The Ballad Hits [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Roxette

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00007B4EA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,450 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Pop > Euro Pop > Swedish Pop

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

From 1989 to 1991, Roxette dominated the charts with a string of super-dramatic hits. "Listen to Your Heart," "It Must Have Been Love," "Fading like a Flower"--classics all, and they're all here, along with much else. Their ballads don't always follow the duo's comic dictum—Don't bore us, get to the chorus." "Queen of Rain," with its moving oboe breaks, takes time to grow, as does the string-laden "Crash! Boom! Bang!" There are misses here, too, notably "You Don't Understand Me," co-written with hit-maker Desmond Child, and "Salvation" sounds like a collage of other people's work. Fortunately, the two new tracks--"A Thing About You" (sung by songwriter Per Gessle) and "Breathe"--are sweet and strong enough to repair the damage. --Dominic Wills

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece for fans; a great intro for Roxette virgins, November 7, 2005

By	A. Naditz (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This album does exactly what a greatest hits package should do -- showcase a group at its best. Roxette fans already know the material here, so seeing the songs that ended up on this collection of ballads will come as no surprise. If for some reason you were on Mars for the past 15 years or so (or maybe you weren't old enough) and missed out on even the relatively brief U.S. infatuation with Sweden's dynamic duo, here's a great chance to see what Europe has loved for more than a decade.

The earlier stuff is classic, of course -- name someone over the age of 30 who doesn't remember "It Must Have Been Love" or "Listen to Your Heart" -- and the later tunes reveal that Marie and Per didn't lose their touch. "Milk and Toast and Honey" sounds like a lame title, but then you hear the song and it's a perfect piece of mellow pop.

The two new cuts -- "A Thing About You" and "Breathe" are perfect bookends to this collection, with the latter being perfectly American radio-worthy for when this collection came out in 2002.

Of course, there's always something missing in a compilation like this. My one vote goes to the song "The Rain" (not to be confused with "Watercolours in the Rain," "Waiting for the Rain" or "Queen of Rain") from "Tourism." If not for its repetitiveness, the song could be a top 30 U.S. hit for them today.

The other hope is for an "Essential Collection" or ultimate hits package where they combine this album with "The Pop Hits." Guess we'll have to wait a few years...but the wait should be worth it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thing About Ballads, November 20, 2003

By	Duckman & Weasel "D&W (Kingrow)" (Christchurch, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

"Yet another compilation!" Many a Roxette fan have said that kind of sentence about the Hits collections in the past year or so, but personally I don't mind. This is truly a tremendous album.

Thirteen of their finest ballads from 1988 to 2001, two new songs made for this release, and on some versions (for a limited time) including a bonus 4-track EP with some B-sides and previously unreleased songs. The first song, "A Thing About You" was the only single released from the album. Regardless how successful it was, many Roxette fans seem to prefer the idea of its second new song, "Breathe" as a single instead. A great song it is, but it won't be a single (sorry guys - Per said so himself).

I was very pleased to see "Queen of Rain" on this compilation, as it wasn't on their 1995 album, "Don't Bore Us - Get to the Chorus!" This album is a true favourite of mine, and I think it will surely be one of yours too. Get your credit card out and go nuts! :)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What becomes of the broken hearted??, October 15, 2005

By	Derek Moore - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Roxette writes songs for us, that's what happens dammit!!! As a proud wearer of two tattoos of broken hearts(damn scoundrels!!!); I can attest that this cd is perfect for making you feel melancholy. It's Roxette at it's best; moody, dark, and also just the right amount of tenderness. This is something you want to listen to alone for the first few times; alone in a darkened room, cd playing, glass of wine or beer nearby, and the memories of the good or bad relationships you've had. Then you'll be able to share it with your current significant other.