Collection [Import]

Grace Jones | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Universal/Spectrum
• ASIN: B00028588E
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,767 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Import collection for the icey-cool, unique artist features 16 tracks of her best Island material, paying a generous nod to the high camp pre-Compass Point material also. Guaranteed to enchant, thrill, & shock! Universal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More of the same...(but not bad), July 31, 2004

By 

Jason "jasons_brain" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collection (Audio CD)

Do we really need another "best-of" CD by Grace Jones?
With the exception of 2 tracks, "Everybody Hold Still" and "All On a Summer's Night,"
all of these songs are already available on one of her other FOUR compilation CDs:
("Island Life 2" "Private Life" "20th Century Masters" & "The Universal Masters Collection")

"All On a Summer's Night" is at least notable for being an obscure track from her second album "Fame,"
which has not been available on CD for several years now.

To be fair, this is NOT a bad collection; it's actually an interesting assortment of songs.
It covers all of her various musical styles; it features some of her well-known hits
with some obscure album tracks along with some rare remixes and B-sides.
My complaint is that there's really nothing new here. It's just more of the same.

If they're going to give us a FIFTH compilation, can't they pick a collection of songs that AREN'T on any of the others?
I would love to see Island come out with a special compilation of songs from her first three "Disco" albums,
("Portfolio" "Fame" & "Muse") or maybe a special collection of rare remixes.
Or why not a "best-of" compilation from her two non-Island albums, "Inside Story" and "Bulletproof Heart"?

I would recommend getting "Private Life" and "Island Life-2", the latter CD having the distinction
of including her rare, 1992 techno track "Sex Drive."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars An Incomplete Collection, February 22, 2005

By 

Truth "Truth24-7" (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collection (Audio CD)

There has yet to be a career-spanning collection of Grace Jones's music. If there was, I think the track listing would appear as follows:

Grace Jones: The Ideal Collection
01. La Vie En Rose
02. I Need a Man
03. Do or Die
04. Private Life
05. Love is the Drug
06. Breakdown
07. She's Lost Control
08. Pars
09. Nightclubbing
10. Pull Up to the Bumper
11. Use Me
12. Walking in the Rain
13. Demolition Man
14. Living My Life
15. Nipple to the Bottle
16. My Jamaican Guy
17. I've Seen That Face Before
18. Feel Up
19. Slave to the Rhythm
20. I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You)

So with that in mind, this CD is a bit lacking. Blame it on record company licensing issues, but it often seems to be oversight (or incompetence) that so many good songs and big hits are missing. And the inclusion of remixes, b-sides, and live recordings is always a nice edition; but, a little Grace Jones is better than none at all. Still, not including "Pull Up to the Bumper" or "My Jamaican Guy" is just stupid. With that in mind, it would be better (and more economical) to either save money and buy the less-expensive "20th Century Masters Collection" or splurge a little and get "Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Art rock, torch song and disco diva, December 15, 2004

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Collection (Audio CD)

This is mostly a collection of Grace Jones' avant-garde explorations of the 1980s. The two exceptions are her magnificent version of Edith Piaf's La Vie En Rose and the anthemic I Need A Man from the Portfolio album, a disco classic.

Her version of The Normal's Warm Leatherette is still ominous and impressive, whilst her cover of The Pretenders Private Life is interesting. Feel Up is a buoyant exploration of jungle rhythms and soulful vocals, whilst The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game is a lovely ballad.

Her famous torch songs are represented by the timeless Walking In The Rain and I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango), two of her most memorable performances. Other tuneful and rhythmically exciting numbers include Nipple To The Bottle and Everybody Hold Still.

Many of these tracks are the long album versions of the songs and the album includes a demo of Ring Of Fire, which makes it an essential purchase for the devoted fan.

The album is of course not comprehensive and the most glaring omissions are the brilliant My Jamaican Guy and the evocative The Apple Stretching. Still, the collection is a worthwhile showcase of the contribution of this innovative and unique vocalist who transformed herself from disco star into art-rocker and torch singer.