Whitney's Greatest Bits (Greatest Hits - Whitney Houston)

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	Greatest Hits - Whitney Houston
Date:	19/10/09 (29 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Disc 1 is a superb testimony to a great voice

Disadvantages: Disc 2 is patchy with its turf war between dance and r'n'b

On the eve of her long overdue return, I thought I would have a crack at reviewing Whitney Houston's Greatest Hits. Whilst her comeback performance on X Factor last night showed that she is a shadow of her former self, Houston is still one of the most powerful vocalists in music. She is also one of the very few stars who has made a successful transition from her early soul material into the realms of RnB.

The Greatest Hits album is split into two sections. Disc 1 (named Cool Down) covers the ballads, a powerhouse of big vocals and over-wrought emotion that often starts with just a piano before exploding with drum beats halfway through. Nobody does the ballads like Houston. Her 1988 Olympic anthem "One Moment In Time" is one of her finest, and marks its first inclusion on a Whitney album, whilst the biggest hits also come from that period. Saving All My Love For You is a classy soul ballad with perfect vocal tone from the lady, whilst her cover of The Greatest Love Of All might even be better than the original.

Where disc 1 really shines though is on the collection of The Bodyguard tracks. Run To You, I Will Always Love You (a cover of the Dolly Parton track) and I Have Nothing all represent Whitney's vocals perfectly and could very well be her finest hour. She won an Oscar for The Bodyguard, and whilst her acting wasn't exactly deserving, her singing falls second to nobody. Elsewhere on disc 1, duet's a plenty arise with Enrique Iglesias (on Could I Have This Kiss Forever), Deborah Cox (Same Kiss, Different Cast), and Jermaine Jackson (If you Say My Eyes Are Beautiful). The only time this part of the album falters is on tracks like Exhale and Count On Me.

Disc 2 is entitled Throw Down, and whilst boasting the more upbeat material, shows why Whitney is up to the ballads, but not so much the dancier stuff. Again, it's the Bodyguard material that stands out with Queen Of The Night and her cover of Chaka Khan's I'm Every Woman head and shoulders above everything else. Aside from that, it's the 80s material that packs a punch. Love Will Save The Day is as classic and upbeat Whitney record as you'll find, I Wanna Dance With Somebody fills karaoke floors the country over, and How Will I Know is better in its original guise than in recent dance mixes that strip the song of its soul. In an attempt to cool proceedings up a bit, there is a collection of rather bland dance versions shoved on at the end of this disc. Neither I Will Always Love You or The Greatest Love Of All merit from a danced up version.

Having spent the last decade in the wilderness, or on some drugged out stupor, Whitney Houston is ready to take the charts on again. On the early evidence, she'll never reach the heights (vocally or commercially) of her early 80s material. This is a superb testimony to her potential and indeed her finest moments. That she will probably never get to that again is indeed a sadness for all of her fans. However, at least they have this excellent collection to remind them of what this truly great singer was capable of. Disc 1 is an absolute must for any Whitney fan or even fans of this music genre.

The tracklist is as follows:

Cool Down: Saving All My Love For You, Greatest Love Of All, One Moment In Time, I have Nothing, I Will Always Love You, run To You, You Give Good Love, All At Once, Where Do Broken Hearts Go, If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful, Didn't We Almost Have It All, All The Man That I need, Exhale, Count On Me, I Believe In You And Me, I learned From The Best, Same Script Different Cast, Could I Have This Kiss Forever

Throw Down: If I Told You That, Fine, My Love Is Your Love, Its Not Right But Its Okay, Heartbreak Hotel, Step By Step, Queen Of The Night, I'm Every Woman, Love Will Save The Day, I'm Your Baby Tonight, So Emotional, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, How Will I Know

Bonus Dance Mixes: I Will Always Love You (Hex Hextor Mix), Greatest Love Of All (Club 69 Mix), Its Not Right (Thunderpuss Mix), I'm Your Baby Tonight (Dronez Mix)

Summary: One of music's best vocalist with her greatest hits.