Customer Reviews

20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection

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I've found most of the 20th Century Masters entries to be irrelevant, as you can get better greatest hits collections elsewhere. This one, however, is the best and most cost-effective Grace Jones greatest hits of which I know. It's actually a fitting representation of her work. A problem I've had with her music is that, after a short while, it all begins to sound the same. This CD, however, has just the right number of tracks to give you enough for your money, while avoiding burnout. Nice insert graphics, too. All in all, a nice investment.

Track List: La Vie En Rose, Private Life, Love Is The Drug, Breakdown, Warm Leatherette, Walking In The Rain, Pull Up To The Bumper, I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango), Demolition Man, My Jamaican Guy, Nipple To The Bottle (12" mix)

The titles included in this CD are indeed a good representation of Grace Jones's work. The 'remastering', however, is not.

Every single track on this compilation has been reworked to dull down Grace's raw, edgy power. It's as though a roomful of suit-and-tie record executives lifted Grace's vocals and laid them across Lawrence Welk arrangements, the result being that everything that makes Grace Jones blow your mind has been comfortably pasteurized for the coffeetable chitchat set.

God forbid Grace should make anyone uncomfortable, or challenge their perceptions in any way. No, let's just turn down the volume and put a nice, safe audio bow on her.

Save your money, buy the original recordings, and pull up to the bumper, baby.

BUT this one is relatively OK. Still, If you like Grace at all, "Island Life" Gives a more rounded portrait, with early disco tracks and also "Slave to the Rhythm." (Don't get both--too much overlap.)
I personally think that "Private Life: Compass Point Sessions" is a great deal--$15.00 for two CDs of the reggae influenced material. If you like the mood of those tracks, it's worth it.
"Nightclubbing" is also a great place to start. In my opinion, one cannot go wrong with that album, "Warm Leatherette," or "Living My Life"--all solid albums.

Only a few of Graces's hits appear on this CD, songs bring back memories, but you would be much better off buying a more complete collection. I missed the "next page" when looking..so if you must buy..get the 2cd set ultimate collection, that has all her big hits! So for me, to fill out her hit list..I have been purchasing what I am missing with MP3 downloads..

...Demolition (Wo)man.

Get it for that cut alone. The decadently droning electrosynth, the whip and tickle whiplash percussions, the 80's rock punk guitars...cool. Get it if only to hear Gracie's S&M Dietriching about drawing folks to her like a moth to a flame and 'you kept on coming, you should have ran...' on that cut. Deliciously wicked. Blast that one, Walkin' In the Rain and WARM!...Leatherete.

Missing from the overall mix: The great "Pars" and "I'm not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You)". But it's still a good product. Get it and Enjoy the Mistress. And don't forget to bring your ace bandages and carbonated beverages.

Although all of these tracks are very good, there are many Grace Jones compilations that are more comprehensive. La Vie En Rose is the only track from her 1970s disco trilogy, from the debut album Portfolio. The albums Fame and Muse are not represented at all.

The other songs are from the 1980s albums Warm Leatherette, Nightclubbing and Living My Life. Brilliant albums like Bulletproof Heart and Inside Story are completely ignored although they contain some of her most melodious and memorable songs like Amado Mio, Someone To Love, I'm Not Perfect and Inside Story.

As regards the other compilations, I recommend The Collection or The Grace Jones Story and for Grace Jones completists, The Ultimate Collection, a 3-disc set. Having said that, this Millennium Collection includes great songs like the awesome Warm Leatherette, the evocative Walking In The Rain, the risque Pull Up To The Bumper, the charming Libertango and the rhythmically innovative My Jamaican Guy. It showcases only a very small part of the genius of this remarkable artist.