Customer Reviews

Best Of Chris Isaak

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

The Best of Chris Isaak is also available in a two-disc edition containing a DVD with 18 music videos, 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.

Best of collections are so subjective. What is `best of' by my standards isn't what others might find an artists' best work. Obviously Isaak can't have a `greatest hits' collection - b/c it would unfortunately be a cd single.

`Best of Chris Isaak' isn't definitive, but it's a good start. Isaak is a talented vocalist and guitarist - yet somehow remains under the radar. I blame radio for their single-mindedness in programming practices. You'd think "Wicked Game" would have bought him some leeway - but it did not.

Most of his albums have a decent representation here, but again, it's not definitive. As many good songs that are on here, there are an equal number of great things left off. Again, though subjective, what would make it a `best of' for me are numerous - but some of the highlights would have been "Lie to Me", "Don't Make Me Dream About You", "Another Idea", "Wrong to Love You", "Heart Full of Soul" and "Talk to Me" (and that's just for starters).

You know - this probably could have been a double disk.

Since it's not my `best of' selections - I'll give him four stars. But for the consumer who hasn't owned any of his work, this would be the purchase for them.

I cannot sit here and tell you that this is truly a "best of" collection. You see, this it my first Chris Isaak purchase. I CAN tell you, however, that these are 18 incredible songs, sung by a man with a great voice and a knack for songwriting.

These tunes cover the spectrum of love and despair--mostly despair, which is ok, because Isaak's falsetto is suited to ringing out those notes of inner turmoil and agony. His retro rock/alternative country vibe sets him apart from contemporary pop/rock artists, while his songs ring with an honesty that is unavoidable. Even the two cover songs here ("Only the Lonely" and "I Want You To Want Me," if you couldn't figure it out) are reinvented by Isaak's touch, becoming his own (which is the only way to do a remake of a classic song, if you ask me). The heart and soul that went into these recordings makes them genuine, and that is all that can be asked of from an artist. Is BEST OF CHRIS ISAAK really the best of Chris Isaak? I can't tell you. What I can tell you is this: BEST OF CHRIS ISAAK is some of the best music I have heard lately. I'm now a fan; if you aren't already, them jump aboard the bandwagon, because this guy is going places--namely, wherever great music is written and performed.

Huh? Best of Chris Issak?

I own every Chris Issak album and love them all, but this compilation is "odd" to me. I had to look up a few of these songs because I couldn't remember what album they came from. I'm giving it a 4 because it's still good, but definitely not the best of Chris Issak.

If you're new to Chris Issak, buy the following 3 albums San Francisco Days, Forever Blue and Speak of the Devil. Then, for a special treat pick up Baja Sessions.

This is one of the best CD's I have listened to. A friend of mine suggested to me to give Chris a try and I am so glad I did. What a fantastic voice. Well worth the $$$$

It's not perfect, but I think most Isaak songs are pretty darn good. Love the two new pieces, "King Without a Castle" makes up for a few omissions. This is a good introduction and for folks who have most of Isaak's recordings, it's still good to have for the four unreleased numbers.

On this compilation cd of Chris Isaak the sound quality of the songs that were already on his previous albums is really improved to the 2006 standard. It's like blowin' of the dust. It makes the songs sound fresh again. Like they were recordered yesterday. The way the songs of Chris Isaak are supposed to sound. Like a nice summer day which you spent with your friends at the beach. A highlight of this feeling is Chris Isaak's version of I want you to want me. If that doesn't make you feel good I don't know what will. Why not 5 stars but only 4? Well, I'm just missing a couple of my favourite Chris Isaak songs like Lie to me, Heart shaped world & Nothing's changed. Maybe a Best of Vol. 2 could blow of the dust of those and some other classic Chris Isaak tracks.

Compilations like these are always greeted with mixed emotions. Nobody could debate the necessity of a Chris Isaak overview or its legitimacy. Over the years Chris Isaak made some fine album, some even superb, so that's one reason an overview is warrented. Chris Isaak has been reasonable successful, he had some small hits and even had his own TV show, so there's another good reason for a compilation. Chris Isaak is also an artist whose songs you've heard before without actively seeking him out. His songs have been in various films such as "Eyes Wide Shut" and this disc gives those people an opportunity to get further acquainted with Chris without having to buy a whole discography. Although any fan would feel some of his or her favorites are left out on this compilation nobody can argue that al of his hits or near hits are there. So far, so good.

What ticks me of though is the new material. Loyal fans are forced to buy this compilation for three new songs and a new version of an old fan favorite. Such a move could be forgiven if that material would be released on a separate EP, but it never is. None of the four songs are essential editions to the Chris Isaak catalog, yet as a fan you don't want to go without. It is a slick marketing trick that worked in the past, I suspect in the days of illegal downloads these sort of releases are exactly what puts fans to getting their product in that way. The four stars are due to the fact I've got a weak spot for his work. So I won't treat him too harshly for cheap tricks like this. After all Chris Isaak is one of the few these days that manage to write those dreamy songs of love or heartache and get away with it.

Like his hero, Roy Orbison, Chris Isaak maintains a devoted following in Australia. Songs such as Somebody's Crying, Only The Lonely, Blue Hotel and Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing charted down here. His Best Of album topped the Australian album charts. Isaak is shameless in his devotion to the retro sound of Orbison and Presley and rightly so. He does what he does very well as evidenced in this collection of his best tracks and biggest hits. All of his albums (except the Christmas CD) are represented. This wonderful music sounds like nothing else around today and with the constant monotony of new music in 2006, that is a breath of fresh air. A must have collection.

I heard this CD playing in the store and had to buy it, my first Chris Isaak recording. I know listeners more familiar with Chris' repertoire consider the song selection rather odd, but I'll guarantee having these compositions played over retail sound systems and at listening stations is going to increase this guy's sales and audience ten-fold. Whoever put this package together knew what they were doing.

And whoever put Chris Isaak together knew what they were doing, too! What an amazing voice! What superb guitar-playing and arrangements! Everyone I've played "Best Of" for has gone gaah-gaah...

Strangely, I did notice that all of "Best Of's" bluesy material deals with the loss of love, but who the heck would ever dump a guy who looked and sounded like Chris??? LOL.

Chris, if this is what the ladies are doin' to ya, I suggest you cross the street and come to my house!