Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You have to respect the genius of a group that can, without having to resort to using thunderous guitars (Megadeth, Pantera) or earth quaking bass (almost all modern R&B groups) can still somehow grab your very soul and take it for an emotional ride not letting go until the very last harmonic crescendo. "Air Supply: The Definitive Collection" sets out with a very defined mission. To allow the listener to experience the deepest levels of romantic musical expression in the most profound ways possible. And man does it ever deliver (Remember almost ninety percent of Air Supply's songs include "love" in the title)! This is simply the best single-CD compilation of the band's hits. The sound quality surpasses all previous collections, and the versions included are digitally remastered from the original and are full length (an earlier Greatest Hits collection shaved off a few seconds here and there).

The Definitive Collection was released August 26, 1999 with all the hits, plus the original version of Lost in Love and other songs that became classics (although not all were actually singles). The package has new artwork and notes from Graham and Russell about every song. All their biggest hits of the 80's on one album--you can't go wrong. Russell Hitchcock and his nearly 4 octave range voice are showcased beautifully on these songs. His ability to hold a note for the record books is evident in "All Out of Love" whose last note is the longest held note by a singer in music history. Then there are the great harmonies along with Graham Russell. They've continued to give us so much good music in the years since but it's always nice to go back and hear where it all began for them in the USA. These songs are HUGE hits and every one is a classic.

As an Air Supply fan from the beginning, I have been looking for years for a "definitive" hits collection that includes every song of there's to crack the Billboard Hot 100. I used to own their "Greatest Hits" which was issued in 1988, but it left off key tracks including: "Young Love", "Two Less Lonely People in the World", "Just as I Am", "The Power of Love (You are my Lady)", and "Lonely is the Night". Then this collection came along which did include "Young Love", "Two Less...", and "Just as I Am". In a sense I guess it is definitive in that it includes all of the songs to make the Top 40. However, it leaves off the singles that did not make the Top 40: "The Power of Love" which peaked at #68 and "Lonely is the Night" which peaked at #76. Since this release, they have put out another hits compilation called "Ultimate Air Supply" which is still not a complete collection because it still leaves off "Lonely is the Night". If you are looking for a true, definitive collection, the only on Amazon is an import that sells for $24.49, which seems a bit steep. I am gonna stick with this one that has all of the Top 40 hits, and try to download those other 2 songs. If you are looking for just the Top 40 hits, this collection will suffice.

Have you ever noticed how many of Air Supply's songs and album titles have the word "LOVE" in them? (Gee, I'm starting to sound like Andy Rooney!) This collection is for hopeless romatics, like me!

It seems like one day, out of the blue, it suddenly wasn't cool to like the music of AIR SUPPLY any more. What happened? This stuff is timeless,and not at all trendy- and bless their hearts for that! A lot of their songs have already become classics.

Russell Hitchcock possesses one of the strongest voices in music today- he can really belt them out- and that's what gives this music it's heart and soul.

Graham Russell, the songwriting half of the duo, has a knack for writing beautiful love songs that age well and are not cloying or corny. They are poetry set to music.

So, if it's alright, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy their music, even if it's not COOL anymore. I'm sure that someday the cycle will go full circle and everybody, all at once, will like them again.(Pop fans can be so fickle! SHEEP!)

This is a beautiful collection. I recomend it.

I normally go into great depth on a song-by-song basis for each CD I review, since typically I am so into the albums that many, most or even all the tracks deserve their own critique. However, Air Supply consistently creates such wonderfully pretty songs, it's easier to pick the clunkers than those that fit the mold (and I'm not picking those either because you may like what I think is a clunker). Did I say pretty? Yep, sure did. This music is pretty. It's meant for mellow occasions, great for kissing the significant other, or perhaps even more. Slow dancing is another great activity for this music.

Many artists are great at making noise. There are lots of headbangers out there. But one day you may realize there are other kinds of music in the world, and ballads are beautiful. This album joins those by Elton John (Love Songs) and Madonna (Something to Remember), among others, that are perfect for particular occasions requiring this kind of music. Put in all three of these CDs for about three hours of mellow, romantic music.

There are a number of cuts by Air Supply on this that are just plain awesome, if you like this kind of music. "Lost in Love" always makes me feel good; the perfect lover's song. An added attraction on this CD is the much longer Australian version of this song, which is more than a minute and a half longer than the US version. "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" just begs for a high sound level. "All Out of Love", "Every Woman in the World", and more and more...the list would go on to include so many on this CD.

I'm not enthralled with every cut on this CD, I think there are a few that could have been skipped and replaced with other, better selections. Unfortunately they didn't ask me to create the CD, nor any of the other Air Supply fans that I'm sure have their own personal favorites.

Ignore the small complaint. This collection is very representative of Air Supply. Syrupy? Yes. 80s? Mostly. Good? Absolutely!

I remember, when I was about twelve, purchasing Air Supply's first "Greatest Hits" collection, only to be bitterly disappointed that one of my favorite tracks, "Two Less Lonely People In The World" was not to be found on the record. I have never forgotten, that, and as soon as I found out about the release of this new collection, I traded in my "Greatest Hits" CD and purchased this one. So I finally get the track I missed, but once again, some of their best work from one of the albums covered by this compliation is missing. Instead of the mediocre album tracks "Taking The Chance", and "Come What May" (did we really need 6 tracks from "Now and Forever"?), I would much rather have had the standouts "I Can't Let Go" and "Never Fade Away" from their fifth self-titled album. I am convinced if these two Graham compositions had been the first two singles from that album, instead of the lesser, written by others "Power of Love" and "Just As I Am", that this album would have been much more successful, and still be in print. This mistake is repeated again in this complilation. Oh well. Mark Jensen

This "definitive" collection is a MUCH better album than their original hits album back in the 1980s. There are TWICE as many songs, the sound quality is great, and the liner notes are exceptional. This collection is for both the fans and casual.

I had heard a lot of these songs on the radio on the stations that play a mixture of music from the 80's, 90's and now, especially when they play love songs but I never caught the name of the group, when I finally discovered their name was Air Supply and I saw this CD in a store I was really happy and bought it, it is one of my favorite CD's, my favorite songs are Lost In Love, I like both versions but my favorite is the original Australian version, I also like All Out Of Love, Every Woman In The World, The One That You Love, Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You), Even The Nights Are Better, and Making Love Out Of Nothing At All. This CD is awesome and I always feel so happy, peaceful and relaxed when I listen to it and I just really have to recommend it to anyone who likes love songs!

Simply the best single-CD compilation of the band's hits. The sound quality surapsses all previous collections, and full versions of all the tracks appear (an earlier Greatest Hits collection shaved off a few seconds here and there).

THis would have been 3 EXCELLENT review except they forgot to include "Goodbye" which is one of my favorite songs of all time so i bought it separately..other than that..its A Wonderful collection...

For the Air Supply fan, this is one of their best compilations (Ultimate Air Supply is the other). Between 1980 and 1985, Air Supply charted 11 hits on the Billboard Top 40, and all are included in this set. Seven other fan favorites are here as well, including "Chances" which in my opinion should have been released as a single because of its lovely melody and passionate lyrics! Also included is the original Australian Version of "Lost in Love", which in itself is a great listen. 18 great songs in all....definitive Air Supply indeed!