Hilary Duff's Greatest Hits?

Speechless.




Can you imagine. Sad to say, this isn't a mistake. Despite the new-fangled cover of a slightly more grown up Halie, Kylie, whatever her name is, this is nothing but a rash, premature, hasty compilation to get your money. Well not my money, don't have none but if I was interested, this would totally take up precious time downloading.

Here are the stats. Hilary Duff can't sing. She's only been recording since 2003. And thirdly Hilary Duff can't sing. It was rumored that her older sister Haylie ghosted some of this bunk and or sweetened the vocals. Oh that's rich, chicanery on this piece of pure shat to go along with its dubious existence. Sign me up for two copies please? Yeah right.

You know, the greatest hits deal doesn't always have to be either a barren money making measure or a way to bide time between released. Believe it or not, a greatest hits effort is often deserved. That's a concept. Here's a few good ones...

The O'jays-Collector's Items
This set was released in 1977. In the days of vinyl is the a double album set. This still works well for a variety of reasons. The songs included are great. Collector's Items was also released right in the middle of the group's Philadelphia International hit making run, so there's none of the revisionist history rampant in compiliations like these. Collector's Items was released on CD in 1989--and it's still availible. Of course there's about 20 to 30 comps like this, but this actually sounds like the original vinyl and retains the musical integrity inherent in pure Philly product. Even better? "Family Reunion" is on here. For Sony's 2004 The Essential O'jays it was inexplicably left off. Boneheads.



Al Green-Greatest Hits
Here's a greatest hits spanning only 2 and a half years yet totally working. Well this being Al Green certainly helps the whole deal. What this did was collect some of Green's best moments with such a sure hand that this had the gravity of a regular release. Now that's difficult. It's a must have for people who already have everything on it. Cool cover too. This is the first place where the extended version of "Let's Stay Together" was first heard. In the '90s the Right Stuff offered an extended edition of this including songs like "Livin' For You" and "Belle." That was "aight" but I'd seek out the original release or those early '80s reissues from London and Motown. It's a much tighter set. Try to find Al Green's Greatest Hits II while you're at it. Send one to me, I haven't seen a copy in years.

Tower of Power: What Is Hip: The Tower of Power Anthology
This is an all-time fave. This 1999 2CD set collects the band work for labels like Warners, Columbia and then Columbia again. It spans from 1972 to 1995. Does it ever work. This is one of the few (like, three or four) compilations that included newer tracks that exactly stood tall with the classics. Not everything's here but tracks like "You're Still a Young Man" and "So Very Hard To Go" certainly are. Also includes are great instances of the band's poignancy and swing, "What Happened to the World That Day" and "Can't You See (You're Doin' Me Wrong.) But those aforementioned great newer songs like "I Like Your Style" and "Souled Out" more than achieve TOP's swagger and skill at starting the party like no one else.

Note: I used to love listening to this flat-out drunk. I don't drink anymore and I feel great! Yeah right...

Beethoven-Greatest Hits
Such a necessity and doesn't Greatest Hits sum this up? This whole idea is still heinous, but it's great to hear those original Beethoven sessions...