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SUZANNE VEGA [1998] Tried And True: The Best Of Suzanne Vega

Tracklist ...
01. Luka (3:51)
02. Tom's Diner (3:49) / dna
03. Marlene On The Wall (3:41)
04. Caramel (2:54)
05. 99.9F° (3:14)
06. Small Blue Thing (3:54)
07. Blood Makes Noise (2:28)
08. Left Of Center (3:34) / joe jackson, piano
09. In Liverpool (4:44)
10. Gypsy (4:04)
11. Book Of Dreams (3:23)
12. No Cheap Thrill (3:10)
13. World Before Columbus (3:26)
14. When Heroes Go Down (1:55)
15. The Queen And The Soldier (4:50)
16. Book & A Cover (3:49)
17. Rosemary (2:42)

Review
This excellent overview of Vega's career contains all the hits and a fair sampling from each of her five albums, though Days of Open Hand receives a cold shoulder (only "Book of Dreams" represents it here), being a critical and personal failure. The CD as a whole shows that while Vega has stayed fairly consistent as a songwriter, her growth has been marked in the collaborations with various producers, from the spare, simplistic sound stages of Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye to the lush metallurgy of Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake. The collection also features that bane of fans, the exclusive track, necessitating purchasing the CD when one owns all the other material. However, these two new songs — "Book & a Cover" and "Rosemary" — are quality entries in Vega's songbook, and once again feature the production skills of Froom and Blake. -- AllMusic

Biography
Suzanne Vega was the first major figure in the bumper crop of female singer/songwriters who rose to prominence during the late '80s and '90s. Her hushed, restrained folk-pop and highly literate lyrics (inspired chiefly by Leonard Cohen, as well as Lou Reed and Bob Dylan) laid the initial musical groundwork for what later became the trademark sound of Lilith Fair (a tour on which she was a regular). Moreover, her left-field hit single "Luka" helped convince record companies that folk-styled singer/songwriters were not a thing of the past after all, paving the way for breakthroughs by Tracy Chapman, Michelle Shocked, Shawn Colvin, Edie Brickell, the Indigo Girls, Sinéad O'Connor, and a host of others on through the '90s. Vega's early commercial success helped open doors for a wealth of talent, and even if she couldn't sustain the level of popularity she reached in 1987 with "Luka" and the platinum Solitude Standing, she maintained a strong and dedicated cult following. Her association with -- and marriage to -- experimental producer Mitchell Froom during the '90s resulted in two intriguing but uneven albums; however, following their painful divorce, Vega returned in 2001 with her first album in five years, Songs in Red and Gray, which was greeted with her strongest reviews in a decade.

Suzanne Vega was born July 11, 1959, in Santa Monica, CA; her parents divorced shortly thereafter, and after her mother (a jazz guitarist) remarried to Puerto Rican novelist Ed Vega, the family moved to Manhattan. A shy and quiet child, Suzanne nonetheless learned to take care of herself growing up in the tough neighborhoods of Spanish Harlem. Her parents often sang folk songs around the house, and when she began playing the guitar at age 11, she found herself attracted to the poetry of singer/songwriter music (Dylan, Cohen), and found a refuge from New York's chaos in traditional folk (Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Joan Baez). At age 14, she made her first attempts at writing songs; however, when she attended the High School for the Performing Arts as a teenager, it was to study dance, not music. She subsequently enrolled at Barnard College as a literature major, and during this time, she began playing at coffeehouses and folk festivals on the West Side and near Columbia University; she soon moved up to the Lower East Side/Greenwich Village folk clubs, including the famed Folk City club where Bob Dylan started out. In 1979, Vega attended a Lou Reed concert, and the effect was a revelation: here was an artist chronicling the harsh urban world Vega knew, with the detail and literacy of a folk artist. Vega discovered a new voice and sense of possibility for her original material, and her writing grew rapidly.

Vega graduated from college in 1982 and held down several low-level day jobs while quickly becoming the Greenwich Village folk scene's brightest hope. Record companies were reluctant to take a chance on a singer/songwriter steeped in folk music, however, since they saw little chance of any commercial returns. After three years of rejections, Vega and her managers Ron Fierstein and Steve Addabbo finally convinced A&M (which had turned her down twice) to give her a shot, and she signed a contract in 1983. Former Patti Smith Group guitarist Lenny Kaye was brought in to co-produce the debut with Addabbo and lend it a smoother, more contemporary flavor.

Titled simply Suzanne Vega, it was released in 1985 to much critical applause. Thanks in part to the single "Marlene on the Wall," the album was a genuine hit in Britain, where it eventually went platinum; while it didn't duplicate that success in America, the album's sales of 200,000 strong still came as a shock to A&M (and Vega). For the 1987 follow-up, Vega overcame writer's block to craft an eclectic batch of new material, as well as drawing upon a backlog of songs that hadn't fit the debut. Again produced by Kaye and Addabbo, Solitude Standing was Vega's finest achievement; the richness and variety of its compositions were complemented by the lusher full-band arrangements and more accessible (albeit less folky) production. The album's lead single, "Luka," was a haunting first-person account of child abuse, whose terse (and fictional) lyrics struck a chord with American radio listeners. As a result, the album was an instant hit on both sides of the Atlantic; it debuted at number two in the U.K., and went gold within three months in the U.S., peaking at number 11 and eventually going platinum. "Luka" hit number three on the American pop charts -- unheard of for a singer/songwriter in the '80s prior to Vega -- and was nominated for three Grammys. As record companies rushed to fill a market niche they hadn't known existed (and uncovering some major talents in the process), Vega spent almost a year on the road touring in support of the record; exhausted, she returned to New York to take some time off, and also tracked down her biological father for the first time. When the time came to record her third album in 1989, Vega decided to co-produce it herself with her keyboardist/boyfriend Anton Sanko (longtime bassist Michael Visceglia also had input). Vega began to experiment with her lyrics, pushing beyond the narrative story-songs that dominated her first two records, and had minimalist composer Philip Glass contribute a string arrangement. The result, Days of Open Hand, was released in 1990, yet didn't produce another hit single and was somewhat lost in the shuffle of new female singer/songwriters; though it did sell respectably, reviews were somewhat mixed. Even though the album didn't recapture Vega's 1987 popularity, she was still -- indirectly -- involved in one of 1990's most bizarre hit singles. Two British dance producers working under the alias DNA took the a cappella Solitude Standing track "Tom's Diner" and set it to an electronic dance beat, releasing the result as a bootleg single called "Oh Suzanne." When A&M discovered the piracy, Vega decided to allow the single's official release under its original title, and it became a substantial hit in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere. The following year, Vega gathered a number of other unsolicited versions of the song and compiled them as Tom's Album.

Intrigued by the success of "Tom's Diner," Vega began looking for ways to open up her musical approach. She hooked up with producer Mitchell Froom, best known for his work on latter-day albums by Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson, and Crowded House. Froom applied his trademark approach -- dissonant arrangements, clanging percussion -- to Vega's new 1992 album, and while 99.9 F° didn't reinvent her as a dance artist (as some expected), the synth-centered sound of the record was unlike any of her previous work. Froom and Vega began dating several months after the record's completion, and they wound up marrying; their daughter, Ruby, was born in 1994, and Vega naturally took some time off from music. She returned in 1996 with Nine Objects of Desire, again with Froom in the producer's chair, though his approach was somewhat less radical this time out; in terms of Vega's subject matter, there was a newfound physical sensuality borne of her marriage and childbirth experiences.

All was not well for long, however; Froom began seeing Ally McBeal singer Vonda Shepard, and he and Vega split up in August 1998. In 1999, Vega released the best-of retrospective Tried and True, taking stock of her past career (she had also split with longtime manager Ron Fierstein); she also published her first book, The Passionate Eye, a collection of poems, lyrics, essays, journalistic pieces, and the like. Vega began playing shows with bassist Michael Visceglia again, and worked on material addressing the breakup of her marriage. Songs in Red and Gray was released in the fall of 2001 and marked a return to the more direct sound of Suzanne Vega and Solitude Standing; it also garnered her best reviews since those records. Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega arrived in 2003, followed by the Live at Montreux 2004 DVD/CD in 2006 and the all-new Beauty & Crime in 2007. -- AllMusic

JUICE NEWTON [1984] Juice Newton's Greatest Hits (And More)

Tracklist ...
01. Angel Of The Morning (4:14)
02. Heart Of The Night (4:09)
03. Love's Been A Little Bit Hard On Me (3:15)
04. Break It To Me Gently (4:03)
05. Low Down And Lonesome (2:53)
06. So Many Ways (4:08)
07. The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known) (2:56)
08. Queen Of Hearts (3:27)
09. Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone (3:32)
10. Hey Baby (3:10)
11. Shot Full Of Love (3:23)
12. I'm Gonna Be Strong (3:39)
13. It's A Heartache (3:30)
14. Dirty Looks (3:48)
15. Tell Her No (3:32)

Review
One of a series of single-artist CD anthologies on Liberty sharing this title, this collection compiles 15 of Juice Newton's hits and album tracks. Her best-known songs such as "Queen of Hearts" and "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" are included, as well as interesting items such as a cover version of the Zombies' "Tell Her No." The hits are the highlights here; although the fusion of new wave, power pop, and country may sound dated, the hooks are timeless. Greatest Hits (and More) makes for enjoyable listening, and provides an excellent and concise overview of Newton's early-'80s output. -- AllMusic

Biography
Juice Newton (born Judy Kay Newton, February 18, 1952, Lakehurst, NJ) was part of the first wave of country singers raised on rock, folk-rock, and singer/songwriters, which is evident from her hit singles. "Angel of the Morning" and "Queen of Hearts," her two crossover hits, have country-pop arrangements, but their roots are in '60s pop and new wave roots rock, respectively. That's why she managed pop crossover hits in the early '80s and also why she was able to sustain country success throughout the decade.

Although Newton was born in New Jersey, she was raised in Virginia. As she entered high school, her mother gave her a guitar, prompting her infatuation with folk music. After graduating from high school, she attended Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA, where she continued to play folk in coffeehouses. During this time, she met Otha Young, a fellow guitarist and songwriter. The two formed a folk-rock band called Dixie Peach and began playing bars around northern California.

Dixie Peach only lasted a year, but they did gain a local following while they were active. After the band broke up, Newton and Young formed Juice Newton & Silver Spur, which had more country leanings than Dixie Peach. They were also more successful. Their fan base was large enough to convince the band to go to Los Angeles and try to land a record contract. In 1975, Juice Newton & Silver Spur signed to RCA Records and released an eponymous debut which spawned the minor hit single "Love Is a Word" in early 1976. Later that year, the group released After the Dust Settles, which didn't attract much attention, and RCA dropped them after its release. The band signed with Capitol Records, releasing Come to Me in 1978. Like its predecessor, the album was more or less ignored, causing the Silver Spur to disband.

Though Silver Spur had broken up, Newton and Young continued to work together. Newton still had a contract with Capitol, and the pair immediately began working on her solo debut. The result, Juice, was released in early 1981 and quickly became a crossover hit. The first single from the record, "Angel of the Morning," reached number four on the pop charts, and it peaked at 22 on the country charts. "Queen of Hearts" was a bigger hit, reaching number two on the pop charts and number 14 on the country charts. "The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known)," the third single taken from Juice, was her biggest country hit, peaking at number one; on the pop charts, it hit number seven. Juice would eventually go platinum

Newton's follow-up album to Juice, Quiet Lies, was released in the spring of 1982. It was also a hit, spawning the pop Top Ten "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me" and the number two country hit "Break It to Me Gently." The album won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female; it also went gold by the end of the year. Dirty Looks, her third solo album, was released in 1983. The record marked the first time Newton failed to crack either the pop or country Top 40.

In 1984, she switched labels, signing with RCA. Newton's first album for the label, Can't Wait All Night, was a transitionary album, seeing her move away from pop and begin to concentrate on country. Old Flame, released in 1985, was her country breakthrough, spawning the hits "You Make Me Want to Make You Mine," "Hurt," and the duet with Eddie Rabbitt "Both to Each Other (Friends & Lovers)," which all went to number one; the album had three additional Top Ten hits — "Old Flame," "Cheap Love," and "What Can I Do With My Heart."

Old Flame happened to be Newton's only major country hit. Its follow-up, 1987's Emotion, only yielded one Top Ten hit, "Tell Me True." In 1989, she released Ain't Gonna Cry, which featured the single "When Love Comes Around the Bend," which barely scraped the Top 40.

Ain't Gonna Cry turned out be Newton's last album for several years. She abandoned country and began performing showy mainstream pop, which she performed in nightclubs. Throughout the '90s, she continued to perform live concerts without recording any new material for years. Finally, she reunited with producer Richard Landis in 1997, recording The Trouble With Angels, a collection of re-recorded hits and new songs that was released in the spring of 1998. -- AllMusic

LITA FORD [1992] The Best Of Lita Ford

Tracklist ...
01. What Do Ya Know About Love (3:52)
02. Kiss Me Deadly (4:01)
03. Shot Of Poison (3:31)
04. Hungry (4:55)
05. Gotta Let Go (3:55)
06. Close My Eyes Forever (4:42) / ozzy osbourne
07. Larger Than Life (3:53)
08. Only Women Bleed (6:01)
09. Playin' With Fire (4:07)
10. Back To The Cave (4:02)
11. Lisa (4:45)

Review
Despite the fact that her success was brief, Lita Ford continues to be one of the more memorable icons of the hair metal scene. Most will argue that this is because of her gender rather than her music; the fact that she was female indeed made her a unique novelty in a genre dominated by men. True, Lita Ford's shelf life was short-lived, and her music itself is far less original than, say, her ex-bandmate Joan Jett. Not to say that what's on the Best of Lita Ford disc is bad — like many of her peers, Ford sure knew how to produce a few catchy guilty pleasures. Her most well-known singles, "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Close My Eyes Forever," are included, along with a handful of unknowns that are certainly worth hearing, such as "Larger Than Life," "What Do You Know About Love," "Gotta Let Go," and a cover of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed." There are numerous Lita Ford compilations out there, but this original best-of collection remains the most ideal buy. -- AllMusic

Biography
One of two solo stars to spring from the ashes of the '70s all-girl hard rock band the Runaways, Lita Ford has long been a more frustrating, contradictory proposition for critics than former colleague Joan Jett. Ford is subtly feminist in her musical approach, displaying guitar heroics on the level of any male metal hero; the mere fact of her existence in the otherwise testosterone-driven heavy metal genre has made her a hero to some, but her persona has often been criticized as calculated to appeal to male adolescent sexual fantasies, simply embodying the standard wild-girl stereotypes of many male metal artists' lyrics. When she has the material to back her up, though, Ford is inarguably capable of rocking out aggressively and assertively.

Ford was born on September 19, 1958, in London, emigrating to the U.S. as a young child. She began playing the guitar at age 11; just five years later, she joined the Kim Fowley-produced Runaways, an all-female project designed to mix the aggression of simple, punky hard rock with teenage bad-girl sex appeal. When the band dissolved, Ford took voice lessons and embarked on a solo career, supporting herself through a variety of jobs (gas station attendant, perfume salesperson, fitness instructor, hairdresser, etc.). She released her debut album, Out for Blood, in 1983; it was followed the next year by Dancin' on the Edge.

Nothing was heard from Ford for the next four years; the follow-up to Dancin' on the Edge, titled The Bride Wore Black, was abandoned and never released, as Ford switched from Mercury to RCA. By the time Ford returned, the lighter pop-metal she had long favored had broken through to mainstream audiences, which set the stage for her most successful album, 1988's Lita. Slickly produced by Mike Chapman, the album featured Ford's first hit, the number 12 "Kiss Me Deadly"; its follow-up, a duet with Ozzy Osbourne entitled "Close My Eyes Forever," provided both artists with their first Top Ten single.

Ford celebrated her newfound success with a marriage to W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, but unfortunately, this, like her commercial success, would be short-lived. Follow-up efforts like 1990's Stiletto and 1991's Dangerous Curves failed to match the popcraft of Lita, and Ford found herself without a label after alternative's explosion in the early '90s. -- AllMusic

JENNIFER WARNES [2004] Love Lifts Us Up: A Collection 1968-1983

Tracklist ...
01. Chelsea Morning (2:20)
02. Here, There And Everywhere (3:16)
03. Easy To Be Hard (2:58)
04. In The Morning (3:00)
05. P.F. Sloan (3:42)
06. Sand And Foam (2:35)
07. All My Love's Laughter (3:23)
08. These Days (3:20)
09. Right Time Of The Night (2:52)
10. Shine A Light (4:05)
11. I Know A Heartache When I See One (3:29)
12. I'm Restless (4:17)
13. Don't Make Me Over (4:20)
14. When The Feeling Comes Around (3:14)
15. Could It Be Love (3:34)
16. It Goes Like It Goes (2:52)
17. One More Hour (2:47)
18. Lost The Good Thing We Had (3:51) / steve gillette
19. Up Where We Belong (3:56) / joe cocker
20. All The Right Moves (3:47) / chris thompson

Review
Raven Records, Australia's premier reissue label, does it again with the first true retrospective of pop chanteuse Jennifer Warnes. While it only covers her formative and blockbuster years (it cuts off well before Famous Blue Raincoat), it nonetheless sheds light on one of the truly brilliant song stylists who, in the crystalline grain of her voice, embodied — whether she was on the charts or not — the true restless spirit of radio pop from the era. Indeed, she is a perfect pop vocalist. The album is divided up into three sections. There are tracks from her first three albums, issued between 1968 and 1972, beginning with her cover of Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning" and Lennon and McCartney's "Here, There and Everywhere." Her single of "Easy to Be Hard," recorded while she was in the Los Angeles production of Hair (she played Sheila), came from her second album, See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me, and was issued three months before the Three Dog Night version. This is the only cut from the sophomore effort, but her only Warner album in 1972 (called simply, Jennifer) is well represented here by covers of Jackson Browne's "These Days," Jimmy Webb's "P.F. Sloan," Barry Gibb's "In the Morning," and Donovan's "Sand and Foam." John Cale produced the album. The second half of this disc kicks off with one of the greatest pop singles of the 1970s; in Pete McCann's "Right Time of the Night," Warnes had found her place. In its plaintive yet dynamic delivery one can hear the everyday ache of lovers everywhere. Full of light and joy, it offered a different view of desire than had been heard on the radio before. Her version of the Jagger/Richards classic "Shine a Light" sounds as if it had been written for her, and carries within its melody and articulation the same reckless, wanton country-soul Linda Ronstadt did in her version of "Hasten Down the Wind." Her own "I'm Restless" is also included here, offering a mere hint of what was to come as Warnes became an absolutely wonderful songwriter. The hits kept on coming for Warnes; they are reflected here in her authoritative and soulful reads of Randy Newman's "One More Time" and Rick Cunha's "When the Feeling Comes Around," and in the third section of the album that features her other huge hits, the duets with Joe Cocker on "Up Where We Belong," with Steve Gillette on "Lost the Good Thing We Had," and with Chris Thompson on 1983's "All the Right Moves." As a document, Love Lifts Us Up is flawless and necessary. The only thing that would be better is the re-release of her albums in their entirety on CD. -- AllMusic

Biography
Jennifer Warnes has succeeded in a number of nearly unrelated areas of popular music — as a contemporary pop singer, as a country singer, as a singer of movie themes, and as an interpreter of the work of Leonard Cohen. She first came to public notice when she became a regular on the television show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967, under the name Jennifer Warren or simply Jennifer. In 1968, she was part of the original cast of the Los Angeles production of the musical Hair, and she signed to the Parrot Records subsidiary of London Records, which released her debut album, ...I Can Remember Everything. Her second album, See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me!, appeared in 1969. Neither album was a commercial success, and she moved on to the Reprise division of Warner Bros. Records, which released Jennifer, produced by John Cale, in 1972. When that album also flopped, Warnes signed on as a backup singer with Leonard Cohen. She joined Arista Records in 1976 and finally registered in the charts in 1977 with "Right Time of the Night," a Top Ten pop hit that reached number one in the Easy Listening charts and also made the Top 40 in the Country charts. It was drawn from her Arista debut album, Jennifer Warnes. The follow-up, Shot Through the Heart (1979), featured "I Know a Heartache When I See One," a Top Ten Country and Top 40 Pop and Easy Listening hit. Warnes' next album was an Arista hits compilation, Best of Jennifer Warnes (1982). In July 1982, Island Records released "Up Where We Belong," the love theme from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman, a duet between Warnes and Joe Cocker. She had sung movie themes before, but never with such success: "Up Where We Belong" hit number one and went platinum. Not surprisingly, moviemakers sought ber out, and in 1983 she had chart entries with "Nights Are Forever" (from Twilight Zone — The Movie) and the title theme from All the Right Moves, a duet with Chris Thompson In 1986, she became the first signee to the short-lived Cypress Records label, which released her acclaimed Famous Blue Raincoat, an album of Leonard Cohen songs, at the start of 1987. In July of that year, RCA Records released "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," the love theme from the film Dirty Dancing, a duet between Warnes and Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers. It topped the charts and went gold. Warnes spent five years crafting a follow-up to Famous Blue Raincoat, releasing The Hunter, which featured songs by various writers, herself included, in 1992. Note that Warnes' many label affiliations preclude any compilation from adequately covering her career and that, amazingly enough, neither of her biggest hits is available on a Jennifer Warnes album. In 2001, Warnes decided that she had enough feuding with labels and her fans were rewarded with her first solo album in nine years. The Well, which was released in 2001, was privately funded and Warnes retained control of the masters, ensuring that she would control the destiny of the album and its songs far into the future. -- AllMusic

HEART [2002] The Essential Heart

Tracklist ...
DISC 1
01. Crazy On You (4:54)
02. Magic Man (5:30)
03. Dreamboat Annie - Reprise (3:49)
04. Barracuda (4:23)
05. Little Queen (5:13)
06. Kick It Out (2:46)
07. Love Alive (4:25)
08. Heartless (5:00)
09. Straight On (5:06)
10. Dog & Butterfly (5:21)
11. Silver Wheels (1:25)
12. Even It Up (5:12)
13. Rock And Roll (5:57) live
14. Tell It Like It Is (3:55)
15. Unchained Melody (4:32) live
16. This Man Is Mine (3:06)
17. How Can I Refuse (3:53)
18. Allies (4:41)

DISC 2
01. What About Love? (3:41)
02. Never (4:05)
03. These Dreams (4:14)
04. Nothin' At All (4:13)
05. If Looks Could Kill (3:43)
06. Alone (3:40)
07. Who Will You Run To (4:05)
08. There's The Girl (3:50)
09. I Want You So Bad (4:19)
10. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You (5:07)
11. Wild Child (4:29)
12. I Didn't Want To Need You (4:06)
13. Stranded (3:56)
14. Secret (4:14)
15. You're The Voice (5:07) live
16. Will You Be There (In The Morning) (4:28)
17. Black On Black II (3:53)
18. Ring Them Bells (3:51)
19. The Road Home (3:34) edit

Review
Essential Heart is the only compilation that covers the group's tenure at both Epic and Capitol. All the hits of the '70s are featured on the first disc and include "Crazy on You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda" and "Straight On." The second disc includes all of their comeback material recorded in the '80s such as "What About Love?," "These Dreams," and "Nothin' at All." -- AllMusic

Biography
Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson are the creative spark behind Heart, a hard rock group who initially found success in the mid-'70s, only to reach greater heights after engineering a major comeback a decade later. The daughters of a Marine Corps captain, Ann (born June 19, 1950) and Nancy (born March 16, 1954) grew up in both Southern California and Taiwan before the Wilson family settled in Seattle, WA. Throughout their formative years, both were interested in folk and pop music; while Ann never took any formal music lessons as a child (she later learned to play several instruments), Nancy took up guitar and flute. After both sisters spent some time at college, they decided to try their hand as professional musicians, and while Nancy began performing as a folksinger, Ann joined the all-male vocal group Heart.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Heart was actually formed in 1963 by bassist Steve Fossen and brothers Roger Fisher and Mike Fisher; initially dubbed the Army, they later became White Heart before settling on simply Heart at the beginning of the '70s. After her arrival in the group, Ann became romantically involved with guitarist Mike Fisher; when Nancy joined in 1974, she in turn began a relationship with guitarist Roger Fisher. Soon after Nancy's arrival, Mike Fisher retired from active performing to become the band's sound engineer. After gaining a following in Vancouver, Heart was approached by Shelly Siegel, the owner of the Canadian label Mushroom; augmented by keyboardist Howard Leese and drummer Michael Derosier, they recorded their debut album, Dreamboat Annie, in 1975.

After selling more than 30,000 copies north of the border, Mushroom issued the LP in the U.S., where it quickly achieved platinum status on the strength of the hit singles "Crazy on You" and "Magic Man." In 1977, Heart jumped ship to the CBS affiliate Portrait, resulting in a protracted legal battle with Siegel, who in 1978 released the unfinished LP Magazine on Mushroom shortly after the band issued its true follow-up, Little Queen, on Portrait. The single "Barracuda" was another massive hit, and like its predecessor, Little Queen sold over a million copies.

After 1978's Dog & Butterfly, both of the Wilson/Fisher romances ended and Roger Fisher left the group. In 1980, Heart issued Bebe le Strange; following a lengthy U.S. tour, both Fossen and Derosier exited and were replaced by ex-Spirit and Firefall bassist Mark Andes and former Gamma drummer Denny Carmassi. After 1982's Private Audition and 1983's Passionworks slumped, the group was largely written off by industry watchers, and moved to Capitol Records.

In 1985, however, Heart emerged with a self-titled effort that ultimately sold more than five million copies on its way to launching four Top Ten hits: "What About Love?," "Never," the chart-topping "These Dreams," and "Nothin' at All." 1987's Bad Animals continued their comeback success; "Alone" was another number one hit, and both "Who Will You Run To" and "There's the Girl" achieved considerable airplay as well. Brigade, issued in 1990, featured the number two smash "All I Want to Do Is Make Love to You," as well as the Top 25 hits "I Didn't Want to Need You" and "Stranded." In the early '90s, the Wilson sisters took a brief hiatus from Heart to form the Lovemongers, an acoustic quartet fleshed out by Sue Ennis and Frank Cox; in 1992, they issued a four-song EP that included a cover of Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore." Heart returned in 1993 with Desire Walks On, on which Andes and Carmassi were replaced with bassist Fernando Saunders and drummer Denny Fongheiser. With 1995's The Road Home, Heart enlisted onetime Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones to produce a live, acoustic set reprising hits like "Dreamboat Annie," "Crazy on You," and "Barracuda."

Heart went on hiatus by the late '90s, as the Wilson sisters concentrated on the Lovemongers, issuing a pair of albums: 1997's Whirlygig and 1998's Here Is Christmas. But Heart wasn't completely silent: they were the subject of one of the better episodes of VH1's Behind the Music; a pair of best-of sets were issued (1998's Greatest Hits covered their early classics, while their later years were spotlighted on 2000's Greatest Hits: 1985-1995); and their music continued to pop up in movie soundtracks (2000's The Virgin Suicides, among others). In 1999, Nancy released her first solo album, Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop, and a year later penned the score to her husband Cameron Crowe's hit motion picture Almost Famous, while Ann continued to play with others — in the summer of 2001, she participated in the A Walk Down Abbey Road: A Tribute to the Beatles tour, which also featured Todd Rundgren, John Entwistle (the Who), and Alan Parsons (the Alan Parsons Project). Heart returned to active recording for Jupiters Darling, released on Sovereign Artists in 2004, and issued Dreamboat Annie Live (a live performance of tracks from the band's debut album, recorded in Los Angeles in 2007) three years later. -- AllMusic

TAMMY WYNETTE [2008] Stand By Your Man: The Best Of Tammy Wynette

Tracklist ...
01. Stand By Your Man (2:42)
02. D-I-V-O-R-C-E (2:59)
03. Justified And Ancient (3:38) / klf
04. I Don't Wanna Play House (2:36)
05. Take Me To Your World (2:49)
06. Singing My Song (2:23)
07. We're Gonna Hold On (2:58)
08. 'Til I Can Make It On My Own (3:03)
09. Near You (2:23)
10. Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad (2:03)
11. Kids Say The Darndest Things (2:55)
12. Good Lovin' (Makes It Right) (2:30)
13. My Elusive Dreams (2:53)
14. He Loves Me All The Way (2:38)
15. You And Me (3:21)
16. Golden Ring (3:02)
17. My Man (Understands) (2:53)
18. Run, Woman, Run (2:27)
19. The Ways To Love A Man (2:27)
20. Woman To Woman (2:57)

Review
While it is true that the late country songstress Tammy Wynette recorded during her later years with husband George Richey as her producer, that material never touched what she did in the 1960s and '70s with Billy Sherrill. Stand by Your Man: The Best of Tammy Wynette is easily the best single-disc collection of Wynette's work as a solo artist and in duet with her then-husband George Jones. There are 20 whopping tracks here, and all of them were hits. There are many obvious choices, like the title cut, "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," "Golden Ring," "We're Gonna Hold On," "Kids Say The Darndest Things," and "The Ways to Love a Man." But there are some tracks that are less obvious choices, such as "Singing My Song," "Near You," with Jones, "Woman to Woman," and "Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)" (both written by Sherrill), and "Run, Woman, Run." There is a surprise in the batch as well, with the KLF Communication team's electronic remake — with Wynette's participation — of "Justified and Ancient" from 1992, which was an international club hit. This is a solid and flawless collection for novices or longtime fans. And it's cheap to boot! -- AllMusic

Biography
In many ways, Tammy Wynette deserves the title of "the First Lady of Country Music." During the late '60s and early '70s, she dominated the country charts, scoring 17 number one hits. Along with Loretta Lynn, she defined the role of female country vocalists in the '70s.

After her father, who was a musician, died when she was just eight months old, Wynette was raised on her grandparents' home in Mississippi; her mother moved to Birmingham, AL, to do military work. As a child, Wynette taught herself to play a variety of instruments left behind by her father. When she was a teenager, she moved to Birmingham to be with her mother. At 17, she married her first husband, Euple Byrd, and set to work as a hairdresser and beautician. The marriage was short-lived, but it produced three children within three years. By the time her third child was born, the couple were divorced.

Wynette's third child had spinal meningitis, which meant she had several expensive medical bills to pay. In order to gain some extra money, she began performing in clubs at night. In 1965, she landed a regular spot on the television program The Country Boy Eddie Show, which led to appearances on Porter Wagoner's syndicated show. The following year, she moved to Nashville, where she auditioned for several labels before producer Billy Sherrill signed her to Epic Records.

"Apartment #9," Wynette's first single, was released late in 1966 and almost broke the country Top 40 early in 1967. It was followed by "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad," which became a big hit, peaking at number three. The song launched a string of Top Ten hits that ran until the end of the '70s, interrupted by three singles that didn't crack the Top Ten. After "Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad" was a success, "My Elusive Dreams" became her first number one in the summer of 1967, followed by "I Don't Wanna Play House" later that year.

During 1968 and 1969, Wynette had five number one hits — "Take Me to Your World," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," "Stand by Your Man" (all 1968), "Singing My Song," and "The Ways to Love a Man" (both 1969). In 1968, she started a relationship with George Jones which would prove to be extremely stormy. Beginning in 1971, Wynette and Jones recorded a series of duets — the first was the Top Ten "Take Me" — which were as popular as their solo hits. However, the marriage was difficult and the couple divorced in 1975; they continued to record sporadically over the next two decades.

Throughout the '70s, Wynette racked up number one hits. In the early '80s, her career began to slow down. Although she still had hit singles, she didn't reach the Top Ten as easily as she did in the previous decade. That trend continued throughout the rest of the decade and into the '90s. Even though she didn't have as many hits as she had in the past, Wynette remained a respected star and a popular concert attraction.

In the '80s, Wynette began suffering a variety of health problems, including inflammations of her bile duct. She was hospitalized several times during the mid-'90s before her death on April 6, 1998. -- AllMusic

THE PRETENDERS [2000] Greatest Hits

Tracklist ...
01. Brass In Pocket (3:06)
02. Message Of Love (3:25)
03. Don't Get Me Wrong (3:48)
04. Kid (3:04)
05. Human (3:55)
06. I Go To Sleep (2:57)
07. Forever Young (5:04)
08. I Got You Babe (3:08) ub40 & chrissie hynde
09. Night In My Veins (3:17)
10. Spiritual High (State Of Independence) (4:30) moodswings & chrissie hynde
11. Talk Of The Town (3:14)
12. Stop Your Sobbing (2:38)
13. Hymn To Her (4:57)
14. 2000 Miles (3:40)
15. Breakfast In Bed (3:17) ub40 & chrissie hynde
16. Popstar (3:41)
17. Middle Of The Road (4:14)
18. Thin Line Between Love And Hate (3:41)
19. Back On The Chain Gang (3:52)
20. I'll Stand By You (4:00)

Review
The Pretenders' 1987 collection, The Singles, did a fine job of assembling most of the group's finest tracks up to that point in their career, so after another decade passed, their record company felt it was necessary to compile a more "updated" collection, 2000's Euro-only release Greatest Hits. Although it contains a total of 20 tracks, Greatest Hits ultimately fails to improve over its predecessor, for the simple fact that the early '80s was the Pretenders' artistic and commercial peak, and Greatest Hits contains too much latter-day material. Whereas it would have been a wise move to showcase such oft-overlooked classics as "Tattooed Love Boys," "Mystery Achievement," "Precious," "My City Was Gone," or "Birds of Paradise" (all of which weren't included on The Singles), Greatest Hits includes such not-as-strong selections as "Night in My Veins," "Breakfast in Bed," and "Human" instead. Although there are quite a few gems included ("Brass in Pocket," "Message of Love," "Talk of the Town," "Kid," "Back on the Chain Gang," etc.), Greatest Hits leaves out far too many prime selections to be considered truly definitive. Also issued at the same time of Greatest Hits was a DVD by the same name that included most of the group's promo video clips. -- AllMusic

Biography
Over the years, the Pretenders became a vehicle for guitarist/vocalist Chrissie Hynde's songwriting, yet it was a full-fledged band when it was formed in the late '70s. With their initial records, the group crossed the bridge between punk/new wave and Top 40 pop more than any other band, recording a series of hard, spiky singles that were also melodic and immediately accessible. Hynde was an invigorating, sexy singer who bent the traditional male roles of rock & roll to her own liking, while guitarist James Honeyman-Scott created a sonic palate filled with suspended chords, effects pedals, and syncopated rhythms that proved remarkably influential over the next two decades. After Honeyman-Scott's death, the Pretenders became a more straightforward rock band, yet Hynde's semi-autobiographical songwriting and bracing determination meant that the group never became just another rock band, even when their music became smoother and more pop-oriented.

Originally from Akron, OH, Hynde moved to England in the early '70s, when she was in her twenties. British rock journalist Nick Kent helped her begin writing for New Musical Express; she wrote for the newspaper during the mid-'70s. She also worked in Malcolm McLaren's SEX boutique before she began performing. After playing with Chris Spedding, she joined Jack Rabbit; she quickly left the band and formed the Berk Brothers.

In 1978, Hynde formed the Pretenders, which eventually consisted of Honeyman-Scott, bassist Pete Farndon, and drummer Martin Chambers. Later in the year, they recorded a version of Ray Davies' "Stop Your Sobbing" produced by Nick Lowe. The single made it into the British Top 40 in early 1979. "Kid" and "Brass in Pocket," the group's next two singles, also were successful. Their self-titled debut album was released in early 1980 and eventually climbed to number one in the U.K. The Pretenders were nearly as successful in America, with the album reaching the Top Ten and "Brass in Pocket" reaching number 14.

During an American tour in 1980, Hynde met Ray Davies and the two fell in love. Following a spring 1981 EP, Extended Play, the group released their second album, Pretenders II. Although it fared well on the charts, it repeated the musical ideas of their debut. In June of 1982, Pete Farndon was kicked out of the band, due to his drug abuse. A mere two days later on June 16, James Honeyman-Scott was found dead of an overdose of heroin and cocaine. Pregnant with Davies' child, Hynde went into seclusion following Honeyman-Scott's death. In 1983, two months after Hynde gave birth, Farndon also died of a drug overdose.

Hynde regrouped the Pretenders in February 1983, adding former Manfred Mann's Earth Band guitarist Robbie McIntosh and bassist Malcolm Foster; the reconstituted band released "2000 Miles" in time for Christmas. The new Pretenders released Learning to Crawl early in 1984 to positive reviews and commercial success. Ending her romance with Ray Davies, Hynde married Jim Kerr, the lead vocalist of Simple Minds, in May of 1984.

Apart from a performance at Live Aid, the only musical activity from the Pretenders during 1985 was Hynde's appearance on UB40's version of "I Got You Babe." Hynde assembled another version of the Pretenders for 1986's Get Close. Only she and McIntosh remained from Learning to Crawl; the rest of the album was recorded with session musicians. Get Close showed the Pretenders moving closer to MOR territory, with the bouncy single "Don't Get Me Wrong" making its way into the American Top Ten in 1987. Hynde recorded another duet with UB40 in 1988, a cover of Dusty Springfield's "Breakfast in Bed."

Hynde's marriage to Kerr fell apart in 1990, the same year the Pretenders released Packed!, which failed to ignite the charts in either America or Britain. She was relatively quiet for the next few years, re-emerging in 1994 with Last of the Independents, which was hailed as a comeback by some quarters of the press. The album did return the Pretenders to the Top 40 with the ballad "I'll Stand by You." In the fall of 1995, the Pretenders released the live album Isle of View, then remained silent for a few years. Hynde finally returned in 1999 with an album of new material, Viva el Amor. Three years later, the Pretenders left their longtime label for Artemis. The reggae-tinged Loose Screw appeared in November and a tour followed in January 2003. In March 2006, the Pretenders released their first-ever box set, Pirate Radio, via Rhino. The four-disc package included over five hours of music and a DVD of rare performances. -- AllMusic

SHARON SHANNON [1998] Spellbound: The Best Of Sharon Shannon

Tracklist ...
01. Blackbird (3:58)
02. Bonnie Mulligan (2:54)
03. The 3-Headed Monster (3:31)
04. The Mighty Sparrow (5:56) live
05. Kids (3:02)
06. Cavan Potholes (4:10)
07. Tickle Her Leg (2:35)
08. The Bungee Jumpers (4:10)
09. Mouth Of The Tobique (4:07)
10. Sandy River Belle (2:07)
11. The Bag Of Cats (4:32)
12. The Magic Foot (3:19)
13. A Song Of The Rosy Cross (1:39)
14. Each Little Thing (4:01)
15. Sparky (3:41)
16. The Woodchoppers (2:59) live
17. Macguire & Patterson (2:45)
18. The Munster Hop (2:49)
19. Reel Beatrice (2:36)
20. The Marguerita Suite (5:50)
21. Spellbound (2:41)

Review
All of the albums that Sharon Shannon recorded for Green Linnet in the '90s are worth owning, but if you've never experienced the pleasures of her neo-Celtic experiments, Spellbound would be the most logical starting point. This CD, which spans 1989-1998, isn't the last word on the experimental button accordionist, but it can still serve as an impressive introduction to her work. Spellbound paints an accurate picture of Shannon — an exploratory artist who benefits from Irish/Celtic traditions without being enslaved by them. On this eclectic, entirely instrumental collection, one hears Shannon fusing her Celtic foundation with pop, French-Canadian music, calypso, ska, polka, and other styles. Instruments typically associated with Celtic music — including fiddles, mandolins, and hammer dulcimers — are prominent, but Shannon also employs saxophonists, organists, and electric guitarists. There are many rewards on this CD, which illustrates how nicely Shannon's risk-taking has paid off. -- AllMusic

Biography
Sharon Shannon is at the head of a list of Irish musicians spearheading a broadening of the traditional music horizons. Thoroughly versed in Irish music, she has not been afraid to mix her playing on accordion and fiddle (she's a double threat) with all manner of different styles — from reggae to country. Growing up in North County Clare, long a hotbed of traditional music, she was encouraged by local music teacher Frank Custy — her siblings Garry and Mary both played, too. By the time she was eight, Shannon was already performing in local group Disirt Tola, who released an album in 1984.

That music seemed to be Shannon's real focus became evident when she participated in the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eirann tours of the mid-'80s, which brought her in contact with piano accordion player Karen Tweed, from whom she learned a great deal about style. The next stop was a brief apprenticeship with traditional group Arcady, after which her friendship with Steve Wickham led to an invitation to join the Fisherman's Blues-era Waterboys. Being on the world tour for that album exposed Shannon to plenty she'd never imagined in music. But after 18 months and with the Waterboys becoming more rock-oriented, she took the plunge and quit to begin a solo career.

While she'd appeared alone on the compilation Ceol Tigh Neachtain in 1989, the big step was her self-titled debut, recorded in 1990, with help from Hothouse Flowers member Liam O'Maonlai and U2's Adam Clayton. While largely in the more meditative County Clare style, it did offer a glimpse of the Shannon to come, with pieces from Louisiana and Portugal sneaking into the spare mix. A year later, she appeared on the best-selling compilation A Woman's Heart, which brought her much wider renown and precipitated widespread touring. But she didn't issue another disc until 1995's Out the Gap, which had several tracks produced by British reggae man Dennis Bovell and offered a completely fresh perspective on Irish music, with bits of dub, reggae, calypso, and more fitting organically into the sound. It was adventurous and highlighted Shannon's continually increasing skills on the accordion — her main instrument — and fiddle.

Her musical maturity was cemented with Each Little Thing two years later, where she deftly moved between styles, ranging from a cover of "Libertango," an Astor Piazzolla adaptation popularized by Grace Jones, to "Kids," which paired a traditional piece with a Lindsay Buckingham song, and "El Mercado Testaccio," where she musically went to Chile to cover Inti-Illimani. The sheer variety could have made it awkward, but her playing glued it all together. It was followed two years later by the typical contract-fulfilling The Best of Sharon Shannon, a 21-track compilation of her two prior releases, with an added a live cut and some previously unreleased material, making for a holding action while she decided where to go next. The answer came in 2001 and it was go west, young woman, both geographically and physically.

Recorded in Galway on Ireland's west coast, The Diamond Mountain Sessions owed a great deal to American alt-country, as well as Celtic music, which had gone triple platinum in Ireland by the time it was released in the U.S. and helped bring Shannon two Irish awards for Folk Artist of the Year and Best Traditional Female. Featuring a host of guest stars (Steve Earle,John Prine, Jackson Browne, Carlos Nuñez, and Hothouse Flowers), it was a very relaxed affair of songs and sets, in contrast to the more formal Irish Gala, Live from the Kennedy Center, a TV special featuring Shannon. She seemed perfectly at home in both settings, but never more so than on a club stage as she toured America behind the record in spring 2001.

In 2004 she released the album Libertango with guest spots from Sinéad O'Connor and the late Kirsty MacColl. She appeared on Tunes in 2005, a collaboration with Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick, and Judy Murray, and celebrated 15 years of recording with The Sharon Shannon Collection 1990-2005 in 2006. The following year, she teamed up with Mike McGoldrick to record her first studio record since 2003. Renegade was released in August of 2007. -- AllMusic

THE SUPREMES [2008] The Story Of The Supremes

Tracklist ...
DISC 1
01. Buttered Popcorn (2:57)
02. Your Heart Belongs To Me (2:36)
03. Let Me Go The Right Way (2:35)
04. A Breathtaking Guy (2:25)
05. When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes (3:02)
06. Run, Run, Run (2:24)
07. Where Did Our Love Go (2:32)
08. Baby Love (2:37)
09. Ask Any Girl (3:00)
10. Come See About Me (2:40)
11. Stop! In The Name Of Love (2:54)
12. Back In My Arms Again (2:51)
13. Nothing But The Heartaches (2:57)
14. Honey Boy (2:35)
15. I Hear A Symphony (2:40)
16. My World Is Empty Without You (2:34)
17. Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart (2:56)
18. You Can't Hurry Love (2:46)
19. This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) (2:36)
20. You Keep Me Hangin' On (2:41)
21. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (2:47)
22. The Happening (2:50)
23. Reflections (2:51)
24. In And Out Of Love (2:41)
25. Heaven Must Have Sent You (3:21)

DISC 2
01. Forever Came Today (3:16)
02. Some Things You Never Get Used To (2:25)
03. Love Child (2:56)
04. Honey Bee (Keep On Stinging Me) (2:22)
05. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (3:08)
06. I'm Livin' In Shame (3:00)
07. The Composer (3:00)
08. No Matter What Sign You Are (2:57)
09. Stormy (3:05)
10. I Second That Emotion (2:30)
11. Someday We'll Be Together (3:27)
12. Up The Ladder To The Roof (3:14)
13. Everybody's Got The Right To Love (2:38)
14. Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music (3:38)
15. Come Together (4:11)
16. River Deep, Mountain High (3:09)
17. Stoned Love (2:57)
18. Nathan Jones (3:03)
19. You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart (2:48)
20. Floy Joy (2:37)
21. Automatically Sunshine (2:38)
22. Your Wonderful Sweet, Sweet Love (2:58)
23. 5:30 Plane (3:59)
24. Bad Weather (3:04)
25. Love Train (3:22)

Biography
The most successful American performers of the 1960s, the Supremes for a time rivaled even the Beatles in terms of red-hot commercial appeal, reeling off five number one singles in a row at one point. Critical revisionism has tended to undervalue the Supremes' accomplishments, categorizing their work as more lightweight than the best soul stars (or even the best Motown stars), and viewing them as a tool for Berry Gordy's crossover aspirations. There's no question that there was about as much pop as soul in the Supremes' hits, that even some of their biggest hits could sound formulaic, and that they were probably the black performers who were most successful at infiltrating the tastes and televisions of middle America. This shouldn't diminish either their extraordinary achievements or their fine music, the best of which renders the pop vs. soul question moot with its excellence.

The Supremes were not an overnight success story, although it might have seemed that way when they began topping the charts with sure-fire regularity. The trio that would become famous as the Supremes -- Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard -- met in the late '50s in Detroit's Brewster housing project. Originally known as the Primettes, they were a quartet (Barbara Martin was the fourth member) when they made their first single for the Lupine label in 1960. By the time they debuted for Motown in 1961, they had been renamed the Supremes; Barbara Martin reduced them to a trio when she left after their first single.

The Supremes' first Motown recordings were much more girl group-oriented than their later hits. Additionally, not all of them featured Diana Ross on lead vocals; Flo Ballard, considered to have as good or better a voice, also sang lead. Through a lengthy series of flops, Berry Gordy remained confident that the group would eventually prove to be one of Motown's biggest. By the time they finally did get their first Top 40 hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," in late 1963, Ross had taken over the lead singing for good.

Ross was not the most talented female singer at Motown; Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight in particular had superior talents. What she did have, however, was the most purely pop appeal. Gordy's patience and attention paid off in mid-1964, when "Where Did Our Love Go" went to number one. Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, it established the prototype for their run of five consecutive number-one hits in 1964-1965 (also including "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," and "Back in My Arms Again"). Ross' cooing vocals would front the Supremes' decorative backup vocals, put over on television and live performance with highly stylized choreography and visual style. Holland-Dozier-Holland would write and produce all of the Supremes' hits through the end of 1967.

Not all of the Supremes' singles went to number one after 1965, but they usually did awfully well, and were written and produced with enough variety (but enough of a characteristic sound) to ensure continual interest. The chart-topping (and uncharacteristically tough) "You Keep Me Hangin' On" was the best of their mid-period hits. Behind the scenes, there were some problems brewing, although these only came to light long after the event. Other Motown stars (most notably Martha Reeves) resented what they perceived as the inordinate attention lavished upon Ross by Gordy, at the expense of other artists on the label. The other Supremes themselves felt increasingly pushed to the background. In mid-1967, as a result of what was deemed increasingly unprofessional behavior, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (from Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles). Ballard become one of rock's greatest tragedies, eventually ending up on welfare, and dying in 1976.

After Ballard's exit, the group would be billed as Diana Ross & the Supremes, fueling speculation that Ross was being groomed for a solo career. The Supremes had a big year in 1967, even incorporating some mild psychedelic influences into "Reflections." Holland-Dozier-Holland, however, left Motown around this time, and the quality of the Supremes' records suffered accordingly (as did the Motown organization as a whole). The Supremes were still superstars, but as a unit, they were disintegrating; it's been reported that Wilson and Birdsong didn't even sing on their final hits, a couple of which ("Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") were among their best.

In November 1969, Ross' imminent departure for a solo career was announced, although she played a few more dates with them, the last in Las Vegas in January 1970. Jean Terrell replaced Ross, and the group continued through 1977, with some more personnel changes (although Mary Wilson was always involved). Some of the early Ross-less singles were fine records, particularly "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and the Supremes-Four Tops duet "River Deep -- Mountain High." Few groups have been able to rise to the occasion after the loss of their figurehead, though, and the Supremes proved no exception, rarely making the charts after 1972. It is the Diana Ross-led era of the 1960s for which they'll be remembered. -- AllMusic

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER [2003] The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter

Tracklist ...
01. Stones In The Road (4:32)
02. The Long Way Home (4:54)
03. Shut Up And Kiss Me (3:41)
04. I Take My Chances (3:45)
05. I Feel Lucky (3:31)
06. Almost Home (4:37)
07. Halley Came To Jackson (3:10)
08. I Am A Town (5:05)
09. Quittin' Time (3:51)
10. Down At The Twist And Shout (3:21)
11. He Thinks He'll Keep Her (4:03)
12. Only A Dream (5:32)
13. Late For Your Life (5:35)
14. The Hard Way (4:23)
15. Passionate Kisses (3:22)
16. 10,000 Miles (6:10)

Review
The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter takes hits from six albums she recorded for Columbia, omitting material from her first album, Hometown Girl. Since the majority of these songs appealed to both pop and country audiences, they achieved wide crossover popularity. The 16 cuts include the original versions of Carpenter's Top Ten hits "I Feel Lucky," "Passionate Kisses," "Down at the Twist and Shout," "Quittin' Time," and her first number one hit, "He Thinks He'll Keep Her." While the majority of these tracks are also included on Party Doll and Other Favorites, the difference is Essential contains the radio versions, not alternate takes or live tracks. Both discs are recommended to fans of Carpenter's modern folk/country hybrid. -- AllMusic

Biography
Mary Chapin Carpenter was part of a small movement of folk-influenced country singer/songwriters of the late '80s. Although many of these performers never achieved commercial success, Carpenter was able to channel her anti-Nashville approach into chart success and industry awards by the early '90s.

Carpenter was born and raised in Princeton, NJ, the daughter of a Life magazine executive; she spent two years of her childhood in Japan, where her father was launching the Asian edition of Life. During the folk explosion of the early '60s, her mother had begun to play guitar. When Mary became interested in music as a child, her mother gave her a guitar. Carpenter played music during her high-school years, but she didn't actively pursue it as a career. In 1974, her family moved to Washington, D.C., where she became involved in the city's folk music scene. After graduating from high school in the mid-'70s, she spent a year traveling Europe; when she was finished, she enrolled at Brown University, where she was an American civilization major.

Following her college graduation, she became deeply involved in the Washington-area folk scene, performing a mixture of originals, contemporary singer/songwriter material, and pop covers. Carpenter met guitarist John Jennings during the early '80s and the pair began performing together. Eventually, they made a demo tape of their songs, which they sold at their concerts. The tape wound up at Columbia Records, which offered Carpenter an audition. By early 1987, the label had signed her as a recording artist. Her first album, Hometown Girl, was released that year.

Hometown Girl and its follow-up, State of the Heart (1989), earned her a dedicated cult following, as well as two Top Ten singles, "Never Had It So Good" and "Quittin' Time." Country radio was hesitant to play her soft, folky, feminist material, but she received good reviews and airplay on more progressive country stations, as well as college radio. Shooting Straight in the Dark, released in 1990, managed to break down a lot of the barriers that stood in her way. "Down at the Twist and Shout" became a number two single and the album sold well, setting the stage for her breakthrough album, 1992's Come on Come On.

Come on Come On signaled a slight change in direction for Carpenter — although there were still folk songs, she felt freer to loosen up on honky tonk and country-rock songs, which resulted in several hit singles. Two of the singles from the album — "I Feel Lucky" and "Passionate Kisses" — hit number four, and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" became her first number one. Come on Come On would eventually sell over two million copies. Her fifth album, Stones in the Road, released in 1994, concentrated on the folkier material, but it was still a major success, selling over a million copies within its first six months of release. Place in the World was released in October 1996, and Time* Sex* Love* followed in spring 2001. Carpenter's tenth album, 2004's Between Here and Gone was produced with pianist Matt Rollings. The Calling was issued in 2007 by Zoe Records. Zoe also released a holiday album from Carpenter, Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas, in the fall of 2008. -- AllMusic

STARSHIP [1997] We Built This City: The Very Best Of Starship

Tracklist ...
01. We Built This City (4:54)
02. Jane (4:04)
03. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (4:27)
04. It's Not Over ('Til It's Over) (4:19)
05. Babylon (4:39)
06. Set The Night To Music (4:46)
07. Sara (4:21)
08. Love Among The Cannibals (2:31)
09. Rock Myself To Sleep (3:28)
10. Hearts Of The World (Will Understand) (4:23)
11. It's Not Enough (4:26)
12. Layin' It On The Line (4:09)
13. Find Your Way Back (4:05)
14. Stranger (4:45)
15. No Way Out (4:24)
16. Don't Lose Any Sleep (4:21)
17. Good Heart (4:20)

Biography
Starship was a band created by the settlement of a lawsuit. Notwithstanding this curious beginning, the group went on to a series of hits in the mid-'80s, including the chart-toppers "We Built This City," "Sara," and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" in a polished, mainstream pop/rock style before splitting up in the early '90s.

Starship was the remaining sextet of musicians that, with Paul Kantner, had made up Jefferson Starship until the rhythm guitarist/singer's exit from that band in June 1984. Kantner, a founding member of Jefferson Airplane, the precursor to Jefferson Starship, had also helped found Jefferson Starship in 1974. Ten years later, Kantner decried the band's tilt toward commercial rock and decided that it was time for the group to dissolve. His bandmates disagreed, and Kantner sued over money and the ownership of the band's name in October 1984. The suit was settled in March 1985, resulting in a cash payment to Kantner and the agreement that the name "Jefferson Starship" would be retired, while the band would change its name to simply Starship (with that name owned by singer Grace Slick and manager Bill Thompson).

Thus, at its inception under its new moniker, Starship consisted of Slick (born Grace Barnett Wing in or near Chicago, IL, October 30, 1939), co-lead singer Mickey Thomas (born in Cairo, GA, December 3, 1949), guitarist Craig Chaquico (born September 25, 1954), keyboardist David Freiberg (born in Boston, MA, August 24, 1938), bassist Pete Sears (born May 27, 1948), and drummer Donny Baldwin. Freiberg, however, then dropped out. The newly christened band, freed from Kantner's ties to their old sound, quickly entered the studio. The first product of their efforts was "We Built This City," written by Dennis Lambert, Martin Page, Bernie Taupin (Elton John's lyricist), and Peter Wolf (not the former singer of the J. Geils Band), who co-produced the track and played keyboards on it. The song did two things that no Jefferson Airplane or Jefferson Starship single ever had: it hit number one in November 1985 and it went gold, proving a strong calling card for the first Starship album, Knee Deep in the Hoopla, which reached the Top Ten and went platinum, a better showing than any Jefferson Starship album since 1978. Starship followed with a second number one single, "Sara," written by Wolf with his wife Ina and also featured on the album. A third single, "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight," made the Top 40.

The record sales established Starship as a separate entity with a new audience. The group was reduced to a quartet with the departure of Pete Sears prior to their next recording, a song from the movie Mannequin. Released as a single in January 1987, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," written by Diane Warren and Albert Hammond, became Starship's third number one hit in April and eventually was certified as their second gold 45. The second album, No Protection, released in July 1987, was prefaced by the single "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)," which reached the Top Ten as the album peaked at number 12 and went gold.

At the start of 1988, Grace Slick left Starship, reducing the band to the trio of Thomas, Chaquico, and Baldwin. They added two new members, keyboard player Mark Morgan and bassist Brett Bloomfield, and in the summer of 1989 released their third album, Love Among the Cannibals, which boasted the Top 20 hit "It's Not Enough" but sold disappointingly. The band was set to tour from mid-August to the end of September, but on September 24, Thomas was involved in a fight that left him severely beaten, suffering serious facial injuries that required surgery. Although no charges were filed, it eventually emerged that he had been beaten by Baldwin, who immediately left the band. While Thomas recovered, Chaquico also departed in 1990. In the spring of 1991, the band's label, RCA, released Greatest Hits (Ten Years and Change 1979-1991), which featured one new track, "Good Heart," written by Martin Page and performed by Thomas, Page, Wolf, and guitarist Peter Maunu. Released as a single, it reached number 81. With that, Bill Thompson declared Starship to be inactive.

In 1992, Thomas organized a band that began playing dates billed as "Mickey Thomas' Starship" or "Starship Featuring Mickey Thomas." Although Thomas did not own the right to use the name "Starship," Thompson and Grace Slick, the co-owners of the name, took no action to stop him, and he continued to perform using the name. In 2003, the Brilliant label issued an album credited simply to Starship called Greatest Hits on which a Thomas-led band re-recorded Starship's biggest hits and some songs from Thomas' tenure in Jefferson Starship as well as "Fooled Around and Fell in Love," the hit Thomas sang with the Elvin Bishop Group in 1976. -- AllMusic

HAYLEY WESTENRA [2006] The Best Of Hayley Westenra

Tracklist ...
01. Amazing Grace (3:44)
02. Lascia Ch'io Pianga (3:33)
03. Benedictus (3:51)
04. Never Say Goodbye (3:16)
05. River Of Dreams (4:22)
06. Wiegenlied (3:42)
07. Bridal Ballad (6:24)
08. May It Be (3:41)
09. Dell' Amore Non Si Sa (3:45) / andrea bocelli
10. Both Sides Now (3:44)
11. What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You) (3:42)
12. The Water Is Wide (3:34)
13. Pokarekare Ana (3:07)
14. Time To Say Goodbye (4:27) bonus track

Biography
Born in 1987, Hayley Westenra hails from New Zealand. Classically trained as both a singer and as a dancer, she is a former member of the New Zealand Royal Ballet. Westenra's voice is an operatic instrument and she has performed with the New Zealand Opera and Orchestra. She made her recording debut at the age of 14 with a self-titled collection that took her country by storm. Universal International then released Pure, an eclectic and very engaging set of pop, classical, and sacred songs, which exploded all over the globe. Westenra's voice is unusually suited to popular music because, unlike other classical singers, she doesn't resort to using vibrato technique. Instead, her delivery is extremely clean and full, hitting notes effortlessly and letting them draw out naturally.

While critics have unfortunately compared her to Charlotte Church, Westenra's interpretive gifts lie in the same terrain as singers such as Kate Bush on one side (whose "Wuthering Heights" was Pure's first single) and Barbra Streisand on the other. After the runaway success of Pure, Westenra and her family moved to London, and she began nearly nonstop world touring in support of her album. She has performed at the British Classical Awards, guaranteeing her success in the U.K. Pure was issued in the United States in April 2004, and the music video for "Wuthering Heights" has garnered considerable play on VH1, underscoring well-received performances in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. In June 2004, Universal issued My Gift to You, a collection of Christmas and seasonal songs. Westenra's second international album Odyssey was released in September 2005 and featured folk ballads, as well as a wide selection of more pop-oriented compositions. Treasure, a personal collection of Irish and Maori folk songs arrived in 2007, followed by the compilation River of Dreams: The Very Best of Hayley Westenra in 2008. -- AllMusic

TLC [2007] Crazy Sexy Hits: The Very Best Of TLC

Tracklist ...
01. No Scrubs (3:41)
02. Waterfalls (4:20)
03. Creep (4:28)
04. Red Light Special (4:39)
05. Diggin' On You (4:17)
06. Baby-Baby-Baby (4:00)
07. Come Get Some (4:21) / lil' jon & sean paul
08. Girl Talk (3:38)
09. Damaged (3:54)
10. Whoop De Woo (3:54)
11. In Your Arms Tonight (4:30)
12. Get It Up (4:16)
13. What About Your Friends (4:06)
14. Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg (4:10)
15. Unpretty (4:01)

Review
"Hat 2 da Back" and "Dear Lie" excepted, The Very Best of TLC: Crazy Sexy Hits contains all the major singles released by TLC, one of the best and most successful R&B groups of the '90s and early 2000s. There are a couple smart picks that weren't big hits, like the Neptunes-produced "In Your Arms Tonight"; "Come Get Some" (with Lil Jon and Sean Paul from YoungBloodZ) and the previously unreleased "Whoop de Woo," on the other hand, could've been swapped out for some of the better album tracks. All four of the group's albums are well worth owning, and the U.S. compilation Now & Forever: The Hits is a little more thorough, but this is remains a fine substitute. -- AllMusic

Biography
TLC were one of the biggest-selling female R&B groups of all time, riding a blend of pop, hip-hop, and urban soul to superstardom during the '90s. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas managed to appeal equally to pop and R&B audiences, blending catchy hooks and bouncy funk with a sassy, sexy attitude. Initially, their image was equal parts style and spirit, bolstered by a flamboyant, outrageous wardrobe. As time passed, they became equally well known for their chaotic personal lives, leaving a trail of headlines that read like a soap opera plot: arson, rehab, bankruptcy, serious illness, high-profile romances, and countless intragroup squabbles. After their star-making second album, CrazySexyCool, TLC fell into disarray, taking over four years to record the follow-up, Fanmail; even so, they returned more popular than ever, and the hits kept on coming. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in early 2002, when Lopes was killed in a car accident in Honduras.

TLC were formed in Atlanta, GA, in 1991, when Watkins and Lopes decided to split off from another all-female group. In short order, they met Thomas, locally based producer Dallas Austin, and '80s R&B singer Pebbles, who became their manager. They quickly scored a record deal with L.A. Reid and Babyface's new label, LaFace, and in 1992 issued their new jack-styled debut album, Ooooooohhh...On the TLC Tip. The video for the sexy, aggressive lead single, "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg," established their quirky, colorful fashion sense, and true to her nickname, Lopes stirred some attention by wearing a condom over her left eye to promote safe sex. The song became a Top Ten hit as did its follow-ups, the ballad "Baby-Baby-Baby" (a number two hit) and "What About Your Friends." TLC were definitely a success, but they weren't quite stars yet, and it remained to be seen whether they could maintain their momentum over the long haul.

Not long before the release of their second album in late 1994, Lisa Lopes was arrested on arson charges. In an alcohol-fueled fit of rage, Lopes vented all the frustrations from her often-stormy relationship with NFL wide receiver Andre Rison, burning his Atlanta mansion to the ground and vandalizing several of his cars. Lopes' lawyers claimed that she had a drinking problem, and while Lopes herself wasn't happy with that defense, she avoided jail time with a sentence of five years' probation; she was also later admitted to an alcohol rehab program. All the publicity certainly didn't hurt CrazySexyCool, which became a blockbuster success, albeit for other reasons. Taking a cue from Salt-n-Pepa's makeover on Very Necessary, CrazySexyCool toned down the boisterousness of their first record in favor of a smoother, more mature presentation; they were still strong and sexual, but now fully adult as well, and were more involved (especially Lopes) in crafting their own material. The slinky lead single, "Creep," became TLC's first number one pop hit, topping the charts for four weeks. It was followed by three more Top Five singles: "Red Light Special," "Waterfalls" (which became their biggest hit ever, spending seven weeks at number one), and "Diggin' on You." TLC were a bona fide phenomenon, and their stylish videos and live performances kept upping the ante for outrageous fashion sense. CrazySexyCool eventually sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. alone, and won a Grammy for Best R&B Album.

All was not well, however. In 1995, TLC filed for bankruptcy, claiming debts of over 3.5 million dollars, in part stemming from Lopes' insurance payments over the arson incident. They also claimed they hadn't seen their fair share of royalties from CrazySexyCool; LaFace countered that they were simply trying to get a bigger contract. TLC did wind up splitting from Pebbles' management company over the money issues (not helped by the fact that Pebbles' marriage to LaFace head L.A. Reid had gone through a nasty breakup). What was more, it was announced that for some time Watkins had been battling sickle cell anemia, which sapped her energy and often made performing difficult. TLC spent much of 1996 getting their financial affairs in order, and were set to re-enter the studio in the summer of 1997. The sessions had trouble getting off the ground, though, thanks to the group's public spat with producer Dallas Austin, claiming that his fee was far too high; not only had Austin played a significant role in the creation of their music, but the split was all the more awkward because he and Thomas had just had a son together. It took until early 1998 to finally resolve the producer situation, and Austin wound up handling the vast majority of the record. Still, it took quite some time to put together; Lopes announced in the summer of 1998 that she was working on a solo record, and Watkins tried her hand at acting with an appearance in the Hype Williams-directed Belly. All the delays, tension, and side projects fueled rumors of the group's impending breakup.

TLC's third album was finally released at the beginning of 1999. The hotly anticipated Fanmail debuted at number one, and its first single, "No Scrubs" — a dismissal of men who didn't measure up — topped the charts as well for four weeks. The critically acclaimed follow-up, "Unpretty," tackled unrealistic beauty standards and spent three weeks at number one. Fanmail wound up going six times platinum, and won another Best R&B Album Grammy. As TLC prepared to tour in late 1999, tensions between the individual members spilled over into a public feud; Watkins and Thomas criticized Lopes for putting herself before the group, and Lopes responded by blasting TLC's recent music and challenging her bandmates to record solo albums, so that fans could see who the real talent lay with. The blowup was only temporary, but rumors about TLC's future continued to swirl. Lopes continued to publicize her upcoming solo project, and Thomas eventually began working on her own album as well. Watkins married rapper Mack 10 in the summer of 2000 and had their first child not long after. Meanwhile, tabloid favorite Lopes continued to make headlines when she disappeared for over a week, missing a family function and a press conference (she turned out to be with a new boyfriend).

In 2001, TLC somehow managed to regroup and enter the studio together to work on material for a new album. That summer, a report surfaced that Lopes had postponed a wedding with, of all people, Andre Rison. Meanwhile, her solo debut, Supernova, was scheduled for release and then scrapped on several occasions; it eventually came out overseas, but domestically Arista pulled the plug. Meanwhile, TLC's recording halted while Watkins was hospitalized from complications with her anemia. At the beginning of 2002, Lopes announced that she had signed a solo deal with the infamous Suge Knight's new label Tha Row, for which she would begin recording a follow-up to the unreleased Supernova under the name N.I.N.A. (New Identity Non-Applicable). Sadly, she would never get the chance. Vacationing in her favorite getaway spot, Honduras, Lopes was driving a rented SUV with at least seven (possibly eight) passengers. Reportedly speeding, she lost control of the vehicle, which flipped over; she was the only member of the party to be seriously injured, and died from severe head trauma on April 25, 2002. The surviving members of TLC announced their intention to complete the album they'd begun, though without their most vibrant character the group's long-term future remained in doubt. -- AllMusic

DESIRELESS [2004] Ses Plus Grands Succes

Tracklist ...
01. Voyage, Voyage (4:23)
02. John (4:12)
03. Van Gogh (4:25)
04. Il Dort (4:22)
05. Qui Sommes Nous? (4:28)
06. Bossa Fragile (3:24)
07. Tombee D'Une Montagne (5:07)
08. L'Amour, L'Amour (4:18)
09. Hari Om Ramakrishna (5:09)
10. Je Crois En Toi (4:17)
11. Elle Est Comme Les Etoiles (4:12)
12. I Love You (4:06)
13. Dans Le Jardin D'Eden (3:38)
14. Qui Peut Savoir (5:34)
15. Le Retour (3:21)
16. Les Escaliers Du Bal (3:54)
17. Voyage, Voyage (7:05) mix, bonus track

Biography
Born Claudie Fritsch on December 25, 1952 in Paris, she grew up in Tréport and in the early '70s she became a fashion designer. Drawn into the musical orbit by her friends, she began singing with various jazz, new wave and R&B bands since the early '80s. In 1983 she met Jean Michel Rivat, a composer and producer who had already made his name working with Joe Dassin, Michel Delpech, France Gall and Patrick Juvet among many others. In 1986 Rivat composed for her "Voyage Voyage," an extremely catchy synth-pop number that topped the charts in many European countries and even hit number five in Britain, a remarkable feat for a French-language song.

The singer's deliberately androgynous look — complete with a porcupine-style hairdo — made her one of the most colorful personalities to grace the European pop scene, while her moniker Desireless was reportedly inspired by her voyage to India and her subsequent interest in its philosophy of acceptance and inner serenity. She released her first album, Francois in 1990, with the opening track "Qui Sommes Nous" becoming her third and last hit (the second one was "John" in 1987). Then she decided to take a break and gave birth to a daughter, Lili. Desireless' second album, I Love You came out in 1994. This time she co-wrote all the compositions, which rendered the album more quiet and personal. Though that release was generally well-received, the lack of promotion made it short-lived. In 1995, the artist decided to abandon city life and move to a picturesque rural area with her boyfriend and daughter. Both of her albums were reissued on CD in the late '90s with bonus tracks added. Desireless started the new millennium with a series of acoustic concerts across France and began work on a third album, which included songs from that tour. -- AllMusic

LISA LOEB [2006] The Very Best Of Lisa Loeb

Tracklist ...
01. I Do (3:40)
02. Underdog (3:01)
03. Falling In Love (4:06)
04. Let's Forget About It (2:44)
05. How (3:48)
06. Fools Like Me (3:35)
07. Bring Me Up (3:28)
08. Single Me Out (3:10)
09. Furious Rose (3:23)
10. Stay (I Missed You) (3:03)
11. Truthfully (2:55)
12. Wishing Heart (2:52)
13. Sandalwood (2:37)
14. Waiting For Wednesday (3:08)
15. All Day (3:29)
16. Taffy (3:19)
17. Do You Sleep? (3:51)
18. What Am I Supposed To Say? (3:30)

Review
Lisa Loeb had only one big hit and it was with her first single "Stay (I Missed You)" — a tune that took her from obscurity to minor celebrity when it was included on the soundtrack of Reality Bites. Although she never had another smash hit, "Stay" was hardly the end of her career: she continued to release records every few years, racking up five additional chartings singles that usually appeared in the lower reaches of Billboard's Hot 100, and a bit higher on their Adult Top 40 charts: 1995's "Do You Sleep?," 1996's "Waiting for Wednesday," 1997's "I Do," 1998's "Let's Forget About It," and 2002's "Underdog." All six of those charting singles, along with album tracks and significant soundtrack contributions (like "How," which wound up on both the Twister soundtrack, where it was originally intended, and on Jack Frost the Michael Keaton classic about a jazz musician who is reincarnated as a giant talking snowman so he can set things right with his son), on 2006's The Very Best of Lisa Loeb, which also includes the brand new "Single Me Out," the theme song from her '06 reality show #1 Single. While Loeb never strayed very far from the sweet, gentle template she laid down with "Stay (I Missed You)," she always was friendly, melodic, and rather ingratiating. These qualities are better heard on The Very Best of Lisa Loeb than on her proper albums, which can tend to be a little samey and sugary. Those tendencies aren't completely absent here, but distilled to her best songs, Loeb is an endearing folk-pop singer/songwriter, as this enjoyable collection proves. -- AllMusic

Biography
If she had never made another record, Lisa Loeb would still go down in the record books as the first unsigned artist to top the American charts, as her meteoric single "Stay" — from the soundtrack to 1994's Reality Bites — spent three weeks at number one soon after the film's release. Born in Dallas, Loeb studied piano as a child but later switched to guitar. At Brown University, she studied music theory and played as a duo with her roommate, Elizabeth Mitchell (who went on to garner indie accolades with the band Ida). After college, Loeb attended Boston's Berklee School of Music for one semester, but then formed a full band in 1990, which she christened (in tribute to J.D. Salinger) Nine Stories and rounded out with Tim Bright on guitar, Jonathan Feinberg on drums, and Joe Quigley on bass.

Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories began to gig around the Midwest, playing at Austin's South by Southwest seminar in the process. Loeb then hooked up with producer Juan Patiño, and in early 1992 released the cassette-only Purple Acoustic Tape, which she sold at her band's shows. Several major labels showed interest in Loeb's pop/rock songcraft, but she remained unsigned by late 1993, when her friend Ethan Hawke asked her to contribute a song for his next movie. Hawke passed along a copy of "Stay" to his director, Ben Stiller, who inserted it onto the soundtrack for Reality Bites. Released as a single in May 1994, it reached number one two months later and eventually sold over 750,000 copies in America. Loeb & Nine Stories received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Group, and won a Brit Award for Best International Newcomer.

Geffen Records, which had shown interest in Loeb before "Stay," signed her later in 1994 and re-teamed her with Juan Patiño. Her debut album, Tails, was released just over a year after her signing, and proved successful with commercial radio as well. Firecracker appeared in 1997, scoring another hit with "I Do" and climbing to gold certification like its predecessor. Tours with the Wallflowers and Chris Isaak followed later that summer, as well as a stint with Lilith Fair. Five years later, Loeb returned with a third effort and her debut offering for A&M, Cake and Pie. She co-produced the album and collaborated with an impressive cast, which included Glen Ballard, boyfriend Dweezil Zappa, Randy Scruggs (Vince Gill, Sawyer Brown, Waylon Jennings), and Peter Collins (Bon Jovi, the Indigo Girls). Lead-off single "The Way It Really Is" was a moderate hit among college radio, and "We Could Still Belong Together" was included on the soundtrack to Legally Blonde. In mid-2002, Loeb switched labels once more after inking a deal with Artemis. She relaunched Cake and Pie under the title Hello Lisa, which featured Sanrio's signature Hello Kitty artwork on the cover, that November. The Sanrio/Loeb union proved fruitful, as it coincided with the cutesy character's popularity boom in trendy Hollywood.

For her next trick, Loeb reunited with old college pal Elizabeth Mitchell for the children's music album Catch the Moon, which featured a pleasant mix of traditionals and originals. Although it didn't include the single of the same name, The Way It Really Is was the title of Loeb's follow-up album in 2004, her first for the Zoe label. Meanwhile, the television show Dweezil & Lisa premiered on The Food Network in January of the same year. It followed Zappa and Loeb throughout their daily activities as rockers and food lovers; moreover, it paved the way for another Loeb-centric TV show, #1 Single, which premiered in 2006 after her breakup with Zappa. The Very Best of Lisa Loeb arrived in 2006, having been released one year prior in Japan. After issuing the Cherries EP in 2007, Loeb delved into her back catalog and emerged with The Purple Tape, which she had originally released on cassette in 1992. Reissued in 2008 as a two-disc release, The Purple Tape combined ten solo recordings with an extended interview. It also prefaced the release of Camp Lisa, which marked her second children's album. -- AllMusic

SAMANTHA FOX [1992] Greatest Hits

Tracklist ...
01. Touch Me (I Want Your Body) (3:42)
02. Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me) (3:45)
03. Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now (3:42)
04. I Only Wanna Be With You (2:42)
05. I Surrender (To The Spirit Of The Night) (3:53)
06. I Wanna Have Some Fun (3:56)
07. Hold On Tight (3:37)
08. Just One Night (5:52)
09. Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) (3:20)
10. I Promise You (Get Ready) (3:49)
11. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (4:09)
12. Love House (3:32)
13. Another Woman (Too Many People) (3:55)
14. Spirit Of America (4:45)
15. Hot Lovin' (3:42)
16. Giving Me A Hard Time (2:43)
17. Even In The Darkest Hours (5:26)

Review
British pinup turned pop star Samantha Fox collected a healthy number of dance-pop hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and they are all collected on her 1992 Greatest Hits set. Her early hits, including the steamy Top Ten "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)," which kick-started her career, and its follow-up, the almost-rocker "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)," are prime examples of classic 1980s pop, with just a hint of hair-band rock (especially evident on "Spirit of America"). From there the album moves into the straight pop of "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now," which was produced by hit-making machine Stock, Aiken and Waterman, as was her bubblegum (but highly satisfying) version of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Wanna Be With You." Her other big U.S. Top Five hit, "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," is also present, but in a terribly edited version. In the early 1990s, Fox's music took a more straight-forward house/dance turn, evident on great singles like the Top Ten "I Wanna Have Some Fun" and the steamy, red-hot "Love House." Other highlights include the catchy dance track "I Promise You," the terrific single "Another Woman (Too Many People)" (arguably one of the album's best songs), and the bonus, non-listed "U.K. Megamix." Also included are several rarities, including "Hot Lovin'," the guitar-heavy "Giving Me a Hard Time," and "Even in the Darkest Hours." A surprisingly diverse collection from a singer many regarded as little more than a commercial gimmick. -- AllMusic

Biography
When she was 16 years old, Samantha Fox rose to stardom in Britain as a topless model in the Daily Sun newspaper. Fox's popularity as a model soon led to a record contract. She released her first single, "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)," in 1986. "Touch Me" set the pattern for her career — frothy, sexually suggestive dance-pop with good beats and sketchy melodies. Throughout her career, Fox always accentuated her sex appeal, making it take priority over her music. Nevertheless, she had a fairly long string of hits, beginning with the U.K. number three single "Touch Me." "Do Ya, Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)" followed her debut single into the British Top Ten.

Soon afterward, her records were released in America to nearly equal success. Touch Me, her debut album, went gold with the title track hitting number four. Her next two singles didn't fare as well, yet "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)" — taken from her second album, Samantha Fox (1987) — became a number three hit in the U.S. Samantha Fox also went gold, as did 1988's I Wanna Have Some Fun, but the hits dried up after that album. Fox has since tried her hand at acting. -- AllMusic

GIANNA NANNINI [2007] Giannabest

Tracklist ...
DISC 1
01. Suicidio D'Amore (3:14)
02. Mosca Cieca (2:46)
03. Possiamo Sempre (4:19)
04. Pazienza (4:23)
05. Sei Nell'Anima (4:31)
06. Dolente Pia (4:35)
07. Radio Baccano (4:55)
08. Io Senza Te (4:21)
09. Scandalo (3:37)
10. Mura Mura (4:07)
11. Meravigliosa Creatura (4:12)
12. America (4:23)
13. Revolution (3:47)
14. California (12:58)

DISC 2
01. Meravigliosa Creatura (3:05) "perle" version
02. Io (4:33)
03. Fotoromanza (4:29)
04. Ragazzo Dell'Europa (3:35)
05. Profumo (3:52)
06. Bello E Impossibile (4:42)
07. Latin Lover (4:35)
08. I Maschi (4:32)
09. Aria (3:48)
10. Amandoti (3:38)
11. Elisir (3:53)
12. Notti Senza Cuore (3:43)
13. Alla Fine (4:37)
14. Un Desiderio (3:55)
15. Una Luce (3:19)

Biography
Graduating in literature and philosophy, music became Gianna Nannini's real passion, taking piano lessons at the age of 13, later moving to Milan to start her solo career, performing at small local venues. The singer/songwriter's self-titled debut album came in 1976, followed by Una Radura, released in 1977. While temporarily living in the U.S., Gianna Nannini recorded California, considered to be her first rock album. The artist's breakthrough came with her sixth album, called Profumo, which included her smash "Bello e Impossibile." -- AllMusic

ALANNAH MYLES [1998] The Very Best Of Alannah Myles

Tracklist ...
01. Black Velvet (4:47)
02. Break The Silence (5:14)
03. Everybody's Breaking Up (4:34)
04. Love Is (3:38)
05. Song Instead Of A Kiss (5:04)
06. Sonny Say You Will (5:06)
07. Our World, Our Time (6:18)
08. Long, Long Time (5:13)
09. Great Divide (4:25)
10. Family Secret (5:16)
11. Lover Of Mine (4:35)
12. Bad 4 You (3:52)
13. What Are We Waiting For (3:57)
14. You Love Who You Love (3:29)
15. Still Got This Thing (4:37)
16. [untitled bonus track] (5:13)

Review
With its slinky, modernized rock & roll beat, the Elvis tribute "Black Velvet" seemed to mark the beginning of a big career for Alannah Myles, but it turned out to be her one big moment. That's too bad, because as the compilation The Very Best of Alannah Myles proves, she deserved a little bit better than that. In a different time — say, the early '80s, when Pat Benatar was one of the top rockers in the land — she could have had a string of hits, since her voice was perfect for big, mainstream rock. If she had stronger material and if her production was a little more organic, she could have had a fighting chance in the '90s, but then again maybe not, since her 1998 effort, Arival, was her arguably her best, but it made little impact. Either way, the overall impression of The Very Best of Alannah Myles is that she was a rocker out of time, one that couldn't quite find the key to success in the '90s, but still left behind some good recordings. True, the compilation is a little inconsistent — that was a hallmark of her records, actually — but all the best stuff is here ("Black Velvet," "Bad 4 You," "Lover of Mine," "Still Got this Thing," among others), making it the choice for anyone that was curious if she had more to offer than "Black Velvet." -- AllMusic

Biography
Toronto rock singer Alannah Myles spent several years struggling unsuccessfully to secure a Canadian record deal, so she and songwriting partner Christopher Ward set their sights south of the border. Myles recorded a demo and video for the song "Just One Kiss," which got the attention of several companies and ended up on her self-titled 1989 debut album. "Love Is" established her in her home country and made Alannah Myles the biggest-selling debut in Canadian history, but it was the smoky, sensual "Black Velvet" that became a worldwide hit, reaching number one in the U.S. An American release of "Love Is" fizzled as a follow-up, and Myles thus far remains something of a one-hit wonder to U.S. audiences. She released a follow-up album, Rockinghorse, in 1992. -- AllMusic

TEXAS [2000] The Greatest Hits

Tracklist ...
01. I Don't Want A Lover (5:02)
02. In Demand (4:25)
03. Say What You Want (3:51)
04. Summer Son (4:04)
05. Inner Smile (3:52)
06. So In Love With You (4:18)
07. Black Eyed Boy (3:17)
08. So Called Friend (3:46)
09. Everyday Now (4:19)
10. In Our Lifetime (4:06)
11. Halo (4:09)
12. Guitar Song (3:56)
13. Prayer For You (4:19)
14. When We Are Together (3:23)
15. Put Your Arms Around Me (4:32)
16. Say What You Want (All Day Every Day) (4:39) / method man & rza

Review
Texas always seemed out of place, from the moment they released their debut until the time they hit the big time with White on Blonde in the second half of the '90s. They may have been able to gain momentum from Britpop, but they didn't really belong, since their sensibility was far too soulful and classy, borrowing equally from the smooth soul of the '70s, Americana fascinations, and, in a roundabout way, the sophisti-pop of the '80s. Still, they were professional, stylish, and, thanks to Sharleen Spiteri, sexy, which meant they did make sense in the aftermath of Britpop, even if they were a bit out of step. As the splendid Greatest Hits proves, they could even have made it into the American mainstream if they had received a push on adult alternative pop/rock radio, since they were melodic, classy, and solid. They never were groundbreaking, but they were professionals, and even if this hits collection has a couple run-of-the-mill cuts, at its best — "Say What You Want," "Black Eyed Boy," "In Our Lifetime" — it's as good as mainstream post-alternative adult pop gets. For European listeners, certainly a snapshot of the times, and for Americans, this is a good way to get acquainted with a minor treasure. -- AllMusic