Amazon.com

No one can lay claim to the development of urban music like Motown can.From Marvin Gaye to Diana Ross and the Supremes to the Jackson 5, Berry Gordy and crew sifted through the finest singers, hooked them up with the slickest songwriters, and ushered them into the studio--while simultaneously bringing in a new era in music. On Motown: The Classic Years, that foresight and talent is showcased in 40 lovingly selected all-time hits from 1960 to 1972. Whether you're looking for an introduction to R&B or just a flawless mix of great songs, pick up this double disc. Not only will you find classics such as the Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, but there are also some interesting juxtapositions, such as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips in succession with the same song sung (even more famously) by Gaye. Best of all are the liner notes: in a few sentences, the story behind each song is given, as well as its date of release and its peak position on the charts. Urban Music 101, indeed. --Heidi Sherman ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Motor City Soul Bonanza
Berry Gordy Jr. and Motown changed the face of the pop music landscape. And over the course of the 40 tracks on this two-disc set (1960-73) you can hear for yourself the impact his stable of artists had. It's worth noting that the Beatles' Capitol debut contained no fewer than three Motown songs, two of which ("Money" and "Please Mr. Postman") are included here.

The only problem with a Motown anthology is that for every great song you include, there are a dozen that had to be left off. Essentially what this set amounts to is a condensed version of 1992's Hitsville USA box set. Only nine of these songs did not appear on the Hitsville Box: "Where Did Our Love Go," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Someday We'll Be Together" by the Supremes, "I Can't Help Myself" by the Four Tops, "Going to a Go-Go" by the Miracles, "Your Precious Love" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "I Heard Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" by the Temptations and "Neither One of Us" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. [The last two were on Hitsville, vol. 2.]

This is a terrific collection of songs and if you don't already have these in your music library, this is a great way to add these classic Motown tracks to your collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

"Classic Years" Sound of Young America for New Millenium
After the plethora of box sets, one and 2CD artist anthologies, movie soundtracks and TV compilations (not to mention the original artist albums and "16 Greatest Hits" compilations from the 1960s), you had to wonder if any other (let alone correct) way existed to compile Motown's fundamental song/textbook of popular music.

The 2CD set "The Classic Years," from the Universal Music TV department that provided a series of bestselling "Pure" CD reissues ("Pure Ella," "Pure 80s," "Pure Tenors") , represents the most successful attempt yet to capture priceless Motown magic in an affordable bottle. Of course too many songs are missing; even the casual music fan will miss seminal tracks like "Love Child," "Get Ready," "I Second That Emotion," and dozens of others. Meanwhile, "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Someday We'll Be Together, " (the Temptations and Supremes last #1 hits, respectively) are weightier productions than actual songs, best left off the next anthology.

Credit goes to Harry Wenger's liner notes, which do not yet again attempt to chart the road in and out of "Hitsville USA" or contemporize it (a fault of Nelson George's essay in 1998's "Motown 40 Forever" ). Instead, you get interesting background stories and ironic commentary within songs. For example, the notes on Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye's respective versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" bridge their drastically different, magnificent renditions. The annotation on David Ruffin's still-powerful solo hit "My Whole World Ended" (a rarity on compilations like this) point out that the song originally was for his former group, the Temptations.

But these 40 songs, covering 1962-71 (considered the "classic years," when the label was headquartered in Detroit), form as good (and good-sounding, thanks to Suha Gur's exceptional remastering) a time capsule of a music and era as we may get in the still-new millenium. No Motown collection (or pop music collection) is complete without "My Girl," "I Can't Help Myself," "I Want You Back," "Do You Love Me," and almost all the other songs here. This is a value-added, intelligent way to acquire them, and "The Classic Years" delightfully introduces "The Sound of Young America" to yet another generation.

The Best of the Best of Motown
As a former native Detroiter who grew up with this music (and has a considerable vinyl Motown collection), I was looking for a good classic collection to take along with me to listen to in the car, in the office, etc. This is one of the best brief (2 CD -40 song) Motown collection that I've seen.

True, it is primarily a condesation of the more comprehensive Hitsville 1959-1971 collection. But in one respect it is definitely better, and that is regarding the Supremes. The Hitsville collection inexplicably omits their signature hits Where Did Our Love Go and Stop! In the Name of Love, as well as their swan song Someday We'll Be Together, all of which are on this collection. This collection also keeps the maximum number of songs per act to five, which enables it to include great hit songs by lesser known groups such as the Undisputed Truth and the Contours.

Above all, this is the Best of the Best of Motown (16 of these songs were No. 1 Pop Hits, only one song - Money - did not make the Top 20), and that is very good indeed.

Perfect! Motown will forever stand!
To me, Motown is the greatest record company ever. I have never seen a record label produce so many hits in history. This is feel-good music that will keep you dancing, make you sing along, and make you want to crank the sound up. The sound is not bad at all, it is excellent. If the Hitsville U.S.A. box sets are too complex and you're just going for the basics, this is perfect for you. I love every song on here. I might have substituted Gladys Knight and the Pips' "Neither One Of Us" with their other hit "Midnight Train to Georgia." "Motown-The Classic Years" is a definitive collection of Motown hits you can't do without.

BAD SOUND
STAY WITH MOTOWN'S BOX SET HITSVILLE EARLY YEARS. YOU GET SAME SONGS AND MANY MORE PLUS PERFECT SOUND FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER
TAPES. NICE SELECTION HERE, BUT IT IS MYSTIFYING WHY THEY DIDN'T
USE HITSVILLE'S TRACKS. SO STAY AWAY AND SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE BOX SET
FOR A PURE MOTOWN SOUND YOU NEVER HEARD BEFORE. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Beware: Most of the Album Is in Mono
Inexplicably, only two tracks on this disc are in stereo - "Mrs. Robinson" and "Slum Baby." "Mrs. Robinson" has a weird mix; it sounds as if the drums are panned to one side, and everything else is in the center.

All the remaining tracks are in mono - which is strange, considering that I've heard "Green Onions," "Hip Hug Her," "Time Is Tight," etc., in stereo on other collections. The fact that these songs are in mono isn't noted anywhere in the packaging, so I just wanted potential buyers to be aware of this.

The music is great, as the other reviews have noted. I've docked this release one star simply because of the use of mono masters, and the deceptive packaging.

It's a Classic - not a moldy oldy
If I hadn't listened to it first, I would never have bought this. It's my own ignorance at work - but from the cover I'd consider it old, fifties, and boring. It's actually 16 tracks of instrumental music that is unique - and if you like jazz or blues, you may well like this as much as I do. I'm lucky I heard it before I saw it. The guitar, piano and drums are original - if not hot. A twenty-year old would still call it a moldy oldy. I think it's a classic - from the days of the T-Bird - and it has a place in my collection today.

The Anchors of Southern Soul Get Their Props
No hyperbole...fact: Booker T. and the MGs were the best backing group in the history of soul music. There were those who came awful close (the Motown house band in the Benny Benjamin-James Jamerson era; the Muscle Shoals crowds anchored by bassist David Hood and drummer extraordinaire Roger Hawkins), but none quite equaled the MGs elemental, deceptively simple fire. (Not to mention having, in Al Jackson, Jr., the most identifiable backbeat in Southern soul - and to think he got that unmistakeable snare thump by just loosening his snares a little and letting his overweight billfold sit on the top skin when he struck it!) They'd have had the rep even if they hadn't gone along when a Stax employee, hearing them jam after a session on the riff which became "Green Onions," suggested they cut the number on their own.

What they did with "Green Onions," of course, remains almost superhuman. They started by jamming on a slowed-up variation of the classic John Lee Hooker boogie riff and ended up laying out perhaps the third great must-pinch motif of rock and soul, behind Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" licks and, of course, the Bo Diddley rhythm. Its influence goes beyond its run as a chart smash - blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me" was little more than laying lyrics over "Green Onions," and "Help Me" ended up becoming an obligatory entry in the songbooks of only too many British blues wannabes, not to mention Johnny Winter (who cut a rather lamely metallic version on his otherwise transcendent "The Progressive Blues Experiment"); Canned Heat met "Green Onions" halfway to its John Lee Hooker sourcing and made it their signature "don't forget to boogie" style.

But if you're still dumb enough to think the alpha and omega of the MGs was or remains "Green Onions," think again. On their own, these boys were as good as it got for instrumentals that found depth in simple strands, even in the obvious "Green Onions" followup, "Mo' Onions." (The sleeper element of the MGs: guitarist Steve Cropper could plain play the blues, and he did it a hell of a lot better, with his scratchy, spare licks, than did damn near anyone else firing off the arpeggios like wedding confetti). They worked in any and every odd element which felt right into their basic bluesy soul, particularly Afro-Latino rhythms ("Soul Limbo" was probably the signature hit of that interest), though they could also dream up gripping hybrids ("Time Is Tight," their last sizeable chart hit, could have been mistaken for what happens when Southern soul seasoners take a crack at surf music; as it was, the song reached beyond its own audience, the Clash cutting an endearing copy of it in the late 1970s), culminating in the staggering, polyrhythmic lyricism of "Melting Pot," which saw them out in a blaze of musical glory that was treated, somewhat criminally, with indifference when a shortened version was issued as a single. Strangely enough, "Melting Pot"'s rolling polyrhythms, the ethereal, jazz-laced keyboard washes from Booker T. Jones, the slicing Cropper guitar lines, the rumbling bass from Donald ("Duck") Dunn, and Jackson's tumbling drumming, may have helped point the way as much to the standard rhythms of technopop as toward the later loosenings up which mutated disco toward less processed, R and B-influenced dance music of the late 1970s-1980s.

The internal and discordant politics of the transmuted Stax/Volt operation in the early 1970s provoked the MGs collapse by 1974, but they left behind a record in their own right of music just as enviable as the brilliant work they did for most of the classic Stax/Volt recordings of 1961-71. This best-of is a hell of an overview; their reissued original albums, mostly, are worth having, particularly "Soul Dressing" and "Melting Pot". (The latter's cut "Kinda Easy Like," a nine-minute "Green Onions" rewrite which practically sits as an idea of how to improve on perfection, should have been included on this best-of set; hence the docking to a mere four stars.) They still work together on occasion but Al Jackson, Jr.'s unsolved murder in the mid-1970s guarantees it can never quite sound the same. Ever.

Fantastic CD
Unbelievable that I would order a CD with "Green Onions" in mind and not expect to be that interested in any of the other songs. Quite the opposite. There isn't a bad selection on the entire CD. Wish all CD's were the same. I still like "Green Onions", but like "Sweet Potato" even more.

A Must Have
This Disc captures Booker T.&The MG's to the fullest.The Music is Blazing and Like the song says it's Groovin'.Green Onions is a Solid Jam.Time Is Tight is a Great song as well.This Group has done some very Important Music as this set reflects.it's a Must Have. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

George Clinton's post-bicentennial message to those in the "chocolate cities" was that America could be theirs, too, without any loss of their own black, regional identities. One Nation Under a Groove remains Funkadelic's most provocative release, as well as one of the funkiest long-players released in the disco era. The band vamps on a world where people of different color play each other's songs ("Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!"), lose their inhibitions (the classic title track), and bond together with the glue of shared secrets (the wonderful "Groovallegiance"). Standout: the slow-grooved "Into You," in which a lover vows to stay true or a patriot pledges devotion to a new flag--take your pick. You might think that a complex and moving ode to commitment is out of place on an album with such political overtones, but it's not. It's really the quiet-storm centerpiece. --Don Harrison --This text refers to an out-of-print edition of this title. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

funk classic
Some of my favorite moments from the P-Funk library are contained in this classic. One nation, a huge R&B hit is a great song, with great vocals by George. He was at the top of his form. Groovallegiance is a psychedelic attack that will melt your eardrums, the lead guitar by Michael Hampton is reminiscent of Hendrix, but in another dimension, and if that isn't enough to blow your mind, the funk mob hits us full steam ahead with Who says a funk band can't play rock. If that isn't one hell of a song, I don't know what is. Blows me away every time. Promentalsh*tbackwashpsychosis enema squad is a rainy day groove to "clean your sh*t by" The perfect accompaniment to gettin' your buzz on, whatever that may be. George's silky vocals in the background, and a hilarious speech filled with absurdities that will have you laughing until you realize the joke's on you. (instrumental version also included, killer guitars) "Into you" doesn't really fit in, this reminds me of their early seventies stuff, however I love this song, it really showcases the R&B vocal talent of P-Funk. Cholly is another funny song, with the basic groove stolen from The mothership Connection's "Thumpasaurus Rex" It worked out perfectly, adding vocals to this addictive bass line. Lunchmeataphobia is the only song I usually skip, but the live Maggot Brain is good only for the first minute/ninety seconds, it gets old quick. I think P-Funk is kind of the opposite of the Dead, strong in the studio, but sloppy onstage. I guess a lot of bands back in the seventies couldn't save the drugs/alcohol until AFTER the concert. If you like this one, get 1976's "Hardcore Jollies" as well, more great guitar and super vocals.

Easily as Essential as Parliament¿s "Mothership Connection"
If you thought 60/70's Psychedelic Funk/Soul stopped and started with "Sly & The Family Stone", you are I'm afraid sadly mistaken. Two men (George Clinton & Bootsy Collins), were on a crusade to explore the boundaries of Psychedelic Funk. The unbridled brilliance of 'One Nation Under A Groove' sent shockwaves through the Rhythm & Blues, and Soul community, and was to be the bands most critically & commercially successful release, covering everything from Funk-Rock ("Who Say a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?"), to the Social & Political consciousness ("Into You"), & off the wall tongue in cheek lyrical content ("Doo Doo Chasers"). This is a band pushing themselves to their limits musically and acknowledging that bands can be non-conformist and leftfield and still appeal to a mass-market audience (admittedly this was probably due to the perfectly encapsulated ideas and astonishing amount of musical talent within the band), regardless of it's standing then, it's impact now is undiminished, and still remains of truly startling album or ferocious creative power, and a absolute Must Buy for anyone with even a passing interest in Funk Music.

The U.S. Funk Mob at its finest
Every Funkateer should own this album. This is perhaps Funkadelic's most commercial album. Much of their earlier material appeared almost experimental in nature, but Clinton and Company hit their stride with this one.

Particularly notable is the live version of "Maggot Brain." Well, maybe I'm a little biased because I was in the Monroe (Louisiana) Civic Center on April 15, 1978. The vibe in the arena was awesome that night, and it comes through on the track.

Quite simply, if you love R&B, this is a MUST HAVE for your collection.

Almost the best funk album ever
Title track is one of my favorite songs. It's just perfect. There are very few songs that stimulate my mind as much as this. Next song, Groovallegiance, has its own unique style (it's a little bit like reggae). Melody of song is very well written and singing is great as well. Third song has killer melody-line too. However, the structure of song is very strange. The b-part comes only once in the beginning. It takes little time to get used to that. George Clinton never relased a consistent album under "Funkadelic" name. This time consistency is spoiled by ten minutes long P.E.Squad. I think that it is 5 minutes too long. Also including mini-vinyl tracks to this CD-edition makes things messy. Into You is perhaps the best slow song released under Funkadelic's name. And last track Cholly is the most ordinary funk track on this album but it's extremely good ordinary funk track. Producing is great throughout the album but especially on title cut. Every track is very different compared to others on this album. Making records like this requires lots of imagination. I'm going to use as much drugs as George Clinton and perhaps I'll be as great someday.

My music
I am from the era when music was GREAT and everyone who performed it had a distinct sound. Now it's all puff and fluff. So, to re-introduce myself to those great albums makes me very happy. ... Read more

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If the one-disc All-Time Greatest Hits leaves you panting for more, but the three-disc box set Just for You proves that one can, in fact, get enough of Barry White's love, well, then the two-disc Ultimate Collection is the anthology for you. An entire slow-jams industry has been erected in White's wake, but no one has done it better. Call it "funkzac"--an inimitable fusion of lush strings and suave brass dancing on a bed of funk and disco rhythms, with the manly maestro mixed prominently atop his seduction soundscapes. Ultimate Collection serves up enough cherry Barry to produce another baby boom. --W.C. Sweeney ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Let The Music Play!
This collection speaks for itself! Thirty songs and not a single dud! What is here is essential and entertaining. If there is any flaw I can find it would be this: Is this collection suppose to be just Barry White: SOLO artist? There are a few collections from Love Unlimited Orchestra, but still I don't have a problem with it.

The really great thing about its collection that it included his 1990s hits "Practice What You Preach" and "Stayin' Power" which is better than his 1994 "All-Time Greatest Hits" on one CD. If you are a fan, but are still not sure about his box set, then this is your ideal pick. Highly recommended!

Two discs of pure BW
Its rare that a best of collection gets it right, but when the artist is involved that usually helps a lot. That was the case here & Barry White oversaw this two disc set of his best work put together lovingly & with care. What an awesome style The Maestro had back in the day. Lush strings, heavy beats, guitar riffs, and that nice blend of his deep bass vocals with the female back up. The Man could really create an atmosphere and he made an awesome body of work in the 70s, bringing both soul & FONK. Most of the singles are included, and it also captures his work in the late 80s and his big comeback in the 90s. 'Practice What You Preach' is still the killer jam of 94.

This is a great and near complete overview of The Maestros sound & career, and a perfect introduction to his back catalogue. In my opinion everyone should check out all 8 of his classic 70s albums but ifyour wallet says no this is a great piece to own. How I miss this guy, there will never be another Barry White. R.I.P.

Unlimited Barry
This is an excellent set of songs that defined era. Barry White, the granddady of rap, disco and soul, has had his music justified with this 2 - disc set ranging from 1972 to 1999. It features 30 tracks, each of them great for the perfect romantic dinner or in the bedroom with your lover.

Disc 1 spans from 1972 to 1976, when Barry was a major force on the Hot 100 as well as in the studio. Just about every big hit Barry had is included here - "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby", "Never Never Gonna Give You Up", "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe", "You're The First, The Last, My Everything", and "What I'm Gonna Do With You" still sounds as fresh and energetic as they did over 30 years ago. Combined with three Love Unlimited instrumentals and songs that failed on the pop charts but were big hits on the R & B charts, the first disc is grand - slam Barry.

Disc 2 kicks off with two of Barry biggest hits between 1974 and 1977, the lushly arranged "Love's Theme" and the odd thump of "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me" (which was something of a late - in - day hit for Barry), before delving into the final 22 years of his career. Here is where you'll find such uncharted gems like "Playing Your Game, Baby", "You're Sweetness Is My Weakness", "Love Serenade, Parts 1 And 2", "It Ain't Love Babe (Until You Give It)", "Practice What You Preach" (his last top 20 hit in 1994), and "Staying Power", his last chart single in 1999.

The producers of this disc also included a beautiful booklet featuring brilliant liner notes, intimate pictures of Barry, a timeline of all his albums, and chart listings for each of these songs. I think that this is the essential Barry White collection, full of timeless music that will be heard on radios all over the world for centuries to come.

What's wrong with you guys?
...Well, I guess it's like the old saying goes: people don't realize what they have until it's gone. By the way, this is the best introduction to Barry White besides the boxed set. "The Ultimate Collection" has 30 wonderful songs which are immaculate in groove and hypnotizing in vocal delivery. Barry was truly "the Man." It's too bad he had to die before people finally decided to figure that out.

R.I.P. Barry

This collection is as good as it gets
I've always been a huge Barry White fan, but had forgotten just how many of his songs were true smashes and are as relevant today as when they were originally released. Equally enjoyable for me, were some songs that I had never heard and all I have to say is if song number 7 on the second CD does not bring a combination of laughter and a more than a little heat to your loins, then maybe you are not human... All in all, the collection is not lacking any important songs in the Barry White song book and truly merits a 2 disc set, which can't be said even about other favorites of mine who have done it before. Also, no true fan should be without the star-studded "Secret Garden", which was a single off the Quincy Jones' most recent Grammy-winning CD or Barry's duet with Tina Turner from her "Wildest Dreams" release. ... Read more

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Perhaps the true test of a classic is this: something that's commonplace now but at the time appeared revolutionary. The notion that a female R&B singer could be as informed by the Real Roxanne as she was by Aretha Franklin, that she could give love to the streets and the roughnecks--while still delivering soul-drenched love songs that came from that wounded womanly space--was, in a word, groundbreaking. It was the sound of the New Jills, and of a new genre, aptly called hip-hop soul. Featuring production from a then-upstart Puffy, and a collection of songs that alternately swagger and seduce--"You Remind Me," "Real Love," "Reminisce"--What's the 411? may not be Blige's finest work (that honor may go to its moody follow-up, My Life). But its ghetto-fied grooves dominated the radio then, and they still sound fierce today, even with a slew of lesser imitators attempting to do what the rough and ready Blige did so effortlessly back in the day. --Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (36)

This started it all
This was the album that solidified Mary J. Blige as the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. From the time I first heard the intro to Reminisce I knew Mary would have a long lasting career and here we are now in 2003 and she's getting ready to drop another classic album on us. There is no other way to describe this album Mary defintitely let us know what the 411 was. Her classic rendition of Sweet Thing stood out her voice was sweet and soulful and like no other I've heard before. The jazzy Love No Limit saw her change up her voice for a more deeper sexier Mary.Of course there was Real Love & What's The 411 that displayed her hip hop side. Hit after hit each song on this album just had its own vibe and has stood the test of time to birth a new breed of R&B singers of today. So in my opinion because of the impact I feel this album had on R&B it deserves no less then 5 stars!!!!

What's the 411?
So yes, I am completely aware that it is now February - but hey, due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control (like my computer needing to be completely reconfigured), I was forced to delay this project. A look back is going to be a monthly review series where I review one classic album in R&B. I wanted to begin with an album that I felt had a strong impact and that people could relate to. Something that takes me back to a specific point in my life and makes me smile. The first look back is with Mary J. Blige's "What's The 411".

"What's The 411" was released in 1992 and seriously put Mary J. Blige on the who's who list of R&B singers. She was signed to then power player Uptown Records and her career was guided by the artist formerly known as Puff Daddy. At the time - few artists were doing what Blige was doing, mixing Hip-Hop and R&B. It was innovative, it was funky and it sure as hell sounded good.

- Track Listing -

01. Leave A Message
02. Reminisce
03. Real Love
04. You Remind Me
05. Intro Talk
06. Sweet Thing
07. Love No Limit
08. I Don't Want To Do Anything [duet with K-Ci]
09. Slow Down
10. My Love
11. Changes I've Been Going Through
12. What's The 411?

"Real Love" was the single that introduced Blige to the music world and even today sounds as if it could fit in on the radio. That's part of the beauty of ��", it's that it's appeal and sound are a testament to the times but also manage to stand the test of time. "Real Love" established Blige as a soulful woman with a big voice and the momentum flowed right on through to "Reminisce". Notably "Reminisce" as well as "My Love" were written by the late Kenny "G-Love" Greene who was a member of the R&B group Intro and who was responsible for hits for a ton of hits that he never got enough recognition for. "Reminisce" is a mid-tempo ballad that showed a more subtle side to Blige's vocal abilities. Honestly, I don't think it would be right to say that Blige has a "pretty" voice - but it is a voice so steeped with emotion and passion for what she happens to be singing, that you can relate to her as a person and for that she has earned my respect and my allegiance to her as a fan of her work.

One of the songs that stands out to this day as being one of Blige's best is not even her own. "Sweet Thing", a remake of the Chaka Khan classic was a big hit for Blige. It became a quiet-storm staple and showed the mellowness of Blige's vocals - something that you really don't hear all of the time. Because she is a singer whose voice is so powerful, it's nice to see her pull back just a bit and show reserve and do justice to the track.

At the time of this album's release Blige and K-Ci (then of Jodeci fame, now of K-Ci and JoJo fame) were the 1st couple of R&B. An odd pairing yes, but when the two sang together - there was magic. That magic reflects on "I Don't Want To Do Anything" an emotive and powerful duet. Their voices are well suited to be together and the ballad was well produced by another Jodeci band member Devante Swing. The production is anything but subtle - but it manages to play second fiddle to the two powerhouse singers.

"My Love" is another star of ��" - it's a sweet mid-tempo track about lost love. It's another of the tracks that shows a more demure side of Blige and lets you see the depth of her talent. Perhaps the best track and my personal favorite track of ��" was the Diddy produced "Changes I've Been Going Through". No samples, no guest rappers and the song is quality. Musically, there is a lot going on - which is typical of a P.Diddy track, but more often than not - Diddy is able to make his first-rate music play second string to the vocals and he does that here. The only thing wrong with the song is that the background vocals (sung by Billy Lawrence) seem to at times be a bit stronger than Blige's vocals - but I'm sure that was done for a reason. To an average ear - you might even believe it was Blige, but a closer inspection of the liner notes will tell you otherwise.

- Final Thoughts -

"What's The 411" is one of those albums that I'm going to always have in my collection and dust off from time to time. If you've never had the opportunity to hear it or even own it - now is the time. Take a look at the foundation of a career that has spanned a decade, been through ups and downs and managed to persevere.

Soo Fire Man!!!!!!!
I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS ALBUM STARTED IT ALLL FOREAL YO!!!!!!THIS WAS MARY'S 1ST ALBUM AND SHE CAME OFF BRILLIENT AND STILL DOING IT BIGG!!!!!!!!!

This Album Is Timeless!
I can pop this cd in now and it still sounds like something that could be current. I fell in love with Mary's music back when she came out with "Real Love." Then came my other favorite songs: "You Remind Me," "Reminisce," "Love No Limit," remake of Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing," "My Love," and "I Don't Want To Do Anything ft. K-Ci of Jodeci,"===You gotta check out What's The 411? remix album with the single "You Don't Have To Worry" (I love this song); also, the remix album has all of the rappers on it such as Biggie, Heavy D. and C.L. Smooth.----She's definitely the queen of hip-hop/soul.

My 411.
What bad thing can be said about this album. NOTHING BAD!!!!
Its been over 10 years and Mary remains true to her roots, GHETTO-FABULOUS and SOULFUL. Whats the 411 put out 5 hits that still sound so DAM good when I listen to this cd 1.remanisce 2.love no limit 3.you remind me 4.real love 5.sweet thang.

Remanisce is my favorite song of this album. This is I think Mary's best album, Since then Mary has been able to put out very good album's cuzz I have all of them, But this debut here her 1st still kick's ass. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WHOA!!!!!!!!!
'Lazy Afternoon' is a great collection of musically treats. What makes them treats? Well, if you hear Mrs. Battle (smile) sing them, you'd call them treats too!!! WOW!

I have enjoyed Regina's vocals over the years. I own each of her previous projects. They are all enjoyable!!!! But "Lazy Afternoon" is quite EXCELLENT!!! No flaws on this album, so don't look for them....vocally nor musically!!! One cannot go wrong with the likes of George Duke and the Perri Sisters!!! The songs all have a great flow which allows the CD to flow!! 'This is Regina" garnered a Grammy nomination. "Lazy Afternoon" should give her another nomination .......and another trophy!! GET THIS CD!!!!! IT'S JUST EXCELLENT MUSIC!!!!!

A perfect album ! When gorgeous vocals meet great songs !!
"Lazy afternoon is meant to take Regina Belle one step further..
She demonstrates once more her unmatched talent for striking that elusive balance between compositional complexity and immediate accessibility.
On this one,she really throws some fantastic,timeless music that's a little more challenging,yet very commercially acceptable.
Despite the over-used and very popular (but very good,indeed)material,this album is anything but archaic,thanks to George Duke's up-the-minute elegant,exquisite jazz sensibility and production style.
Two things that have set Belle apart from most of her peers are her deeply soulful phrasing and the blusesy,jazzy passion with which she crafts and delivers her music.And this album shows it !
On this CD,cozy ballads(most of them are taken from the great American songbook) such as 'Fly me to the moon','Try a little tenderness','Moanin'','For the love of you','If I ruled the world'(the latter beeing recorded previously by artists such as Tony Bennett,Dionne Warwick,James Brown,Bobby Darrin and Tom Jones)place her definitely above the...pack !!
In few world,this is THE ALBUM !!

OK ! She has done it again...And all that jazz....
This very enchanting album features some of the finest jazz musicians around such as George Duke on keyboards,Christian McBride and Alex Al on bass,Ray Fuller and Dean Parks on guitar,Gordon Campbell on drums,Lenny Castro on percussion,Everette Harp - saxes,Oscar Brashear - trumpet, the fabulous Perri Sisters - background vocals.
If you add to those fantastic ingredients the supernatural voice
of Regina,you'll get what you're looking for...a little slice of perfection !!
We all know HOW she can sing passion and emotion...You'll be charmed.
I just read her discography and bio-lines : today it's her birthday..Great idea to release her album just today !!Good Luck,Regina!
...and all that jazz...!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Screw Barry Manilow--it was Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds who really wrote the songs the whole world sings. From the late '80s to the mid-'90s, no single artist owned the R&B and pop charts with a tighter or more fluid grip than Babyface (and his then partners L.A. Reid and Darryl Simmons), and this Greatest Hits collection is proof of this singer-songwriter/producer's way with romance and rhythm. The catch is that this CD contains only the smashes Face kept for himself: a definitive collection of the songs he handed to others would constitute a box set. This CD covers his solo efforts, from the tangy "Whip Appeal" to the aching "Every Time I Close My Eyes" and the understated "When Will I See You" (arguably the first R&B acoustic power ballad). With two new cuts and a live version of theGrammy-winning "Change the World," these 14 tracks sum up an era in R&B when wearing one's heart on one's sleeve and reaching for the most nuanced of melodies was an act of creative revolution. Sure, some called his act corny, but, as this CD proves, Babyface made minor classics that sound just as gentle and persuasive today as they did back then. --Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Babyface shows everyone who's boss
Babyface: A Collection of His Greatest Hits is one of the best greatest hits collections I have bought. He includes great hits such as For The Cool In You, It's No Crime, Whip Appeal, When Can I See You Again, This Is For The Lover In You, Change The World, and How Come How Long. Plus many others. The album flows really well, and it is an album I can leave in my CD player, not having to switch tracks. This album proves that Babyface is one of the greatest performers/songwriters EVER. The album has songs from many different periods of R&B, and Babyface's music defined those. The new tracks on here are great, and Reason For Breathing has to be one of my favorite songs now. I recommend you buy this CD as soon as possible, because Babyface deserves much more respect than he gets for all his hard work and talent!

Blessed by Babyface!
What more can I say. Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is one of the greatest singer, songwriter, and producers of all-time. This man as the "platinum" touch! I've been a fan of his ever since I heard "Two Occassions" by the Deale as a 14 year old ninth grader. Still today that song ranks as my all-time favorite love song. Babyface is truly a genius. He taught me about chivalry and how a real man should be. His greatest hits collection is simply just that "great"!

Almost all the songs are #1 hits. All of his hits are included, and he even adds two new songs that will delight true Babyface fans. "Reason For Breathing" and "When Men Grow Old" are classic Babyface (full of sensitivity, understanding and love), but like any true fan knows, that it's elevated artwork from a genius who only gets better with time. I loved "I Love You Babe", this is a song that gets into your spine, and was the highlight on his first album "Lovers", which also had my song "Chivalry". There's also my personal favorite "Where Will You Go"! This song is from his "Tender Lover" album. "Whip Appeal", and the gentleman's anthem "Soon As I Get Home" are featured. I love this album and every song on it, because Babyface teaches and reaches! He is what a call a real man who believes in chivalry, loves women, and puts God first in his life. This man does wonders with a guitar and piano. He is truly a songwriter that has touched many people's hearts through his music and through the songs he has written for others. Babyface has over 100 Billboard top ten hits to his name and has sold millions of albums, and has caused the artists he has wrote and produced for to sell hundreds of millions.

This is truly a classic album and basically the work of my favorite singer who has truly inspired my life and my heart! Every song is something to love and cherish, and I truly love and cherish this wonderful album by I man I consider my mentor. Every album is represented beautifully and he shows that he will go down in history as truly one of the best and most blessed! If you're a man and need to learn a little bit more about sensitivity, romance and love then look no further. If you're a woman who wants to realize what true love and a real man is all about then look no further. Babyface will bless your mind, heart and soul! God is Love!!!

This man is a musical geinus!!!!!
This man is so talented there are no words to describe him. This man can sing, produce, arrange, write,and play instruments as well. This man has won grammys for songwriting, producing, and singing. This man is super-talented alongside with Michael Jackson and he produced and arranged the soundtracks for Waiting to Exhale and Boomerang which did rather well. Also, he had produced for Toni Baraxton, BoyzII Men, TLC, Whitney Houston and many others these people that he has produced for they all became smash hit power houses in the music industry. This man was with a group called the "Deele" w/ Antonio Reid was in with him and that group had major success with a lot of hit singles which are classics; The had hits such as: Two Occassions, Shoot Em Up Movies, Sweet November and he has sung duets that became smash hits such as: Love Makes Things Happen w/Pebbles, Give U My Heart w/ Toni Braxton and many others and has collaborated w/ Eric Clapton on the hit song "Change the World". This man is awesome he belongs in the hall of fame for songwriting and producing w/ Lionel Richie this man is amazing he has done it all he and his wife have produced hit shows and movies such as :"Soul Food" which he produced the movie soundtrack for "Soul Food" as well . Which all became hits this man is a musical geinus anyone who enjoyed Babyface during the 90's and 80's and if you enjoyed him with the "Deele" you would definitely enjoy this cd it is wonderful the whole cd is good every song on this cd is solid as a rock !!!!!

It contains: Whip Appeal, It's No Crime, The Cool In You, Ilove you babe my favorite Babyface song . If you like Babyface then buy his brother's album Kevon Edmonds 24/7 or any After 7 album you definitely would enjoy them another succesful group that this man had produced!!!!!

So I would definitely recommend anyone who likes Babyface to purchase this album you would definitely enjoy it!!!!

Modern R'n'B
Babyface is the guy behind the biggest productions by black artists (and not only...see Madonna) of the last decade.
Funny thing: along with working with TLC, Toni Braxton, Pebbles, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight...and the list could go on and on, he also released his own records.
And always never topped his protegèes' success overseas.
While being successful in the US, he never really broke through here in Europe.
This compilation gives you access to the best of his own work.
There are real good tracks as the acoustic WHEN CAN I SEE YOU or the slow jams WHIP-APPEAL and NEVER KEEPING SECRETS.
IT'S NO CRIME is hard as much as I LOVE YOU BABY is jumpy but sweet.
EVERYTIME I CLOSE MY EYES has Mariah Carey backing up and Kenny G. saxing on it.
CHANGE THE WORLD is the version of the Eric Clapton's smash interpreted by the songwriter point of view.
There are more cute things to listen to in here.
And if you concentrate enough on the music, you will recognize the familiar sound that sold million of copies worldwide through other artists' vocals.

Where's "A Bit Old-Fashioned"?
This is still worth the cash, though. Even the newer songs ("Reason for Breathing", "When Men Grow Old") stand out. But still buy every Babyface album there is, including his best one, For the Cool in You, which contains the song I mentioned in this review's title. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lovers Live (DVD)
Sade fans may experience a range of emotions while watching the first-rate Lovers Live, but one thing they won't feel is shortchanged--not with nearly two hours of concert footage, 22 songs (including almost all of her Lovers Rock album), and DVD bonus features galore. That sultry, soulful Sade sound is in full effect throughout the concert (filmed at two Southern California locations in 2001), brought to life by a capable band, some superbly evocative visuals and sound effects, and, of course, the singer herself. The show is dramatic, but never overly theatrical; best of all, Sade, while perhaps not the world's greatest performer, is an adult--you'll find no pop-princess posing here. Of the nine songs from Lovers Rock, "Slave Song" and "Immigrant" are especially moving, revealing that Sade added some new flavors to her sound during her protracted layoff from performing. This show is pure Sade--and that's a good thing. --Sam Graham

Lovers Rock (CD)
Sade's brand of elegant pop/R&B owned the charts in the '80s, making the Nigerian/British chanteuse one of those artists whose very name becomes the adjective to describe their sound. After an eight-year layoff, Sade and her core band (and longtime producer Mike Pela) are back with a CD that is both a stunning reaffirmation of her artistry and a solid soulful collection. Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Lovers Rock is that it picks up where Sade left off, which means you will hear no cool beats or hot hired hands or hip-hop cameos. This is Sade music, and on the first single, "By Your Side," she glides back into the spotlight on gentle, countryish, sparse wings--singing, once again, about love's power to redeem. Of course, Sade knows that love can stink: listen to the dub-riddim-tinged "Every Word" and cry tears of recognition. Decidedly female but utterly universal, grown up yet not hardened, Lovers Rock ranks as one of the best of the year, and marks the return of a true original. --Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best Sade Video Ever
The Lovers Live Sade video is her best ever.Not only is the band and the singer on fire, the video itself is marvelous.Great lighting, great sound, great setting.Entertainment doesn't get any better than this!

Amazing concert DVD + the CD
If you like Sade I so highly recommend this. This concert DVD is awesome, vocals and instruments and soul, and the filming of the concert is so great. Just a while ago saw Pearls and now going through Jezebel, one of my favorites ever, my jaw is on the floor, this is so beautiful from all possible angles, sound and visuals...

Needless to say this package is such a great deal having this great concert DVD plus Lovers Rock CD.Highest recommendation possible.

The Perfect Package!
But, if you are a Sade fan, you allready own both pieces of this set.
Recorded during the Lover's Rock tour of a couple of years ago, Lover's Live features a CD of the show (with 13 songs), and a DVD of the concert (with 22 performances). The DVD also features background material, backstage interviews, and the video for "King of Sorrow", one of Sade's greatest songs.
The material here is out of this world - if you have never had the good fortune of seeing Helen Folesade Adu live, this is a great collection for checking out what you are missing. Her voice was in excellent shape during the Lover's Live tour, and Sweetback, her backing band, was completely on for the shows (by the way, if you have never heard Sweetback's material recorded without Sade, be sure to pick it up).
Highlights of the show are the "Slave Song" and "Somebody Allready Broke My Heart" (from Lover's Rock), Kiss Of Life (which is among the two or three best songs in Sade's repetoire when performed live), "Paradise" (which gives her an opportunity to improvise with some scatting and playfulness to the vocals) and the showstopping "Is It A Crime" - what is truly incredible about Sade is that she embraces the faults in her voice, as the cracking on the high note at the end of this song indicates. "Is It a Crime" is possibly the greatest torch song of the 80's, and hearing it live is bone-chilling.
The DVD portion of the package includes a number of songs that failed to make it onto the CD - be sure not to miss "Cherry Pie", which is one of the highlights of this set, and a suprising omission from the CD set, given the stellar performance. "King of Sorrow" also makes an appearance here in a live setting, and Sade is at her heartbroken best here.
This package fills a necessary void, and is a nice holdover until the next Sade project, which, given her history, is still a couple of years away. But that might be the secret to her longevity and popularity. As successful as she has been over the last 20 years, Sade remains one of the greatest enigmas of popular music. An album, a tour, a disappearing act. Here's hoping she returns soon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A true tour de force, Mama's Gun is that rare sophomore album that shows a maturing artist at her best. Erykah Badu's voice was always her main attraction--its unique sound has been compared to Billie Holiday and Chaka Khan. Here, it's her skill with that voice that shines. Badu shapes her instrument to suit her material (all of it written or cowritten by her). A full range is represented: On faster, danceable tracks like "Penitentiary Philosophy" and "Booty," she sounds gritty and funky. On softer, more introspective tracks, like "A.D. 2000" and the single "Bag Lady," she shows amazing restraint, letting her voice travel lightly over the notes, allowing the songs' emotions to guide her performance. The high point of the disc is Badu's duet with Stephen Marley, "In Love with You," easily the sweetest, truest love song of the year. That alone is reason enough to buy the disc--and you won't regret having done so. --Courtney Kemp ... Read more

Reviews (221)

More Better Than Ever
Erykah has done it once again. Her studio sophomore but actual third album is a good or even better than her last two. She has really matured and has used "cleva" lyrics in her songs. I love that fact that all of her tracks run into her each other. I could care less if the track listing does not match what's on the cd. Be happy with what she has givin' you. Here's a breakdown:

1. Penitentiary Philosophy-A rock track that demonstrates Erykah's maturity with her music. At first, this may shock fans that are used to Erykah's jazz soundin' songs. After the first listen, you will be hooked

2. Didn't Cha Know-The more traditional Erykah sound is back at track 02. She sounds exceptional on this song. She wonders if she "made a wrong turn back there somewhere."

3. My Life-The beat is hot. Seems like many rap artists borrowed samples from her beats. Her life is not easy but she still manages to survive. There's "no turnin' back."

4. ... & On-The remix of On & On. I love this song. It's really a song for the haters of Erykah. "What good do your words do if they don't understand you. Don't go talkin' that $h*t, Badu, Badu".

5. Cleva-This song is one word that describes Erykah. The one phrase I love in this song is "my dress cost nothin' but seven dollars but I made it fly."

6. Hey Sugah-An interlude between tracks and a transition moment in her album or as an intro to track 07.

7. Booty-The beat is just amazing. I love her lyrics. All of them make me laugh everytime I hear them. "You got sugah on your peter but yo' ni**a thinks I'm sweeta, but I don't want him."

8. Kiss Me On My Neck (Hesi)-I can relate. "Use me, don't abuse me." I can stand that you gonna use me sometimes, but don't take advantage of it.

9. A.D. 2000-This song makes me sad sometimes. The content is strong here. She talks about delapadated buildings and that her name will be misstated. If didn't guess already, it's referring to the future.

10. Orange Moon-A lovely ballad. She is the moon and she reflects the light of her "sun". You get it, it's a pun! Well, if you don't then I ain't got nothin' to say to you.

11. In Love With You-A lovely ballad with Marley. I have to listen to this song everytime I listen to this cd.

12. Bag Lady-This isn't that overplayed radio remix. This is the mellow, laid back version that emphasizes on her words not the music. I love the fact that repeats the phrase "pack light". I think this song is sayin' don't carry extra package if you don't need to (stop talkin about past relationships and go on with your life). You may think that this song has a different meaning.

13. Time's A Wastin-This song speaks to me. There's always time wastin' if you don't take your time, as she says throughout the song. Don't rush yourself, otherwise you're wastin' time.

14. Green Eyes-WOW! A 10min song I would actually listen to. The first part sounds like an old time record of her sayin' "my eyes are green because I eat a lot of vegetables." If yall don't know what green eyes means, it means that you have hate or jealousy in your heart. Also, this song is the breakup song from the guy from Outkast. The song continues into two more beat changes. With each beat change, the words in the song change but the same message still comes across.

15. Bag Lady (Cheeba Sac Radio Edit)-This is the version that most of yall are familiar with. This version isn't available on the US Retail.

Erykah has three hit albums, that's rare. Even with Baduizm and Live being made in 1997, I still keep them in my cd player with Aaliyah. Erykah has real talent, and does not have a studio voice. She is authentic and not that buggle-gum stuff that others try to sing. The import is worth the extra money!

A great sophomore...
This second album from Erykah Badu is a long way off her debut 'Baduism'. While her 1st album was a cool collection of simple but fun numbers, 'Mamas Gun' finds her vibin' like one of them 70s artists. The overall attitude & style here is more mature, and all the numbers are built on real instruments. The whole thing kinda sounds like a jammin' session, similar to D'Angelos 'Voodoo'.

The 1st half is cool, but the 2nd half has the best stuff. Like 'In Love With You', a duet with one of the Marley boys, and 'Times A Wasting', which rides some awesome orchestration. But all the songs, particularly side 2, are cool and memorable, at times hard & funky, sometimes chilled.

Theres a lot of great stuff here, a real nicely arranged album that salutes the masters of years gone by. It's a relief for me that there are still artists around who are trying to make real music. If you enjoy the old classic soul then checkout 'Mamas Gun'.

Didn't Cha Know?
Artistry is lacking in the music industry. Knowledge, talent, and skillful writing and delivery is missing in the music industry. Music that contains lyrical depth and effective content is rare in the music industry. For this, I thank Erykah for wholely giving back to us what is missing, lacking and rare in today's music. Every song contains a message worthy of sharing, be it personal or socially consciousness. Fluidity is the key here. One song easily transitions into the next, while each individual piece refuses to sound exactly like any one before it. Masterful is "Mama's Gun" and masterful is mama's gun. As she explained it, rather than shooting with an actual gun, Mama (Erykah) will hit you with her lyrics.

You need this CD!!
They just aren't making albums like this anymore. I would compare this to great albums of the past like "Songs in the Key of Life" or "What's Going on." They are albums that everyone needs to listen to because they vividly paint a picture of the world in one's mind. That is not to say that "Mama's Gun" will feature as much social consciousness as either of the aforementioned albums, only on "Penitentiary Philosophy" do we really get any type of message about the world's woes, but like both of these efforts it is a tour de force.
Ms. Badu is clever and playful at times on this album, and wise and wonderful at other times. "Cleva" finds her singing of how she can make the ordinary amazing because of her intrinsic artistic ability. "A.D. 2000" finds her pining for her memory not to be misplaced once she is gone, and sounds almost otherworldly. She coyly sings of the attention of another woman's man on the funky "Booty" and pokes fun at those that question her difficult-for-some-to-understand lyrical choices on the slow rap of ".... & on."
The wisdom comes out on gems like "Time's a Wastin", "My Life" and "Bag Lady," the ultimate self-empowerment anthem.
She explores a deep life-altering love on the light and jazzy "Orange Moon" and delivers the truest of love songs with Stephen Marley on "In Love With You." She traces the after-effects of a broken love affair in the three movements of "Green Eyes." Hmmm...that leaves "Didn't Cha Know and "Kiss Me On My Neck" which are equally amazing.
Basically, it's one of the best contemporary albums ever. I hate to even call it R&B or jazz or soul because it's a little of everything. It's just great. "Baduizm", "Live" and "Worldwide Underground" are also all well worth purchasing and listening to over and over, but this one is remaining as my favorite and the album that proves Erykah Badu will be around and have a captive audience as long as she continues to produce her art.

The Most Honest Work Yet!
This cd is nothing like Baduizm or Baduizm Live! Erykah did more in the areas of production and playing instruments. "Green Eyes" is her opus, a true glimpse into lost love and redemption. I couldn't stop listening to her sing about how crazy love can make you feel. At this point, I have literally worn out my "Mama's Gun" cd and have had to replace it twice. Even though this cd is not as commercially successful as "Baduizm", Erykah Badu created something that is timeless. You can definitely hear the influences of Ms. Holliday and Chaka Khan. But Erykah takes it to a new level of raw honesty. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Sumthin Real
Finally somebody comes back with something real. I'm really feeling Mr. Devaughn. I've heard a couple of other tracks by him and...ooo what can I say. He's just a genious and he def. has talent. (Check out Believe off of his Love Experience Album)

From a student of Marvin Gaye
All I can say is WOW!When I heard the song on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, I quickly got on the phone and asked who's song it was.Raheem DeVaughn is a breath of fresh air...from one up & coming student of Marvin Gaye & EW&F to a another, this is a soul smash, Congrats Mr. DeVaughn!!!Can't wait for the album to come out.

Soul and Rhythm at it's best!
This is literally one of the best songs I have ever heard. The way DeVaughn expresses himself fuses well with the rhythm of the song. I first heard this song while surfing the music channels on IO and immediately fell in love with it! This song is the perfect example of Hip Hop and Soul fusion and should definitely be a smash & a breakthrough for Raheem DeVaughn.

Marvin Gaye meets Usher!!
If the single is any indication of what the album has in store, we all must go out and buy this one!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am truly convinced that R&B/Soul has finally got what its been waiting for for years. I have just listened to Rah's debut album and it is OFF DA CHAIN!!!!! i'll review it once its officially released but I should say that I heard the Guess who loves you more Single and immediately knew that this brother will be a MAJOR force to reckon with.

Someone said he's the R in R&B.....FULLY AGREE!

Raheem, you keep belting those tracks like only you can. Love the first single, love the whole album and big ups to ya. People, go out and get the album once its out, you will not be able to play anything else. TRUST ME!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The first single off of R. Kelly's TP-2.com, "I Wish," might be amoving memorial to a dead friend, but the main theme on his latest CD is sex. The first tip-off that Kelly has left the spirit world to concentrate onnookie is the CD title, which refers back to his mid-'90s smash 12 Play.Back then, Kelly made his name with a take-no-prisoners (if somewhat obvious)sensuality. Yet now this loveman sounds conflicted and ill at ease. He mightoffer to "Strip for You," he might lay claim for a girl who's "Like a Real Freak," he might even promise his lady "The Greatest Sex," but his manner is so tentative and so self-reflective it makes one wonder how hot the loving could really be. Kelly has been expanding his creative repertoire over the course of his past two CDs, and his latest motif is a sort of stream-of-consciousness style that constantly returns to the main thrust of the argument: a circular groove. At its best (the triumphant "I Wish"), this style is emotional and emphatic. At its worst, or when Kelly insists on using it over and over, it's the musical equivalent of having a drunk poke you in the arm repeatedly to make his point. On "Fiesta," Kelly literally builds a song out of this annoying rhythmic tic, and it's like he's on a treadmill, never getting anywhere. TP-2.com is raw andromantic, but it becomes too redundant to truly sustain the passion.--Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (178)

TRULY A BLAZING & SMOOTH MASTERPIECE. !!!
WHAT CAN I SAY??? "TP-2.COM" IS THE BEST ALBUM EVER MADE BY A R&B SINGER. BUT R.KELLY IS MORE THAN A SINGER...HE IS A LIVING LEGEND. HE IS WHAT MUSIC IS ABOUT. THE WHOLA ALBUM IS VERY PASSIONATE, BEAUTIFUL, RAW,INSPIRING AND DEEP AS HELL. ALL OF THE SONGS ARE MADD HOTT....BUT THE BEST JOINTS ON IT ARE (NOT IN ORDER: "I WISH" & HIS REMIX, " WOMAN'S THREAT", "STRIP FOR YOU", "ONE ME", "JUST LIKE THAT", "I DON'T MEAN IT", "DON'T YOU SY NO", "FEELIN ON YO BOOTY", "THE GREATEST SEX", "I DECIDED", "ALL I REALLY WANT" AND THE INSPIRING GOSPEL "THE STORM IS OVER NOW".

IF DON'T HAVE IT, SOON YOU WILL BE ADDICTED TO R.KELLY'S MUSIC AND THIS GIANT PHENOMENAL CLASSIC ALBUM. IS 100 MORE TIMES WORTH THAN ANYOTHER ALBUM FROM OTHER R&B/SOUL OR HIP-HOP ALBUM. THIS ALBUM HAVE IT ALL. BUY AT LEAST 2 COPIES OF IT. IS THAT AMAZING, I GUARANTEE IT !!!

NO ONE CAN COME CLOSE TO R.KELLY`S TP-2 CLASSIC...!!!
TRULY A MASTERPIECE!!! R.KELLY`S TP-2.COM is THE BEST R&B ALBUM EVER MADE...I`M SERIOUS...Only Robert himself can beat his last album telling you HOW CREATIVE, GIFT AND GENIUS HE IS. ALL of the 19 songs are just UNBELIEVABLE AND MAGICAL, You just can listen how he returns with HIS ROOTS, indicating of the 12 Play Album who make R.Kelly a SUPERSTAR (YOU HATERS). If someone knew DA, DA, DA...TP-2 means TWELVE PLAY 2 OR 2000.

My Personal Favorites Tracks are: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18 and The Gospel 19.
DID I MENTION ALL THE SONGS OF THE ALBUM ? WELL AS I JUST SAID IT BEFORE. THIS IS CRAZY, SOULFUL, SMOOTH, SENSUAL BABY MAKING MUSIC AT HIS BEST. IF YOU DON`T HAVE A R.KELLY CD...JUST GET ALL OF THEM.ALL ARE CLASSIC ALBUMS KNOW,BUT THIS ONE...YOU WILL SEE.
INCLUDING HIS NEW ALBUM "CHOCOLATE FACTORY".

GO AND BUY AT LEAST 3 COPIES. IT`S ALL THAT AND MORE AND MORE...

4.5 stars its REALLY hot, but it's not 12 PLAY!!
TP-2 is hot. Okay its really hot. Its no secret that RKelly is all about sex and TP2 is no different. I love the raunchy songs and the gospel tinged ballads. THE GREATEST SEX is what it is, a sexy song! I DON'T MEAN IT is a R.Kelly begging ballad if I ever heard one, but his voice is on point and whoever the girl is...dammit he didn't mean it!! :) JUST LIKE A REAL FREAK AND FIESTA are summer jams, even though the remix to FIESTA with HOVA is hotter. The chorus to like a real freak is jus mad cool. On I WISH R.Kelly brings his guards down and promises to bring back a loved one to spend time with him. Very touching but the remix is even hotter. WOMAN'S THREAT is a dark and Sparkle-esque jam that showcases R.Kelly in dark mode. This brings me to my all time fave jam of R.Kelly or anyone for that matter, FEELIN ON YO BOOTY. Yeah everyone is saying that he went over the top with that one, but that is one of the sexiest song ever hands down. Yeah it sounds so simple, yeah feelin on yo booty, but that baseline and the beginning of the song, just gets the mood right. I wish he made a 10 minute version of that song and released it I would buy it. He shoulda went Prince on it and released a 10 minute version. That sh*t would still be banging in the clubs til this day! The last song THE STORM IS OVER NOW is a nice song similar to I Believe I Can Fly, once again R.'s voice is onpoint! This is a nice album, many bangers, hot beats, and you can't forget Feelin on yo Booty. But like the title says its no 12 Play that is his masterpiece!! But TP2 is HOT!!!

R. Kelly's BEST ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best and my favorite R. Kelly's album. Nuff said.

This is Too Much Soul... Amazing Classic by the King !!!
Wow. What can I said ??? R.Kelly is The R&B King...Period. This is by far one of the Best R&B Albums of all time. It have it all in just one whole album. Phenomenal Smooth Grooves, Sensual Hot Slow Jams, Pair of Blazing Club Banging Joints, a lil' Hip-Hop, and even Gospel Tunes. R.Kelly is a Musical Genius. His Production, Writting and Arranging Skills shines in every song in this Masterpiece. All the songs are Flawless, Timeless, Relaxing and just Memorables. Is so difficult to pick my favorite songs because everyone of them are Heartfelt, So Soulful & Passionate. But if I got to choose my Top 10 songs here in this magnificent album I will pick:

Not in order:
1) I Wish and His Ghetto Remix.
2) Strip For You.
3) I Don't Mean It.
4) Just Like That.
5) One Me.
6) All I Really Want.
7) A Woman's Threat.
8) Don't You Say No.
9) Feelin On Yo Booty.
10) The Storm Is Over Now.

But I tell it from my heart and soul EVERY SONG IS JUST INCREDIBLE AND UNBELIEVABLE. R.KELLY JUST GIVES THE LISTENER WHAT THEY REALLY EXPECT FROM A CLASSIC ALBUM IS SUPPOSE TO BE.
I RECOMEND TO EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THIS DIAMOND GEM CD TO BUY IT NOW. IS R&B/SOUL AT HIS BEST !!!!

PS: DON'T BE FOOL BY THE PARENTAL ADVISORY STICKER AND PICK UP THIS ALBUM INMEDIATLY !!! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

there is nothing like Al Green
There is nothing like Al Green for a day just hanging out
and listening to smooth tunes!

There are alot you can sing too, but great for dinner music playing in the background.

Excellent collection of his songs.

AL GREEN GIVES UP THE SOUL HERE AGAIN
ANOTHER GREAt ALbum from The Genius Al Green.the SOngs&Music sound great.AL Green is a Great Talent that Has Made So Many Incredible Songs.Another Must Have.

A Legend
This was when music was MUSIC. This is a GREAT CD. Thank you Al for giving my generation (60s, 70s & 80s)a real reason to listen, love, enjoy and appreciate good soul music from your heart. This is what real R&B is all about!

One Love

My First Al Green Album
I'd been hearing this singer on movie soundtracks and his numbers always enhanced the movie in question. This was his first album that I ever listened to and if he has even better ones, as some other reviewers here claim, I find that hard to believe. He is the consummate artist as the soulful, heartbroken, lovelorn singer. He hits each song here perfectly and is a master of conveying emotion. My favorite is "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart." The only song I could pass on is "To Sir With Love" because I've always thought it was a bad composition. Green does his best even with this lesser number.

Great for those who want to go deeper into Green's Catalog
This CD is not for the "fly by night" Al Green fan. For those fans, his "Greatest Hits" CD is probably sufficient. However, for those who want to delve deeper into Green's repertoire, this is a great CD. My only thought is that if you are that big of an Al Green fan, you will probably want to buy the individual CDs, so this CD may be repetitive. However, if you want a one stop shop for Green's more peripheral material, this CD won't do you wrong. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The Past and Future Hits of Natalie Cole
I got hooked on Natalie Cole's voice when I heard her first record,"This will Be." Her style reminds me of the old time singers of the 40's,mixed with the modern sound of today.The first song,the live version of "Mr Melody," is unreal.What a voice.I'm so happy,"Miss you like Crazy," that took six months to record,is in here,but the hit that jump started Natalie's career,"Jump Start," isn't.That's the only negative thing I have to say about this record."Unforgetable," the duet with the greatest male singer ever,Nat King Cole,is worth the price of the tape.What a brilliant idea.Now all the singers are doing this,from Lorna Luft touring with old footage from her Mom's Shows, to Paul Anka and his duet with Frank Sinatra singing "My Way.""Livin for love,"the new single from the CD ,should be a big Club hit for the singer.Natalie lets it all out,and tells us to kiss her a-- if you stand in her way.This year should be a great one for the singer.She has this fantastic greatest hits collection,a new Book on her life,and a TV Movie about herself that she's Staring in.Natalie Cole is back for good.

Very Limited
Since Natalie Cole has a television film in which she stars as herself airing any day now, an autobiography on the way, and this Best Of collection, I have no reservation in believing that things may have been rushed--as this hits package suggests. Also suggested are record label politics as a few of her signature tunes are represented here via live versions (from Natalie Live, which is still in print on One Way Records, as is much of her earlier catalog) or not at all. Included are Natalie's masterpiece "This Will Be" (in its original studio version) and her postumous duet with her father "Unforgettable". Excluded, however, are key songs that placed Natalie consistantly back on the pop charts: the 7" hit version of "Pink Cadillac" (included in its less vibrant LP version), "Wild Women Do" (which demonstrated Natalie as a good a rock vocalist as any other), and "Jump Start" (one of her absolute best, and really the song that first had everyone talking of a genuine creative and commercial comeback). In the places of these are tracks from her last studio album--a highly underrated effort that should be investigated on its own terms. One ballad written and produced with Richard Marx ("Angel On My Should") and one dance number provided by the so-far undefeated Metro team ("Livin' For Love") make up the rest of this disc and are fine selections to be included among some of her best. On both Natalie exudes conviction and experience from having been around long enough to put together a hits package. With just a little more attention to detail (label legalities aside) this collection could have been a very comprehensive collection, perhaps two discs worth. Instead, it is a competent but limited gathering of hits that merely suggests that Natalie Cole had a few great records.

Nice Collection!
This is a good collection if you are new to Natalie's music, like me. I'm so glad I found this collection, from a friend who told me about her and gave me a basic introduction to her music. I've read a lot of reviews which suggest that some people are not satisfied with this collection, but do note that it is Volume 1, and there could always be a Volume 2 in the future. I read her autobiography and her life story is very interesting and endearing. She has an amazing voice and there's so many great songs here. Some of my favorites include the Diane Warren ballad "A Smile Like Yours", the new songs "Angel On My Shoulder" (great ballad) and the club hit "Livin For Love", ballads like "I Live For Your Love", "Say You Love Me", "Miss You Like Crazy", "Song For You", etc. The strangest segue between songs has to be between her wonderful cover of the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" (Live) which is a great soul song (her version at least) which goes into the 80's synth driven cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". Good songs but it sounds strange together. Overall this is a really good overview of her career I found, and worth having in your collection.

Great set of songs from a talented lady
Being a new fan to Natalie Cole a friend of mine suggested this album, and her autobiography. What can I say? I'm hooked! She has an incredibly beautiful, powerful voice. There is a good variety of music here, from different genres like pop, R&B, soul and jazz. I don't claim to be an expert on her music but through reading her autobiography I got a good education on her music. Immediately I fell for the ballads, including the Diane Warren penned "A Smile Like Yours", the excellent "Miss You Like Crazy" and "I Live For Your Love", and "Say You Love Me" and "Angel On My Shoulder" (a new cut) are favorites. Her duet with her father on "Unforgettable" is beautiful. Other favorites include "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" (A Beatles song, man this is SOUL), "A Song For You", "This Will Be", and more. Worth every penny. Hopefully Volume 2 comes soon!

What an incredible repetoire of music!
Natalie Cole turned out some great hits! Her vocals have brought her success from the 70's till now. Find out why her 70s era was so successful. Find out why her 80s hits sustained her success. Find out why her 90s hits keep her at the pinnacle of success.

You'll hear her rock and wail through the most upbeat tunes to the saddest of ballads. The emotional tidal wave in these songs will sweep you away into her world love and love lost.

Highlights on this album include: "Mr. Melody," "This Will Be," "Miss You Like Crazy," "I Live For Your Love," and "Unforgettable." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Now that it's become mainstream, there's a lot of quality R&B around, but it's not until you go back and listen to veterans like the Gap Band that you realize what modern soul is often missing: raw funk. This collection includes some of the funkiest and smoothest tracks you'll ever hear. In fact, even if you've never heard old-school soul, you'll be familiar with the riffs and bass lines: they're the type of classics today's producers reference in almost every great party jam. Tracks like "Early in the Morning" and "Outstanding" are just ripe for sampling, and "Shake" and "Burn Rubber" throw you back in time, grooving on a dance floor and bobbin' your head. The adrenaline only slows for superslick ballads like "Yearning for Your Love." A blueprint for today's R&B. --Rebecca Wallwork ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Outstanding" is not just a song title!
When one purchases a compilation like "The Best of the Gap Band", one realizes how influential the 80's group was. Every major hit by the trio is represented here in its full-length glory. The order of songs is perfect for a party; for example, the first cut ("Early in the Morning" with its trademark "rooster call") starts the disc off and is followed by the mid-tempo "Shake" and the slower paced "Outstanding".

The fire starts again as "Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" ignites the set and leads into the soothing "Yearning for Your Love". The chart-topping "You Dropped A Bomb on Me" and "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)" are two other classics that remind the listener of why these guys ruled the dance floors during the decade.

Along with Cameo, Parliament/Funkadelic, The Gap Band was the best at what they did: got folks and on the dance floor and kept them there!

A GAPTISM!!!!
Get ready to be gaptized this band puts the f in funk they can sing, jam, dance, get down they can do it all this is a dynamic cd it conatins a lot of their old hits and I love this cd Charlie Wilson is outstanding he is very talented his voice can do wonders to a song for example "Computer Love" w/ Zapp and Roger I love this band and I would reccommend anyone who likes old school funk to buy this cd because it is slamming!!!!!

Tasteful party-funk from the boys from Tulsa
This album serves as a fine introduction into the modest funk from the Brothers Wilson. The Gap Band are not a band interested in showcasing their musical acumen, but rather, they want to get you onto the dance floor. However, their musicianship is still considerably impressive. They very well may be the only funk band that didn't give into the synthesizer craze of the early 80's. There are keyboards littered throughout the album, but they are complimented by jazzy, James Brown guitar licks, funky percussion and horn arrangements just as tight as Earth, Wind & Fire or the Ohio Players. Charlie Wilson's deep-throat holler vocals rank up there with Teddy Pendergrass or anyone like him. Also, many of their jams which are featured of this greatest hits compilation, "Burn Rubber On Me", "I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance", fortunately extend themselves in length beyond the usual radio friendly 4 minutes. What a gift it is to start off the album with the seminal "Early In The Morning", one of their greatest compositions. Tracks like "You Can Count On Me" also showcase their delicate ballads, but tearing up the dance floor is still their mission here.

How can any hard-core funk lovers resist this album when it closes with the quintessential early 80's classic "Party Train"? Alongside Barry White, the Gap Band also proves the potency that disco could of had. Your enjoyment with this album will certainly determine if the Gap Band are worth checking out on a larger scale.

The Gap Band Are Mad Funky here
Talk about A Group that has Been Influential? Their Sound Has Been Sampled,Looped&Used for New Jack Swing among other R-N-B sounds over the Past 20 years.Charlie Wilson is One of The Most Influential Vocalists over The Last 25-30 years.these songs are still TIght to this day.such as Outstanding,Early in The Morning,Burn Rubber On Me (Why You wanna Hurt Me),Your Dropped a Bomb on Me,Steppin'Out,Party Train,&The Classic Slow Jam Yearning For Your Love.This is a Must. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is delicious bubble-gum dance music from one of Miami's biggest male artists. A Florida native, Stevie B became one of the early leaders of freestyle music with the breakout hit "Party Your Body" in 1988, followed by increasingly successful songs such as "I Wanna Be the One" and "Love Me for Life." Stevie also set himself apart from the pack by writing and producing his own music, which was very rare for an '80s dance star. The hits stopped coming in the '90s, though Stevie B continues to record and, as this collection shows, has already left a swooningly romantic--and infinitely danceable--legacy. --John Sanchez ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Best of Stevie B's Greatest Hits
You may see this album and another album called "Stevie B - The Greatest Hits" and wonder what the difference is.

Well, "The Best of Stevie B" contains many of Stevie's early and most well known songs: Spring Love, I Wanna Be the One, In My Eyes, Because I Love You, Dreamin of Love, and a few others. Because it only is a complation of the earliest hits, it contains some filler stuff from his earlier albums that might not as well known.

However, this is still worth it. The other greatest hits album contains REMIXES of hits like Spring Love, etc and thus this album is the only one where you can get the original mixes.

I recommend this album as well as the other album as good complements to each other. This one give you the older material in it's original form. The other album gives you remixed older songs, but some of Stevie's newer and less known material.

An Album to Rembember, great artist Missed.
Hi all i recommend this cd to buy. My favorite songs are dreamin of love, spring love, broken hearted, love me for life, and beacuse i love you the postman song. this is a good freestyle cd.

THIS IS THE BEST
HIS SONGS ON HERE SOUNDS GOOD. AND IT IS GREAT! THE BEATS AND EVERYTHING THE MUSIC. HE IS VERY TALENTED. A WONDERFUL GIFT TO THIS WORLD. I RECCOMMEND THIS ONE. FREESTYLE MUSIC OF HIS SOUNDS REALLY COOL!<><

GOOD STUFF!
This album is really old, but the music is still young and fresh. I finally got a copy of the cd from my cousin a few days ago and I've been listening to it everyday. It's great to create moments with your lover, the beats and his powerful voice will get you dancing! Everytime I hear track number 8 my adrenaline always run high, I sometimes have to control myself in the car whenever I'm listening to it in the car, every morning I play it I just want to wake up and dirty dance with my babe... STEVIE B YOUR THE MAN! GREAT GIFT FOR LOVERS!

Stevie B.
I love Stevie B's music and freestyle music. Stevie B was the biggest of the freestyle ear with the exception of Expose. He had many top twenty hits but his biggest song was "Because I Love You" which was 1 for 4 weeks. This album of his greatest hits is great and should be owned by freestyle fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not even DionneWarwick and her mind-reading friends could have predicted that, over thecourse of two CDs, Destiny's Child would become one of the most successful girl groups on the planet. But successful this Houston trio is, and their sophomore CD shows why. Yes, the lineup changes as often as lead singer Beyonc&eacute;'s hairstyle, but fun, disposable pop/R&B needn't be rooted in permanence, and DC is mad fun and mad catchy to boot. With the assistance of hitmakers Shek'spere and Kandi Burruss, Destiny's Child trade in effervescent, hip-shaking, finger-wagging, 'you-go-girl, kick-him-to-the-curb' anthems. The Writing's on the Wall is loaded with tracks like "Bills, Bills, Bills," which are suitable both for dancing and as topics on the Ricki Lake Show. The percolating "Bug A Boo" is irresistible, as is the sassy "So Good." To their credit, the girls can slow the pace down, and on the sultry "Temptation" they get to work their considerable chops to nice effect. But as sales and chart figures have shown, Destiny's Child are at their best when they are laying down the law to some trifling man, and/or working their own groove thang. Work it they do on this somewhat formulaic butultimately irresistible effort. --Amy Linden ... Read more

Reviews (397)

Best DC album
The Writing's On The Wall is DC's best album. I don't think they can better than this without LaTavia & LeToya. I'm sorry but I don't think so. The majority of the songs on this album are male-bashing songs, with just a few ballads, and a couple of uptempo joints. The intro is a Godfather-like skit. Thou shall not hate-"So Good" is a song dedicated to the haters who said destiny's child wouldn't make it. Thou shall pay bills-Obviously you heard the first single off this album, "Bills, Bills, Bills". Thou shall confess-Yes DC confesses everything they did on "Confessions". Thou shall not bug-"Bug A Boo", a song a lot of teenage girls can relate to. Thou shall not give into Temptation-This song is HOT! Thou shall not think you got it like that-"Now That She's Gone" is my fav song on this album, even though it's kinda long. Thou shall not leave me wondering-"Where'd you go" is alright. Thou shall know when's got to go-"Hey Ladies" is a straight-up male bashing song. It really talks about men cheating on their girls, but their women wanna keep them, even though "he's got to go!" Thou shall move on to the next-Features the R&B trio Next, how ironic? Thou shall get your party on!-A club song, even the video's "Jumpin' Jumpin'" Thou shall say my name-This is the song that caused the part of the DC conflict. People condsidered it hot. Thou shall know she can't love you-Kelly shines on this one. If thou can wait, then thou shall stay-I love "Stay", this song once had me crying. I just love this ballad. Thou shall cherish life-If you don't know who's singing the frist verse, it's LaTavia. Her voice is alright. The outro is an acapella of "Amazing Grace". They sound so good on this song. Overall I give this album a 9/10.

Destiny's Child ... Perfect
I love this CD ! This is one of the few CDs that you can never be tired. I had never heard of Destiny's Child before this one, and BILLS BILLS BILLS was such a big hit. I absolutely loved it.I liked BUGABOO, not as much as Bills but it was quite good as well. The songs attracted me because at the time there was nothing much like it on the radio and it was extremely different and vibrant. Of course, now you see all the copycats but Destiny's Child is still the ruler. SAY MY NAME was a great summer hit, and JUMPIN JUMPIN is great dance thing as well, is that Dennis Rodman in the video ? There are a few other ones I love, like TEMPTATIONS that is a great one. And I really love HEY LADIES, that should be a single if they make any other ones. The opener "Godfather" parody is amusing, and SO GOOD is a great "look at us now" song. The only ones I dislike are the ballads, they should stick to the dance hits. Well, I guess I should end this. If you haven't bought this, buy it ! It's such a great CD and it is amazing.

The start of significant change
Before I begin, I gotta say I liked the original DC before they became DC-3. This album put DC on the map as one of the most successful girl groups in history. The Intro sets things off perfectly, which tells you that each song on the cd gives you something informative to go by (with each commandment at the end of each song). So Good has to be my favorite song. It's short, sweet, and to the point. A song for the haters. Bills, Bills, Bills is my second favorite song on the album. The remix is hot too [Maurice Remix] Now That She's Gone is my favorite ballad (I think that this song is the longest song recorded by DC, just to let you know) She Can't Love You is my second favorite ballad. The harmony on that song reminds me of their debut album. This is a must have if you're a true DC fan.

I can't get enough of it!
Classic debut album by the all-girl group Destiny's Child. This 1999 masterpiece featured then members LeToya and LaTavia, who ended up being slackers, showing up in the studio only when they felt like it. As a result, Beyonce KICKED THEM OUT of the group because they weren't pulling their own weight. Anyway, this record is perfect. Anyone who gives this one star is a racist, plain and simple. Go, Beyonce!

IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS....
Since this album has come out, and I still listen to it! The music is timeless, and has some of the hottest R&B tracks that you ever would expect to hear from a girl group. Destiny's Child needs to return to their roots, because their "Survivor" stuff is just terrible. ... Read more

Album Description

34 signature tracks totaling over 2 1/2 hours of music,includes classics from Eric Burdon & War plus all-time Warhits 'Low Rider', 'The Cisco Kid', 'The World Is A Ghetto', 'Summer' and more. Slipcase. Rhino. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Make Your Kids Listen to This!!!!
True Funkophiles!!! Strike back for the future! Ground your kids on a Saturday afternoon this summer, buy them a funky shirt and some cool shades and make them sit on the patio and drink some lemonade with you while you play this album of "Daddy's Old Music" for them. If they haven't come around by the end of "Me and Baby Brother", just tell yourself you did your best, give 'em back the TV remote or send them off to listen to Britney and Christina. You should stay there, freshen up the sun screen, and wait a couple of hours for when they come back and say, "What did you say the name of that band was?" Funk on!

the grandfather clause
War were the grandfathers of mulit-ethnic, political-party monster, rap-rock bands. Without them would we really have LA's Latin-rap-rockers Ozomatli or the hip-hop-Jewish-Black-east coast-west-coast culture-clash of the Beastie Boys or the British-by-way-of-India asiandubfoundation?!

In fact, asiandubfoundation's "Community Music" is like listening to War 25 years in the future! "Slippin Into Darkness" contorts into Community Music's "Truth Hides" in melody and feeling and groove. "Why Cant We Be Friends" skip-hops into the joy of "New Way, New Life." And "The World Is A Ghetto" slides into the message of "Collective Mode."

Open your mind, expand your geographical exercursions, be a culture vulture and make War!

GREAT CD
I DOWNLOAD LOW RIDER AND I DOWNLOAD SPILL THAT WINE

tight set
what more could you ask in a greatest Hits package?War is a Band that you name it Musically in style&they did&also pulled off something else without even trying.this Set showcases all of there jams&flavors&how it all rolls as one.you get the un-cut Funk&Grooves of this Mighty Band.Bands like this Nowadays are given Corperate Logo Names but with War there Music did the talking&it was up to the Person to elect if they wanted to go for the ride.I miss those days when Radio&Tv didn't hand pick what you must think&feel.alot of Bands owe a debt to War&what they Brought to the Music table.

This War Isn't Hell
After all these years, revisiting the best of War (pretty much disc one of 'The Very Best of War') was an expected pleasure. Hearing what War had done in the years after their mid-seventies commercial peak (pretty much disc two) was an unexpected one.

Heavyweights in the days before hyper-demographic radio, War co-existed with the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Doobie Brothers and Elton John on FM playlists across the country. Their brand of latin-tinged r&b, coupled with a talent for jamming, struck a chord with listeners of the day, as War was something of a cross between the Allman Brothers Band and Graham Central Station. They were a rhythm and blues band whose frequently-joyful music crossed all racial boundaries.

And this collection gets it all down. Not only are the hits here ("Slipping Into Darkness", "Low Rider", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Why Can't We Be Friends" and "Gypsy Man"), but so are significant album tracks ("Four Cornered Room", "Don't Let No One Get You Down") and overlooked nuggets as well ("I'm The One Who Understands", "River Niger" and "East L.A."--which sports an amazing guest vocal from Jose Feliciano).

And the remastered sound, courtesy of Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch, just sparkles. The sonic detail is amazing, and with a multi-instrumental, polyrhythmic band like War, hearing it revealed is a truly awesome experience.

But 'The Very Best of War' isn't without its flaws; I'm not sure "Ballero" is the best representative of 'War Live!', and "Galaxy" and "You Got The Power" are two very mediocre attempts at disco, and several other album tracks are depressingly pedestrian, but in the end this is a well done collection that provides a comprehensive look at War for less than an earlier War anthology costs.

In short, this is one time I will urge people to go to War! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the most consistently enjoyable and successful of '80s dance-pop acts, Shalamar still sounds fabulous on this hour-plus set of classic singles. From the late-disco era "Take That to the Bank" and "Second Time Around" to the New Wave-like "Dead Giveaway," Greatest Hits is a stellar listen and a reminder of the days when Solar Records was in the forefront of modern R&B. Only the empty-calories Motown medley "Uptown Festival" and the movie theme "Don't Get Stopped in Beverly Hills" slow the flow. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Great Collection
This is a fairly comprehensive collection of Shalamar's hits. "Take That to the Bank", "The Second Time Around" and "A Night to Remember" are all fantastic soulful dancefloor grooves that you can't help but love. Jody Watley was the vocalist who went on to have a short but successful solo career in the late 80's, but this stuff is even better and certainly more mellow. Sample the tracks above (perhaps not the forgetable "Uptown Medley")and I'm sure you will like!
Oh yeah and i agree the cover art is dreadful!!

Finally! A compilation worthy of Shalamar
It's been a long time coming, but Shalamar finally have a compilation worthy of their legacy. And what is that legacy? Along with Ray Parker Jr., they made some of the best black-pop of the late70's/mid-80's. All the hits are here, and even if the final 2 tracks (which don't feature Howard Hewett) aren't much this is still a great listen. One note to Right Stuff. How about dumping the cheap cover art, which are also on the Lakeside and Whispers compilations. Shalamar and the rest of the Solar gang deserve better.

Back To The Past
I am a fan of Shalamar. Their music always take me back to the days when life was simpler and easier. I will recommend this collection to the casual fan. This collection has all their biggest and even some minor hits. When Shalamar was rocking the charts, I was only a small kid. But their music lives on in the me and puts a smile on my face. I don't need to collect all their albums, just give me their best. If you feel this way, then this collection is for you!

Very good, but read this first ...
The music deserves five stars & this collection contains all major & minor hits that the great group had, but the reason for the 3 stars is that all songs are in their 45 rpm versions! This may not bother some, but for the TRUE fan (like me), this will be very annoying.

For those of us who need something more, buy the 12" collection here on Amazon. This is an import from Canada & a little more expensive (about $$$), but MUCH better. This one also collects all the hits & all of the long versions at that. To have Uptown Festival in its' complete form after all these years is great!

See what kind of a fan you are & make your decision off of that. Hopefully you will make the 12" choice ...

great collection!!
their best work on,"take that to the bank","second time around', "a night to remember""make that move",everybody get on up n get down, get down tonight!!joey hoffman , dover pa ... Read more

Amazon.com

There is always cause for concern when a promising new artist follows up a solid debut with a live album rehashing all the same material. After seeing Erykah Badu steal the "Smokin Grooves Tour" summer of 1996, however, it only makes sense that her record company decided to release Live as a stopgap betweenher next studio recording. To put it mildly, the Badu live experience is anything but typical. There is a kindred bond between the singer and her audiences which translates wonderfully onto the disc. It's in the warmth of the songs, the intimacy with which Badu addresses the crowd, and the constant chants of "Erykah!" emanating from the masses. For her part, Badu does a wonderful job revisiting the material from her superb debut Baduizm. She also takes on an assortment of covers, ranging from Roy Ayers's "Searching" to the Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long," making each one sound distinctly her own. The most captivating moment, though, is a new number called "Tyrone," in which she most eloquently tells a dense boyfriend to take a hike. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Don't pick the flowers.
I've had "Baduizm" for a few years now, and had I settled on that... I would have been seriously missing out. I only got this because I wanted "Call Tyrone" on CD (It was all I'd heard at that point).. and I was pleasantly surprised by the entirety of the album.

Erykah Badu is one cool lady, and in between songs she tells you a little bit about what she's saying in them. It helps you appreciate and understand them on an entirely different level.

Not that you didn't already know Erykah has an amazing voice -- but hearing her perform live leaves no question that it's authentic, and a lot stronger than you may have guessed.

The send-off of Next Lifetime brought me to tears and thats about the highest compliment I could possibly pay anything.

People are still commenting on this record and writing outstanding reviews, so far, seven years after it was released. Any questions?

More Baduizm
I bought this CD for "Tyrone" even though I already owned Baduizm. I was little concerned that it might just be the material from her debut, and it mostly is, but there is enough variation from the originals to satisfy me. From the opening chords, a sample of Miles Davis' "So What," I was convinced that I had made a good purchase.

I liked how Erykah let her background singers take center stage and how she interacted with the audience. Her banter was genuine and funny. She cracked me up on the intro to Tyrone when she told the audience that she was an artist and that she was sensitive about her sh!t. LOL. I also enjoyed her cover of that Chaka Khan song. I don't remember the title.

Amusing and sassy, Tyrone is by far the crown jewel of this CD. And although plenty of men were up in arms about the message, I say if you're not a trifling individual, then why should you be offended? Actually, the song reflects poorly on the type of female who would support a grown man and his cronies.

I can't wait for the next Badu experience!

Finally a great LIVE artist...
What can i say about this that hasn't already been said? It's a great album..I like her better than live than i do on her regular albums...A live recording brings all the energy of Erykah as well as the energy of the crowd together for a flawless album..TRULY A GIFTED AND BLESSED MUSICIAN/ARTIST/SINGER..

GOD BLESS...

TIGHT!!!!
First, I want to say that I love all of Erykah's music. But this is a must have for any Erykah Badu fan I really dig this album it is good she does well. She does some new material, remakes, and sings previously released material on her "BADUIZM" album. I give this album five stars. I am giving this album five stars because Erykah came strong and stood out you go girl!!! Some of my favorites on here are Stay(Chaka Khan/Rufus), Next Lifetime, On and On,Tyrone, and Ye-Yo. this is a very nice album I dig it and I like Erykah so keep bringing us the good music Erykah. If you like Erykah Badu then I would definitely recommend that you buy this album.

She sings as good live as she does in the studio
Never have I heard a singer that sounds exactly the same live as they can sound in the studio. This proves that she is a true singer with real emotion. Not only does this cd have her hits from "BADUIZM", but she also has some old school joints on here as well. I also like that she included interlude of her talking, it makes it feel like you're right in the audience at her concert. If you don't have a chance to see E. Badu live, buy this cd. She lets everything go on here. Even her background singers are singing well and they know what they are doing. In my opinion, the live version of "Tyrone" sounds better than the studio version, but that's probably because you can here the reaction from the fans. Either way, they are both great. I recommend this cd if you enjoyed Jill Scott's cd. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

The only good song was Hit'Em High
Track number 5 was spectacular. One of the best rap songs I've ever heard. It was an amazing song by Method Man, B-Real, Coolio, LL, Busta. Method Man and LL had the best lyrics and beats were very well done. The song was full of energy and you can bang your head to it as well. All the other rap songs on this CD is a joke, they are some of WORST I've ever heard. I am a big rap fan but other than Hit Em High those other guys just plain WACK. I DO NOT recommend you to get this CD if you like hardcore rap, like me. Just download the MP3 Hit "Em High. Fly Like An Eagle was good an also is I Believe I can Fly.

Best Soundtrack ................
I am listening to the space jam soundtrack its perty good.And
I also love Bugs Bunny's rap song at the end of it its so funny
and to Chris Rock's BasketBall Jones is halirous I laugh every
time I hear that when he says (Barry you want some chicken)
refering to barry white of course and when he starts to get
upset with Micheal Jordon when he want sing a little song for
a Brother.I would recomed this to somebody who don't like the
Rap music thats around today.The other songs on the CD our
ok to..............................

VERY UNDERRATED SOUNDTRACK!
When I first heard it, I listened to every track. I didn't skip once. Favorites for me is D'Angelo's song "Smile Again", Seal's version of "Fly Like An Eagle", LL Cool J, Method Man, Busta Rhymes & Coolio's "Hit Em High" and R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly." They were the highlights but all of the soundtrack is good.

Love the movie and soundtrack
I love all the songs on here and my favorites are 11 and 14. 14 is like the song for everyone to get into and it get when you are cleaning the house to listen to. It an cd that you need it your collection today so go and buy the cd then after that go buy the movie.
Maybe you will buy the movie first and then get the soundtrack either way you should buy both because it's a great cd to listen to and you will want to play it over again.

Perfectly compliments the movie
When I first heard that there was a new movie called Space Jam starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, I was like, "Huh?" I wasn't really interested in seeing it (it turns out the movie IS pretty good), but I heard from my friends that the soundtrack is pretty decent. I listened to it, and they were right.

The soundtrack seems to be PG-rated (if THAT), and it's a good thing because the movie is like that too. But another thing is that it seems to be targeted toward the high school audience (I was 15 when this came out), so if you're over 18, don't expect to be bumping this in your car or anything. This isn't to say the soundtrack is bad. There are great songs like R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly", Monica's "For You I Will", and D'Angelo's "I Found My Smile Again". All-4-One also shows up to sing "I Turn To You", which most people probably didn't know was recorded before Christina Aguilera's 2000 #3 hit. I like Christina's rendition better, but this version is still good.

Since Space Jam is about basketball, it wouldn't be right not to have some energetic tracks on here. B-Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J and Method Man bring us The Monstars' Anthem (the Monstars were the opposing team in the movie), otherwise known as "Hit 'Em High". And the title track, performed by Quad City DJs, is decent, but all their songs sound the same to me.

The last song is the humorous "Buggin'" as performed by Bugs Bunny (and was written by Jay-Z, I must add). Bugs and the other characters are voiced by Billy West (best known as the voice of the Honey Nut Cheerios bee), but at the end of the song it sounds like he's getting lazy with the voice (of Bugs, anyway). And I'm not exactly sure why Robin S. (of "Show Me Love" fame) is on here, but her "Givin' U All That I've Got" sounds like her other songs too. But regardless, this soundtrack was a perfect match for the movie. I don't really listen to it that much now, but it's still great. ... Read more