Best of Chris Isaak (CD + DVD)

Chris Isaak | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000F5Z6I6
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,967 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. San Francisco Days

2. Somebody's Crying

3. Wicked Game

4. Baby Did A Bad Thing

5. Let Me Down Easy

6. Two Hearts

7. King Without A Castle

8. Only the Lonely

9. Speak of the Devil

10. Blue Spanish Sky

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Wicked Game (DVD)

2. Dancin' (DVD)

3. San Francisco Days (DVD)

4. Blue Spanish Sky (DVD)

5. Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing (DVD)

6. Can't Do A Thing (To Stop Me) (DVD)

7. Let Me Down Easy (DVD)

8. Blue Hotel (DVD)

9. Dark Moon (DVD)

10. Don't Make Me A Dream About You (DVD)

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Chris Isaak begins his third decade as one of the most distinctive recording artists—and the epitome of modern cool—with his first career-spanning retrospective. Best Of Chris Isaak CD features every hit, led by "Wicked Game," and including many fan favorites such as "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing," plus four previously unreleased tracks: an acoustic "Forever Blue," a cover of Cheap Trick’s "I Want You To Want Me" and two new Isaak-penned songs, "King Without A Castle" and "Let’s Have A Party." The CD+DVD package adds a DVD of 20 videos, including a half dozen songs not on the CD. Chris Isaak has done a good good thing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Talented musician... and funny too!, May 16, 2006

By 

Albert G. Smith Jr. (Daytona Beach, Fl USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of Chris Isaak (CD + DVD) (Audio CD)

I'm a latecomer to the music of Chris Isaak. Sure, I saw the video for "Wicked game" and thought it was good, but I never bought any albums until about a year ago. While going through a break up, I was seeking out music to drown my sorrow, and was given the suggestion to check out Isaak. I bought one album, and after a couple of listenings, went back and bought three more. I swear, he was writing about my particular situation in several songs. For those that wish to know that they are not alone when feeling the pain of unrequited love, or if you feel that you were "done wrong" by your girl, these are your songs. Besides the subject matter, it doesn't hurt that the band can actually play, and Isaak can actually sing. In a world of manufactured "stars", it is nice to know that some musicians can actually do music.

As for the DVD part of this combo set, it is very well done. Technically, it is basic 2.0 stereo, which was a bit of a let down in a world of 5.1 surround sound, but this is not a limitation. I played the disc in 2.0 and it sounded pretty good. I then set my receiver to Dolby Pro-Logic II, and the sound got even better. It might not be true 5.1, but the music engulfed me and was very balanced from all of the speakers. In short, as I said, the rendering is not a limitation for listening enjoyment. One very unusual thing for a music DVD is the inclusion of Isaak's commentary for each song. I thought this might be some ego driven thing, but no. Chris Isaak is very funny. He has a dry, self-depreciating style of humor that is devoid of ego. The music alone is great, but the commentary is also terrific. Besides the commentary during the songs, also check out the "preamble", where Isaak very cleverly makes light of the production value. While watching very low tech pencil drawings of Isaak and his band in the studio, hear Issak's voice saying, "we were going to use film, and then hand puppets, then they gave me this pencil." And his request to the viewer about to watch the videos which span many years, "While watching the videos, see if you can see when in out career we became bitter." Funny stuff in the context of the visual.

The bottom line, this is a fine "get to know Chris Isaak" set for the uninitiated, and for fans, a chance to hear and watch the music from this talented group. You might also find, as I have, that he is also a very funny guy.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recordings plus videos: Isaak excels at both!, June 19, 2006

By 

James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of Chris Isaak (CD + DVD) (Audio CD)

An intoxicating mix of Elvis Presley's early rockabilly and Roy Orbison's haunted crooning, Chris Isaak has maintained a sizable following over 21 years and nine albums despite having only one real pop hit, "Wicked Game." While all of his albums are inconsistent, they each contain plenty of highlights, making this 18-track Best Of long overdue.

Isaak wrote most of the songs on his albums except for the Baja Sessions project. Sometimes he's subtle ("Blue Spanish Sky," "Let Me Down Easy"), sometimes he rocks ("You Owe Me Some Kind Of Love," "Blue Hotel"). Occasionally, he builds from restrained to rowdy within the same recording ("Somebody's Crying," "Please") or breaks the musical mold completely, as with the sexy growler "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing." Almost always, though, he sings about heartbreak.

Along with the aforementioned Isaak classics, Best Of includes four previously unreleased tracks. The bluesy brooder "King With A Castle" and the boisterous relationship ender "Let's Have A Party" are nice additions to the Isaak catalog, and an acoustic version of "Forever Blue" is even lovelier than the original, but a live, noisy cover of Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me" fails to approach the standard of the other enclosed recordings.

While far from a staple on the pop charts, the versatile Isaak has occasionally charted on other radio formats, with "Don't Make Me Dream About You" hitting at Modern Rock and his cover of Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man" making an impact at Adult Contemporary. Both are unfortunately omitted here. Other notably absent singles - which failed to chart, but remain fan favorites - include the rousing Yardbirds' remake of "Heart Full Of Soul," the hard rocking "Go Walking Down There," the breezy "Think Of Tomorrow," and the eerie "Graduation Day."

Isaak made some high-profile soundtrack contributions that were also ignored here. They include the secret agent parody "Suspicion Of Love" from Married To The Mob, the wistful "I Wonder" from Tin Cup, and the ultra-catchy "American Boy" which served as the theme for Isaak's acclaimed Showtime series. The quality of these omissions is such Reprise/Rhino could easily compile another 18-track set from Isaak's catalog that would be just as good. And hopefully they will, in the not too distant future.

This is the two-disc edition. It contains a DVD with 19 music videos (two versions of Wicked Game), some of which don't appear on the music CD. Fans familiar with Isaak's quirky humor will surely love the commentary that he provides for each video.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Look at those white guys dance...", May 20, 2006

By 

Geonn W. Cannon "geonn" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best of Chris Isaak (CD + DVD) (Audio CD)

I've been waiting for a best of Chris Isaak, and this delivers in spades! The music on the CD is perfect by itself, but the videos and commentary are an added bonus. Each part of this deserves five stars... CD, videos, commentary.

Get this if you like any of Isaac's stuff or want to see what all the five-star ratings are about.

Oh, and Chris, if you're reading this? I know what you can do with those puppets in your garage: Sell them! Ebay, brother! ;-D