Posted on: October 15, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

“I’ve Got A Life” is a track that is destined to be played for gay dance clubs all through the country, as the campy vocal stylings on the track really tend to hearken back to the disco period. “Love Is A Stranger” brings listeners a few years later, as the hokey electronics played during the track really dates the track in a good way. The song feels as if it was on the soundtrack to any number of teenage-based eighties movies. Of course, the immediate, most-remembered hits of the Eurythmics are here right off the bat; “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) is right next to “Who’s That Girl?”, with “Here Comes The Rain Again” in quick order.

What is perhaps the most interesting thing about the “Ultimate Collection” is that the Eurythmics did a few tracks that I had no clue that they even did, specifically “Would I Lie To You?”; the track’s ersatz, almost Talking Heads meets Devo like sound holds up well even considering that the track is twenty years old. Chalk up “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves” to that same dustbin of history; what comes out as more interesting are those hits that have not transferred into common memory. This is present during “It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back)”, a track that continues the very sultry, soul-like singing thathas bubbled up like a font through a few tracks on this disc. There seems to be an artificial wall constructed to block listeners from really getting into the Cher-styled vocals of “When Tomorrow Comes”. The instrumentation and output of the track just seems especially phone in, even when the time period is considered. “Thorn In My Side” is the first easily recallable hit after a few lesser-known tracks; where this track succeeds is because of a very emotive bass line and the call and response chorus present at the perfect times during the track.

The best track on this disc may be one of the lesser known tracks; “The Miracle of Love” comes through with a nice duet throughout the majority of track, with wispy instrumentation and a strung-out guitar that pushes the track beyond simple vocals to melodrama at its finest. The Eurythmics had quite a few hits during their history, and the strength of their lesser hits really show make listeners crave an Annie Lennox album or two after wearing out the welcome on this disc.

Top Tracks: The Miracle of Love, Here Comes The Rain Again

Rating: 6.1/10

Eurythmics – Ultimate Collection / 2005 Arista / 19 Tracks / http://www.eurythmics.com / http://www.arista.com / Reviewed 14 December 2005

[JMcQ]

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