacred those classic tunes, they'll surely do likewise to songs like 'My Girl' and 'Superstition'. Watered-down and devoid of any inkling of emotion, soulfullness or funkativity. Elevator-ready, if you will. But of course, in the eyes of the music industry big-wigs, its really more about money than art, isn't it? Long live Motown. Look out Hip-Hop! 'Rapper's Delight' and 'The Message' are next on the list.

GREAT listen
I love The Doobie Brothers and I love Michael McDonald...and I love this CD.

If you like The Doobie Brothers and/or Michael McDonald, then you'll definitely like this CD. It incorporates some of the best Motown hits and Michael McDonald does a GREAT job covering them. The CD is filled with R&B/Soul rhythms and Michael McDonald's voice is diverse with extreme octaves.

I definitely recommend this CD if you like this kind of music and/or his voice.

My favorite songs on it are: I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever), Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing, Reflections, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, I Want You.

Good investment! ... Read more

Album Description

Each of his five albums has charted Top 5 Contemporary Jazz and his last four have also reached the R&B Top 50. A Smooth Jazz star with a major Urban AC audience, Norman Brown follows 2002’s Grammy®-winning Just Chillin’ with West Coast Coolin’, featuring songs written by Eric Benét, James Poyser and Norman Brown himself. Renowned for his guitar sound, Brown now debuts his sexy, slick vocals on West Coast Coolin’, including a remake of Marvin Gaye’s classic "What’s Goin’ On." As West Coast Coolin’ proves, there’s no one smoother or cooler than Norman Brown. ... Read more

Reviews (1310)

Pretty good album...awesome album cover!
Vocally, I think she has matured since her first album. It's less "poppy" than her last album. But considering the current "pop" market, I think everyone is trying sound less poppy and a little more "hip hop" (like Britney and Justin collaborated with rappers). This album contains a good balance between up-tempo songs and ballads.

I especially like track 18 "The Voice Within" - it's powerful, it showcases her voice, and most importantly, she didn't "overdo" it with all those improvised "yeah yeah...ahh ahh" stuff. I was disappointed with track 2 "Can't Hold Us Down". This track features Lil' Kim but I think the song is missing a catchy melody or riff or something. It was a waste to use Lil' Kim in this track, especially after "Lady Marmalade" became such a hit - Lil' Kim and Christina are indeed a cool duo. Unfortunately the song didn't do them justice. Track 9 "Impossible" was a collaboration with Alicia Keys. It was a signature Alicia Keys song - in a minor key, with piano/drums/bass and heavy backup vocals - And tell you the truth, I rather hear Alicia singing this track. I think Christina overdid it just a little too much.

There are tracks on this album where I think Christina is exploring and experimenting with different sounds...Take for instance Track 12 "Make Over" reminds me a little of Pink's new sound, leaning a little toward alternative rock. More jazzy sounding tracks include Track 10 "Underappreciated" and Track 15 "Get Mine, Get Yours"...the arrangement are different from a "typical" R&B track.

"Dirrty" is a good one to party to...it's my favorite on the album. I don't know about the video...but then again the track is named "Dirrty"...so I guess the video was appropriate.

Her image - is she just trying to be a bad girl, or do you think this is indeed the real Christina? Who knows?

Overall it's a pretty good album. I would only recommend it if you're a Christina fan.

wonderful lyrics, powerful voice, christina made it again
Dont esitate, buy that album. Stripped is one of the greatests albums of the year. You'll see the new Christina, the real way she is. Amazing lyrics (Co-writed by Christina), powerful voice, and realy nice beats, what should we ask better?? Listen, I like ALL of the 21 tracks on the cd. It is a great album.

1- Stripped (intro) - 7/10 - nice intro
2- Cant hold us down - 8/10 - good beat, great for dance
3- Walk Away - 10/10 - my fav REMARQUABLE lyrics/interpretation!
4- Fighter - 9/10 - realy good rock song, powerful
5- primer amor interlude - 4/10 well its an interlude right..lol
6- infatuation - 9/10 - realy good song, latino, i love it!!
7- loves embrace interlude - 5/10 relaxing interlude..
8- loving me 4 me - 7/10 - slow, but good piece to
9- impossible - 9/10 - great!! beautiful interpretation, r&b
10- underapreciated - 6/10 - okay
11- beautiful - 10/10 - what a great voice !! nice lyrics, good!
12- make over - 6/10 not bad.. sounds rock but weird
13- cruz - 8/10 - i love it !! good interpretation, accapela!!
14- soar - 10/10 - realy good, I cant describe it
15- get mine get yours - 9/10 -WOW! give a listen powerful voice
16- dirty - 8/10 - nice song, great beat to dance, good
17- stripped pt2 - 6/10 - good
18- the voice within - 8/10 - great voice, lyrics, everithing
19- im okay - 9/10 - realy emmotionnal, too good lyrics
20- keep on signing my song - 7/10 great
21- i will be - 8/10 good end to a great album

buy this album, youll be satisfied, thats for sure!!! I love christinas voice, powerful, emotional, just go get this cd!!!! 910 !!!!!

Greatest cd's ever
This is one of the best cd's I have ever heard and by far her best cd.....If you get one cd this you this must be the one

Beautiful and empowering
It took her a while but she came back in full force. All the tracks are great and they show that she really grew up. Through her songs, you understand that she grew into a woman who's comfortable in her skin, sexuality, and just her place in the world. You hear her tears in "I'm Okay", singing about her abusive father and you feel her love for herself in "Beautiful" a song that encourages self love and determination in believing in all that you are. Every woman should own this album. You won't be wasting your time. She kicks Britney's ass with this.

THE ULTIMATE!!
Girlfriend is all over this CD. She is bringing the house down BIG TIME. Miss Christina, you are such a role model, and I love everything you do. Just run and get this album now!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (25)

One of a Kind!
And yet another satisfying "Very Best Of" CD from the good folks at Rhino...

The (Detroit) Spinner were indeed amongst the very best the early '70s had to offer in the orchestrated Pop-Soul genre which also counted royalty like The Chi Lites, Barbara Acklin, The Stylistics, ABC-era Four Tops, Chairmen of the Board, and the O'Jays. If you're a fan of that sort of music, this one's a must.

That said, what keeps this one's away from getting my full, flawless, five-star verdict is the simple fact that the quality isn't as consistent as one would've hoped for; few of the songs ("I'm Coming Home", "Sadie") just aren't quite as magnificent as others ("It's a Shame", "Mighty Love", "Could it Be I'm Falling in Love", "Ghetto Child"), while the Disco medleys ("Working My Way Back to You"/"Forgive Me, Girl" & "Cupid"/"I've Loved You For a Long Time"), although fine, don't measure up against the earlier stuff at all.

But this is still excellent nearly all the way -- few, at the time, did this sort of thing better than master Thom Bell (If needed, seek out the Stylistics for further proof). But Bell also had these majestic voices to work with, so it definitely wasn't all him.

Spinners keep on spinning -- we sallute you!

Their best is the best
More kudos to Rhino Records. These guys (the Spinners, not Rhino) were around for so long, and made so much good music over twenty some years. Most of it is here.

Sorry about the bad luck of Music Fan, but my copy had "Mighty Love", "Love Don't Love Nobody" and "Then Came You". Also included were some of their earlier smooth songs like "I'll Be Around" and "Its a Shame". We even get the Spinners foray into disco, the remake of the Four Season's Working My Way Back To You" is happily included.

They were so polished, and if you have gone a few decades (like I did) withoug hearing these songs, they return like a good old friend. My only complaint? I would prefer the full versions of "Mighty Love", "Love Don't Love Nobody" and "Rubberband Man". But not enough of a problem to dog this one out.

All of the Spinner's Hits!
This is an album that includes ALL of the Spinner's hits! My favorite songs are It's A Shame, I'll Be Around and Could It Be I'm falling in Love. This is one of the best albums to party with. It may be from the 60's, but it will never get old.

Outstanding collection of one of the 70's top groups!!!!
Originally known as the Detroit Spinners, this group was discovered by Moonglows great Harvey Fuqua around 1960. In fact their very first release "Thats What Girls Are Made For" (sadly not included in this collection) was done in the Moonglows style. The Spinners were signed by Berry Gordy in the early 60's but struggled mightily to find their sound. They released a dozen or so singles before finally hitting paydirt in 1970 with "It's A Shame". Convinced that the group needed to go in an entirely different direction, good friend Aretha Franklin convinced they to leave Motown and sign with Atlantic Records where she introduced them to producer Thom Bell. This was a match made in heaven. And the rest is history. Over the next dozen years or so, the group would place about two dozen songs on Billboards Hot 100. Of these, seven made the Top Ten including the 1974 number one smash with Dionne Warwick "Then Came You". The Spinners turned out to be one the most consistant chart performers of the decade. This collection from Rhino records includes fifteen of the very best tracks including "It's A Shame", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "The Rubberband Man" and two medleys from the early 80's "Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl" and "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time". But the entire CD is a delight and I don't believe there is a mediocre track on the disc. As per usual, Rhino has included an eight page booklet with the history of the group and photos. Where are they now? According to their official website, the Spinners continue to perform in small venues around the country. Unfortunately, lead singer John Edwards fell ill in 2002. As a result, the group contacted their lead singer from the Motown days G.C. Cameron who agreed to rejoin the group after some 30 years. If you grew up in the 1970's, this CD should be an essential part of your music collection. Most highly recommended!!!

A release that lives up to being "The Very Best Of"
The music industry is quite a perplexing animal as both Gladys Knight & the Pips and Spinners were largely ignored by Motown and both went on to enjoy an amazing streak of success after leaving their first label. Nothing against Motown, but they never found a way to bring out the best of these talents, but luckally a man known as STEVIE WONDER to took interest in the group by writing and help record a gem titled "It's A Shame", which went on to become their only Motown hit. After much soul searching and rejection, the group was picked up (with much support from Aretha Franklin) by Atlantic.

After the lead singer quit, they began work with the great Thom Bell, Philly soul's "other" great producer besides the legendary Gamble & Huff team who were enjoying continued success with another gem of a group: none other than The O'Jays!While not as flashy or arguably well-remembered as the O'Jays, Spinners hold their own place in music history and this collection is AMAZING as it has every hit, a feat rarely seen in the industry as there are always some songs left out by accident or intent.

Listening to this great collection I am reminded how tasteful, elegant, and lushy romantic this group was. True adult contemporary music before the term was prostituted to include artists that don't receive play on MTV.

Some may forget that Spinners had a few gems that surpassed their signature love songs, as exemplified by the grooves of "The Rubberband Man" and towards the end of their reign had a couple of well received medleys that did not deviate from their roots but incorporated a discoish beat that suited them quite well. I LOVE "Working My Way Back To You/ Forgive Me Girl."

If you are a hard core fan, there is a double anthology titled "One of a Kind Love Affair", but for me this single-disc career summary offers everything that I was looking for and more. '70's soul served at just the right temperature! ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Drowning In A Glass, Can't Find Love At All
Let's be honest we're not buying this CD for the hits, we're buying it for the new material. "That's The Way"--Giorgio and Keith hit the nail right on the head. This has radio hit written all over it. Donna's vocals shine in this very slick, well produced production. Very breathy and playful. She hasn't used her voice in this way for years, and it's a very welcome change. This is the new sound of Summer and I like it! "I Will Live For Love"--Donna's previous co-writes with Nathan DiGesare haven't impressed me at all, but this song is a complete twist. Written for Donna's children's musical "Dreamway Express", the lyrics and the vocals scream classic Broadway. Giorgio lifts this fairy tale from standard theater fare, by wraping the production in enticing effervescent dance beat. "You're So Beautiful"-- Loved it. Although I would love even more to hear a version that features Donna's vocals more prominently. This at least proves that Donna was on the right musical track when she was at Sony. All and all, these new recordings show a Diva awaiting (and deserving) a rebirth. Will it happen? I can only pray. Mykol (I Wanna Love You Baby Like You Know I'm Donna Summer)

The Long, Long Journey
Well, to begin, I must say that I am a biased Donna Summer fan, and have been for the better part of 25 years. That is why I am hard-pressed to give this CD only 4 stars instead of 5. But, there are two major flaws in this release. The first is that one of the new tracks ("Dream-A-Lots Theme...I Will Live For Love"), is a Mouseketeer anthem, very much in the same vein that "Someday" was for the Mouse House CD back in '96. It is very cookie-cutter, dance fodder in it's original version. In my opinion, this is something that Donna should steer away from at least from a production aspect. The second flaw (though hair-splitting it may seem), is that this summer's best dance floor anthem, "You're So Beautiful" was left off the CD's cover credits. Having gotten that out of the way, these remastered classics are as clear as a bell! And the collection, though I personally find some of her greatest songs missing, is a SUPER BUY for the casual Donna fan.

Now, onto the really great news about this CD. The remix of "I Will Live For Love" is a fantastic dance tune that should have everyone hitting the dance floor over and over at least through the Christmas holidays. But, the show-stopper is the cool and breezy "That's The Way". Her throaty and teasingly optimistic vocals just make me shiver with anticipation to replay the song (and to hear an entire CD with Giorgio Moroder).

So Donna, I can't give you 5 stars this outing, but hopefully 4 will do for you and the rest of the listening world...

A Great Donna Summer Collection
The Journey is a superb greatest hits collections for new Donna fans as well as old. All of the top hits are on it along with some new songs and a second CD of extended play singles.

A must have for any Donna fan and a great CD for new Donna fans.
Her music is timeless as evidenced by her staying power.

Highly recommended!!

hirickybear
What can any one say about one of the greatest female singers of our time...DONNA SUMMER is truely in a class all by herself...and this latest trubute to her is lacking POWER HOUSE songs Like..."Once Upon a Time," "Fairy Tale High," " I Remember Yester Day," "Rummor Has It," "Summer Fever," "Autum Changes," "Dim all the Lights," "Sunset People," "Walk Away". These are the songs that Made Donna Summer truly a legend within her life time.

Great Collection. Excellent Price!!
This CDs are a steal at $12. I paid $18 when it first came out and it was well worth it.
Most people are complaining that there are only 3 new songs. In this day and age, this is Donna's easiest way to get some new music out there. Plus this CD was also meant to go with her autobiography so it makes sense that it would be a Greatest Hits.
The three new songs are amazing. I also had the privilege of hearing Donna sing almost every song on this CD(include the three new ones) at a rare concert in Orlando this year and it's incredible how she sounds better than ever.

The remixes are great and they are a great way to play some Donna Summer music at a party. ... Read more

Reviews (99)

Dre putting it Down for California
This album right here is a G-Funk classic this is soooooo
good one of the Best ever from the WESTSIDE this has some
Gangsta type rap in it also I will review each song
1.Chronic(Intro)
2.F Wit Dre Day f Snoop Dogg-never heard
3.Let me ride-classic cruising G-Funk 7/10 ***^
4.The Day they took over I rember it being good 9/10 ****^
5.Nothing But A G Thang-a classic featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg
a great party type Jam Dr.Dre best song 10/10 *****
6.Deeez Nuuuts-Pretty Awesome with great Posse Track 10/10 *****
7.Lil Ghetto Boy-Good Production to little Drummer Boy Beat **
8.A - Wit a gun another classically produced Song a 10 *****
9.Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat-Another good one 9/10 ****^
10.The $20 Sack Pyramid
11.Lyrical Gangbang-great verse by Lady of Rage 10/10 *****
12.High Powered- I Believe I liked it
13.The Doctors office-funny intermission
14.Stranded on Death Row-Tight Beat Awesome 10/10 *****
15.The Roach
16.B_ Aint S_ another great posse track with Snoop 10/10 *****

All in All a great experience the Top 5 are track 5 Track 11
Track 6 Track 16 and Track 8 Peace

Amazing - an all-time classic of any genre
"The Chronic" is brilliant. Although I was initially put off by the lyrics (which tend to be violent, profane, and misogynistic), the talent here is undeniable. Dre himself isn't a great rapper, but he doesn't embarass himself on the record, and the guest stars are all good. Especially notable, of course, is Snoop, who proves himself as one of rap's all-time greats. He brightens up every second of his rapping, and delivers some of the most memorable vocals in recent music history on "Dre Day" and "Nuthin' But A "G" Thang".

Still, though, "The Chronic" gains its reputation primarily on the basis of Dre's production. This album alone can make a convincing case for Dre being the greatest rap producer of all time (not to mention his work on "2001" or "Straight Outta Compton"). The music varies from smooth ("Let Me Ride") to confrontational ("Dre Day", "Lyrical Gangbang") while never losing the incredible funkiness and knack for hooks that Dre brings to every track. And to top it off, it isn't overly reliant on sampling... small wonder that the music here is nothing short of intoxicating.

In short, brilliant rapping and production make "The Chronic" one of the greatest rap albums ever, and a classic no matter what type of music you consider. Highly recommended.

Took a while to get used to...
but once I did, I started listening to it every day. I had been listening to a lot of newer hip hop so it was hard to tune into this, but after I did I realized how great the album really was. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes hip hop.

Good when I got used to it.
I was used to the style of newer rap, and it took a while to get into this album, but when I did, I realized how catchy it was. In fact, I'm listening to it right now

THIZ IZ HOW RAP SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW
Okay if yall neva got thiz album and got 50 cent and eminem's album...then your dumb...seriously...you dont know anythin about rap or hip hop...50 cent and eminem are a bunch of bozo's and i dunno why dre signed them clownz into aftermath...Before dre wuz wacked in tha head....he made thiz classic album...thiz album got alotta ol schoo beatz n it will get you to listen to hiz older muzik...snoop dogg featurez on here too and that time he wuz good before he became lame...Pick thiz classic album up...and also pick up N.W.A. and Easy-E's albums...PICK THAT UP...DO NOT...I MEAN DO NOT BUY AND WASTE your money on rap crap like...50 cent eminem chingy nelly jkwon lil jon crappy muzik...they are not rapperz...they are laughin at ya cuz they are makin money while you are just buyin junk rap crap and makin you feel real dumb...If you disagree...then you need friendz to fit in...LMMFAO!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Given Luther Vandross's precarious state of health at the time of its release, Dance With My Father’s title track--a tale of yearning for a lost loved one--takes on added poignancy. It’s something of a centerpiece on an album that moves in several directions, reaching for varied constituencies, while ultimately staying focused on Vandross’s trademark buttery vocals. In addition to "Dance," there’s more adult-contemporary balladry ("Buy Me a Rose"), lightly sassy soul ("If I Didn’t Know Better"), and a number of collaborations with hip-hoppers that often work surprisingly well. While suspending disbelief is hard when considering Luther and Foxy Brown as a couple ("If It Ain’t One Thing"), remakes of soft-R&B classics with Beyonce Knowles and Busta Rhymes prove to be highlights. With the Destiny’s Child singer, Vandross actually improves on the familiar Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway take of "The Closer I Get to You," turning in a cut that recalls his slow-burning signature reworking of "A House is Not a Home." A languid turn at "Lovely Day," with a purring Busta, works almost as well. (The "Part II" remix is superfluous, however.) Otherwise, Dance is in the vein of post-‘80s Vandross discs, and guaranteed to please fans. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (101)

A soulful masterpiece by Luther! He's a genius!
Luther Vandross is my all-time favorite singer! I have all his CDs and this latest one certainly doesn't fail to deliver. I have played this CD over and over and still look forward to hearing it play again. (When I first purchased it I even just drove around in my car, with nowhere in particular to go, just so I could play the entire CD.)

I love the title cut but I think my favorite song is 'Buy Me a Rose' although there isn't a song on this CD that I don't like. This particular song and the title cut bring tears to my eyes everytime I hear them play, because they ring so true to experiences in my life. I also love the song, 'Think About You,' because how many of us in our lives haven't had a secret fantasy crush on someone that doesn't know that we do. It's wonderful to listen to an artist and be able to relate to the words of his songs.

How bittersweet it is for this debut of Luther's new CD knowing that he is still hospitalized. May God continue to bless Luther and help him continue on a path of recovery so that he can be back to sing more songs with his beautiful voice. A world without Luther singing is a world I don't want to imagine!

I hope that Luther knows how much he is loved and wished well!

Brilliant
Quite possibly Mr. Vandross' best work ever! Every track is well worth listening to (several times). I was not particularly thrilled with listening to Foxy Brown on "If it ain't one thing". Thankfully, most of her ramblings came at the end...smooth and coarse just do not blend very well. I was very pleasantly surprised at "Hit it Again". Sexy, very sexy. Did it need the Queen? No! Mr. Vandross was doing great all by himself on this one!
Ms. Knowles handled herself very well with a music legend! Maybe she is not all flash after all....great rendition of "The closer I get to you".
Mr. Vandross has been so consistent for so many years that we all expect the very best from him. He has raised the bar yet again with this album and I am excited to see his follow-up! Yes, I live in an optimistic world and I fully expect another Vandross CD in 2005. Unquestionably this is a must have CD. He hits the mark with every track!
Je t'aime, Luther.
G

My opinion
Luther Vandross's album dance with my father is the biggest hit he could have ever made and every time I here or see the music video of that song it just makes me think of my father and how he wasn't there for me

Luther's Best Work
This is clearly the definition of a 5 star album. When an artist puts out his best work. Luther has clearly put out his "masterpiece" work and there is no way you can say that he didn't. He uses great song choice and his voice is just fantastic.

What makes this album 5 stars? First, the music supporting Luther isn't monotonous. Each song has unique drum programming/rhythm and each song sounds different. I am partial to all the songs, with my favorites being "Think About You", "The Closer I Get To You" (Beyonce's vocals are absolutely stunning), and "Dance With My Father". All the songs are good. Luther and his partners who composed these tunes did a great, great job. What else is there to say. 5/5!

Bad album
In 2003 this album won a lot of awards and shifted a lot of units, but in truth I think that's more down to the name of Luther & the ill health the brother was in, than the album itself. People like me who have followed Luther for years & have all his albums know he's capable of much stronger material than this. 'Dance With My Father' is an album that does everything it can to sell big. It rides all the fads of the moment, brings in corny guest rappers like Foxy Brown, Queen Latifah, and Busta Rhymes, and flava of the month Beyonce. It all sounds boring, Luther has sold platinum before while staying true to himself & R&B so its confusing to hear him sell out so hard. The production is weak, Luther again avoids real instruments in favour of low budget sounding Casio keyboard-based tunes, the choice of songs are weak, the two covers are bad choices, the material doesn't showcase the full range of his vocals, the hooks are weak, the overall vibe is cheap. This is only the second time in 23 years that he has cut a bad album (the other being 1993s 'Never Let Me Go'), so that explains why this is such a let down. I hate to see a respected vet like Luther go out like this, I hope his health improves as the man has been a great talent & is loved the world over. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

disco's best cd
this cd is a genius mix of great disco songs. its hard not to like it. to understand why, just look at whats on it: celebration by kool & the gang (classic), funkytown by lipps inc, dancing queen by abba, ymca by the village people, and many more. i mean, who doesnt know YMCA? also on this cd are less popular songs, such as knock on wood and hot stuff, but they were still popular and you will most likely know them as soon as you listen to the cd. at the end is the awesome grease megamix that anyone who likes the movie grease will know all the words to. on the megamix are grease lightning, you better shape up, you're the one that i want, and summer nights. this cd is great for parties along with personal listening because once you turn it on, everyone will want to get up and dance. Pure disco is the best disco mix around.

Disco is making a come back.
Well maybe Disco isn't really coming back, but at least this compilation sounds better than ever. Plus, when thinking about it, when did it ever actually end? There's not much that really separates the music of twenty-five to thirty years ago with today. Disco was the generic term for dance music of the 70s and maybe 1980 and 81 up until MTV came into the scene. Today dance music still is around, even if several of these artists are not. But it is fun hearing the roots of clubbing and rave. Look at what you will get with this CD:Funkytown by Lipps Inc., which featured members of the Prince's Revolution Band famous for his Purple Rain disc, Abba's Dancing Queen which inspired a Broadway play Mamma Mia, Celebration by funk-disco band Kool and the Gang, a classic. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor which is one of the most covered tunes and a top dance song of all time. The Gap Band is here and they are an eighties favorite. Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, and Barry White are legends and they're here. My favorite song is Amii Stewart's Knock on Wood from this collection. Plus among other's the famous mix of Grease tunes from the movie not found elsewhere. Give it a try and buy the other two as well. I am sure you will dance all night.

Great collection of Classic Disco
Yea, we all love to dance- but this collection of music
are classics and they always get people young and old up to
dance. Disco is NOT dead!

What a great series!
Let me first go on record saying that my favorite artists of all time (at this point) are Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. In that vein, you wouldn't really expect a guy with a taste for that sort of music to dig disco. But I really do. Disco music defines "good times." If you've ever been to any sort of party in your life (hosted by a professional DJ, that is), the odds are you've heard a number of the songs on this compilation. And they're all great.

Some are better than others, of course, but each song is catchy and the bass lines are funky. Not to mention cheesy. If you're looking for a cool collection of disco music and don't want to splurge the cash for expensive box sets or individual artists' albums, the "Pure Disco" series is a great investment. Throw in the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack and you've got enough great disco songs to blister your feet up.

Why only four stars instead of five? That's easy. Barry White's "the First, the Last, My Everything" isn't the REAL version. Polygram omitted the spoken introduction and the phrasing is just a bit different from the original version. Must be some sort of radio edit.

Despite this, great compilation. Two other recommendations: "the Bee Gee's Greatest Hits: the Record" and "Barry White: the Ultimate Collection."

PURE DISCO / VOL . 1, 2 & 3
This is the best disco set available!!! Although,disco music
was short lived,it was an era that no one will forget.To some it
was a fashion statement.To others,a threat of,the downfall of
rock & roll music,as we knew it.No matter how you felt about it you must agree that some of best feel good music came from that
generation.I also feel that the word: "CHEESY" came from this time period.I,myself,liked it because I could sleep in my clothes
without the fear of wrinkling them... ... Read more

Album Description

Rahsaan Patterson continues to redefine soul music with his third body-moving collection, "After Hours".The highly anticipated follow up to "Love In Stereo" and "Rahsaan Patterson," "After Hours" scintillates with smooth grooves, undeniable melodies and soaring vocals that can only be delivered by Patterson.Van Hunt, Jamey Jaz and Steve Hurley return as Patterson’s core writing and production team, delivering a groove that will keep you moving after hours.Features the hits "The One For Me," "Separate," and "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" plus 3 bonus tracks not featured on international versions. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whether with the groundbreaking group Rufus or on her own, Chaka Khan has one of the most distinctive and influential voices in R&B. She's able to wail at full emotive throttle or deliver a love song with nuanced jazz-inflected tones, and sometimes even do both within the same track. This 1996 collection gathers some of Khan's biggest and most beloved solo efforts. Included here are the classic tangy attack of "Ain't Nobody" and the turntable-enhanced smash "I Feel for You" (penned by admirer and recent collaborator Prince). There's also the anthemic original version of "I'm Every Woman," the moody "Through the Fire," and her 1996 collabo with Me'Shell Ndegeocello, "You Never Miss the Water." As all great vocalists do, Khan takes control of every song, breathing fire and life into the words and interpreting them without overpowering their meaning. One listen to Epiphany and it's abundantly clear that, even though she's been AWOL from the charts for a while, Chaka Khan remains a founding mother of soul and funk, armed with a potent voice that can both illuminate and elevate. --Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (39)

FANTASTIC! GET HITS #2 OUT ASAP!!!
Chaka returns with the much anticipated hits collection which will be no let down to any fan! Epiphany: The Best Of Chaka
Khan Volume One is one hot Chaka tune after another and to top this collection 5 new tunes are included and show this girl
in superb form! Echoes of old Chaka are balanced with the new are a feast for the ears! Of the new tunes my 3 faves are
"Everywhere," Somethin' Deep" & "Never Miss The Water" all which become classics amongst her fans worldwide. Of the

golden oldies you got "I'm Every Woman, "Ain't Nobody," "And The Melody Still Lingers On (Night In Tunisia)" & "I Feel For
You" to get you going! If the title is correct and means that there is a Volume Two in the works...Boy I think of a load of gems
to fill it up with! All the material has been digitally remastered with the HDCD system and the sonics will knock you out. Believe
me...Youhave never ever heard Chaka hit those high notes or her soft purring on the tunes like on this CD! The booklet
includes all the lyrics to her 5 new tunes and all I can say for now is GET VOLUME TWO OUT!

Whew!!! There has to be an encore!!!
This CD is awesome!!! What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than sitting, smiling and listening intently to this CD. There isn't!

Epiphany...a sudden revelation! What a concept, but who hasn't heard of Chaka Khan. She's the essence of greatness, personified in a voice. Her sense of timing, passion, texture and variety helped to create a super musical career. I bet she's an awesome person to have this greatness within her.

Ain't Nobody is the perfect entry into her catalog of songs. It's funky, streetwise and ethereal at the same time. How often do you get that combination?

Other honorable mentions are the classics 'I Feel For You', 'I'm Every Woman' and 'Through The Fire'. Those are worth the price of admission alone. Then you get surprises like 'A Night In Tunisia', 'The End Of A Love Affair' and 'Love Me Still'. What a collection!

I could go through and rate all the songs, but I'll just say that I''m waiting for an encore. I missed hearing some of the other great Chaka songs like 'Be Bop Medley', 'Got To Be There', 'This Is My Night', 'Eye To Eye', 'My Funny Valentine', 'Clouds', 'Love You All My Lifetime', 'You Can Make The Story Right' and so many more. I know an encore (Volume 2) is coming. How can it not?

"THE VOICE" SEEMS TO JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER!
Reviewer: kprovo@hotmail.com
EPIPHANY - The Best Of Chaka Khan, Volume One (Warner/Reprise) Review by Kirk Douglas Provo

Just check out Chaka Khan's stellar performance of the standard My Funny Valentine on the Waiting To Exhale film soundtrack. It rings through loud and clear. Khan has claimed her rightful place at the front of the line for Queen of Soul divas in waiting! With an immensely impressive body of work to support her, Khan is perhaps the most qualified contender for Aretha Franklin's long-held moniker. (The only other serious potentials who come to mind would be vocal powerhouses such as Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Stephanie Mills, and a few others.)

Listening to these recordings, mostly from the 70s and 80s, it strikes one that Chaka Khan's contribution to Rhythm & Blues/Soul, as well as pop music at-large is as immense as her astonishing vocal rage. The wonderful jazz meets funk flow of The Melody Still Lingers (Night in Tunisia), and the tailor-made What'cha Gonna Do For Me are just two testaments of the unique vocal prowess she has been treating record buyers to since the early 70s.

Never Miss The Water, the first single release of five new cuts, re-teams Chaka with producer David Gamson (Scritti Politti). It is a funky romp, recalling their Love You All My Lifetime, from the Grammy-winning The Woman I Am. Musician Me'Shell Ndegeocello's strategically placed raps lend some street authenticity to the tune, and maestro Frankie Knuckles' smokin' club re-mix should go over quite well with the under-thirty-five dance crowd.

Elsewhere on this collection we find, Through The Fire, from '84's I Feel For You. This beautiful ballad is a stunning reminder of just how sweet 'n girlish Ms Chaka can be when she puts her mind to it. (Remember Sweet Thing?) On the other hand, we find Rufus' awarding-winning swan song Ain't Nobody. This song, with its space-bound keyboard turns, hook-laden lyrics, and straight from the street vocal, is just as hip today as it was when initially released back in '83. The ! countless remakes of this tune of late don't hold a candle to the original funk masterpiece.

Of the new cuts, Every Little Thing, is a playful little ditty that keeps sounding better and better with repeated playing. It jams; it swings. Some of Chaka's best scat-singing is featured here - while the bass playing is to die for! Something Deep, is a much-welcomed, heavily bass-driven, sassy low-down groove thing from the team behind some of Brandy and Tevin Campbell's most recent dance jams. Khan really spreads her wings here, encompassing, as only she can, straight from the heart soul diva lovelorn wailing, then sliding effortlessly upward into razor sharp jazz-scale phrasing of a class that seems to get better with each new recording.

Everywhere, the surprising but logical re-make of a Fleetwood Mac song, is done here with a warm Caribbean treatment. Diehard rock fans may flinch at the new direction this song has taken. Yet, all-in-all, it is business as usual for Ms Chaka, as she flaunts her bountiful interpretive skills on the tune.

The compilation says it all: Chaka Khan is The Voice. Bless yourself, or a friend - hear theses recordings for yourself and experience the magic. The Queen of Soul-in-Waiting has spoken.

kprovo@hotmail.com

Chaka rocks, no doubt about it!!!
I'm really glad I got this CD. I always knew Chaka was good, but after hearing this CD, I know she's REALLY good!!! My all-time favorite song by her will always be "Aint Nobody", that song just carries me away!!! All of the other songs are very good, too, I also like "Through The Fire" and all of them, really. She's so versatile, too, she can do hard funk, jazz, quiet storm and out-and-out soul!! This CD is a must, if you love good r & b!

My Ideal for Volume II
Here's my track listing for a volume II

Clouds
Love You All My Lifetime
Roll Me Through The Rushes
Stuff Like That (with Ashford & Simpson)
Pain (from Living Single Soundtrack)
My Funny Valentine
Got To Be There
Eye To Eye
This Is My Night
You Can Make The Story Right
Miles Blowing (from Sugar Hill Soundtrack)
Baby Me
I Was Made To Love Him
Be Bop Melody
The Longer We Make Love (Duet w/Barry White)

This would make for a perfect addition to Epiphany. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Ray Charles is the Genius of Soul, but he's always had a bit of country boy in him, too. Between playing hillbilly piano when he was a kid and landing several duets on the country charts in the '80s, Charles released this 1962 classic, taking 12 country standards and proving that great songs can remain great, no matter what the setting.Behind blaring brass and thrilling strings, Brother Ray transforms "Hey, Good Lookin'" and "Bye Bye Love" into big-band swing; "You Win Again" into the Nashville Sound; and "I Love You So Much It Hurts" into the most elegant of pop."I Can't Stop Loving You" was the big hit, but everything else here is just as timeless and beautiful. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (14)

what can you say
that hasnt already been said about Ray Charles' Modern Sounds. Lilting and beautiful melody, poignant and masterful vocal phrasing throughout the album. Can melt the hardest of hearts, and thematically represents some of the more dark aspects of love and heartache as only country and western music can. do you really need the formality of five stars?

Modern Sounds in Country & Western
As ever Ray-the Man is ever flexible. He knows his roots only too well. I first heard Ray sing Country and Western years ago on the Album, "The Volcanic Action of My Soul"....Wichita Line Man..was mind blowing....I recently found the reviewed album contained a lot of the tracks I longed to hear again. Multifaceted band, ever brilliant genius...if ever there was a man whose ISness= music then Ray Charles really defies categorization.

I Know the Vinyl Album Not the CD
I grew up listening to this album that belonged to my late father. When he was "bar-b-queing" on the patio in the backyard, he'd have his speakers outside from the "Hi-Fi" in the den, and one of the albums he'd play was "Ray Charles, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music." As kids, our favorite was my Dad's favorites, "Born To Lose" and "I Can't Stop Loving You." The day they announced "Sir" Ray had died, I pulled out that album and played it three times. It still sounds good today. You can't go wrong with the CD.

A new sad day.
Although I knew that the day would come soon that Brother Ray would pass on, but it still feels like the day came too soon. Ray Charles is one of my most cherished icons on American music. He's done so much! He's taken risks on new ideas even when his advisors were totally against it. This album of "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" proves that. He was told that a black man shouldn't do country music, but Ray said that it was in his heart to do it. And it worked! It ended up being his best selling album ever! It was the Number One album of 1962 for 14 weeks and remained on the pop chart for 101 weeks (according to Billboard, Record Research by Joel Whitburn).

Many of his most cherished hits are here: "I Can't Stop Loving You", "You Don't Know Me", "Born to Lose", and more, plus this CD features three bonus tracks, which were also charted classics: "You Are My Sunshine", "Here We Go Again", and "That Lucky Old Sun". And although "Georgia On my Mind" would have been an excellent additional bonus track, fitting for this collection, you will find that in his box set once you're ready to commit to that purchase. Although, his five disc box set "Genius and Soul" is a great collection, for those of you who are, only now, interested in hearing what Ray Charles has done for pop music, pick up this CD of "Modern Sounds...". Sure, you may want to get one of his many greatest hits CD's that are available. But, you may want to get his box set afterwards while still wanting to keep this one landmark album.

Yes, I am saddened that Ray Charles has passed on. I feel somber just as we all did when Elvis Presley passed away. I hope we're going to see a great documentary on the life of Ray Charles some day. Since I've already mentioned him, it would be nice if they would get around to releasing the Elvis Presley documentary called "This is Elvis" on DVD someday.

Ray, we're all going to miss you. Too bad Ronald Reagan's passing and week-long rememberance and final funeral stole the attention Ray deserves to celebrate his life. I guess they'll get around to it someday afterwards.

you da man, ray charles!
i've known and loved this album since it came out. if music doesn't express the human spirit it's just so much deedly-deedly and ol'ray knows what this music says beyond the words - and expresses it with his natural gifts for phrasing, soulfulness, etc. production is kinda gushy 60's but with vocals like this you hardly notice. should be mandatory listening for the nashville hat acts...show 'em how good country can be! ... Read more