Customer Reviews

The Essential Kenny Loggins

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This set is a MUST over the only previously available best of package, titled "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" as it digs way deeper into his catalogue for many essential hits previously ignored and it is beautifully remastered to boot. I also appreciate how several key songs are played in their full original versions, instead of "single" versions that are tainting many greatest hits collections. Think of hearing "Convinction of the Heart" without it's full beggining.

Although I have been a fan for so many years, I had forgotten what a hitmaker Kenny Loggins was and hopefully the well is not dry. The man possesses such a beautiful voice and his lyrics are heartfelt, which is rare today. I know that many music critics dismiss many "soft rock" (not my categorization) artists, but this collection proves to me that the songs are great and not just because they remind me of great times, but because they really combine great songwriting, a soothing voice, and a melodic powerhouse that will not be ignored.

I don't give this release a full 5 stars ("only" 4+) because it omitted "Love Will Flow", which is an essential song, and the 2nd CD could have used some finetuning as some of his recent songs are not as strong as other material. My suggestion is to buy this great collection and make your own private 1 CD copy as I did. It was hard to try fit all MY essentials in only one CD, but I reluctantly left out "Danger Zone" to make my songs fit as I'll get my "Top Gun" era Kenny pleasure from the remastered soundtrack, which also includes "Dancing With The Boys". In a nutshell, I'd rather buy a collection such is this and trim it rather than buy a product that excludes important songs. Kenny is awesome, and if you need a reminder just listen to "Heart to Heart" and it will start coming back!!!! I am so happy to have rediscovered Kenny through this release

Kenny Loggins has had a career that easily warrants this 2 CD set, while other artists with only one or two releases under their best are actually daring to put out greatest hits collections.

That's what those unfamiliar with Mr. Loggins will say over and over again when listening to this album. My wife said it four times on the first disc alone.
His Loggins & Messina cuts, coupled with his early solo work, have a classic 70's sound, and I mean that in a good way. It's a defining sound. You'll be surprised at the number of standards he's now responsible for.
His late 70's/early 80's songs also perfectly capture THAT era, with a smooth, catchy pop-rock sound hallmarked by "This Is It" and "Heart to Heart". I mean, he even does a duet with Journey's Steve Perry!
His 80's soundtrack work has those synth drums, keyboard fills and bouncy guitars that SCREAMS "oh-so-80's", and the movies "Footloose", "Top Gun", and "Caddyshack" (among others) had Mr.Loggins prominently featured during their key moments.
His more recent work is less distinctive, but no less enjoyable.
This is a smartly compiled set, with clearly improved sonics from the previous CD releases.

What was the business of putting this collection together? Did the record company think that there were mistakes with the "Yesterday Today Tommorrow" CD released in 1997 and felt that there needed to be correction? Don't know.

Anyhow, this 2 CD set despite it being a double album, still is missing some glaring highlights and some songs should've been re-arranged. For example "Real Thing" should've been put just before "Conviction Of The Heart" and where is "Love Will Follow"? That is one of Loggins best songs of his entire career and

Brushing all of that aside, I can definately say that this is a much more consistant hits retrospective of Loggins 20+ year career of music and none of his albums are cut out of the picture, not even the overlooked masterpiece "The Unimaginable Life" with the spectacular title track although more songs off that 1997 gem could've been put on here. But hey, there isn't such a thing as a true "best of" as what goes onto alot of these kinds of collections aren't as strong or suited to fans taste as some of the songs on the parent albums and not on the 'best of' CDs and that includes this one.

This is a marvelous set, but I just feel that it wasn't a HUGE necessity of being assembled so soon after the previous hit CD a few years ago. If you want the 'best of' Kenny Loggins, get the parent album with the songs you like but for casual fans or those who want to hear Loggins music for the first time, this 2 CD album is a good buy for those. For veteran fans or those who already have his albums, there's little point in getting this CD. I would instead recommend the 80s dance album "Vox Humana", Loggins crowning achievement "Leap Of Faith", or Loggins other masterpiece "The Unimaginable Life", the latter two are astounding and are must-haves.

OK, I guess if this collection had included "Love Will Follow" from VOX HUMANA, then I could say it truly is perfect. (Side note: I highly recommend seeking out his hard-to-find LOVE SONGS collection since it does include that track and is a great CD overall.)

That being said, this is the most complete Kenny Loggins collection out there. It's a thorough career retrospective starting with his Loggins & Messina days and going all the way up to his last pop album. It's in chronological order with just a few variations that don't take away from the flow. And ALL of his well-known songs are here, even ones that were radio favorites and may not have been released as singles. I know, I know: Ultimately somebody will say, "But I can't believe they didn't put ______ on there!" Well, heck, we all have personal preferences when it comes to greatest-hits and best-of collections, but I think whoever compiled this one did an OUTSTANDING job. And they even included both the original version of "Pooh Corner" along with the updated version featuring Amy Grant. Very wise choice!

The sound quality on all the tunes is great. I haven't had the chance to check out the liner notes yet (I miss the days when I actually took the time to READ them!), but I seriously doubt that they would affect my rating.

If you're looking for THE definitive Kenny Loggins collection, here it is! Grab it while you can.

I was looking at the song line up and I was impressed. Kenny Loggins has been blessed with a distinctive voice and sound. He does not sound like other singers as well as Steve Perry,Luther Vandross,Micheal McDonald and The Late Marvin Gaye,Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. You know who they are without guessing.I bought the "Yesterday,Today and Tomorrow" cd like a lot of people.Don't get me wrong it is a great way to start. Most late comers usually buy the greatest hits collections of artists. Hey it's ok we all can't be fans from the on set. After purchasing that cd I found myself on a frantic search to find his back catalog of music inclusive of the "Loggins and Messina" period. The record company should have put this out from the onset.(Hello)

So start at these songs:Your mama don't dance,Danny's Song**,A Love Song,Whenever I call you friend,This is it*,I'm alright**,Heart to Heart**,Footloose*,Danger Zone,The Real Thing* and For the First Time***. and Return to Pooh Corner. What was missing is "Love" off the Return to Pooh Corner.Kenny is brillant he took a classic John Lennon song and made it his own.Johnson and Johnson used it for a baby ad. This 2 cd set is worth the money.YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED

I have always felt that Kenny Loggins was somewhat underrated. I mean his music is heard quite often on the radio, but he's rarely ever mentioned as one the greatest singer/songwriters. I mean, who else could have givesn such masterpeices as "House At Pooh Corner" and "Vahevala"?

"The Essential Kenny Loggins" is probably the best in Sony's "The Essential (insert artist's name her)" series (along with Heart's) in terms of remastering, liner notes and comprehension. Two discs spanning over 20 years of classic music. What more can you ask for?

Disc One contains material from 1972 to 1984. Except for a few tracks, everything is in chronological order. The first seven tracks alone are Loggins and Messina tracks, including certified classics "Your Mama Don't Dance" and "House At Pooh Corner". Tracke eight, "Celebrate Me Home", kicks off Kenny's amazing run of solo hits, highlighted by such megahits as the Stevie Nicks duet "Whenever I Call You "Friend"", "This Is It", the Caddyshack theme "I'm Alright", "Heart To Heart" and the Steve Perry collaboration "Don't Fight It".

Disc Two kicks off with, as most would expect, "Footloose". This is one of the best songs from the 1980s', and easily Kenny's most recognizable track. Next comes two tracks from 1985's "Vox Humana", highlighted by "Forever" and "No Lookin' Back". After the megahit from "Top Gun", "Danger Zone", comes the album's rather odd title track, which I like for its weird sound. "Meet Me Half Way" was the huge hit from the Sylvester Stallone arm wrestling flop "Over The Top"; the song is perhaps the only redeeming quality of that film. The awesome "Nobody's Fool" from "Caddyshack II" is the probably the hardest rocking track on the album, as well as his last top forty hit. The rest of the album is littered with brilliant MOR Soft Rock album staples such as the epic "Leap Of Faith" and the luscius sequel "Return To Pooh Corner".

Overall, necessary for any Kenny Loggins fan. I recommend it.

I've been a Kenny Loggins fan since the 1970's and could always count on him to come through with a song to define a feeling or articulate a thought or just give a memory a musical track. For the casual listener, I suppose the often-mentioned 1997 "Today, Tomorrow, and Forever" CD would be a great choice but--for Kenny's fans--"The Essential Kenny Loggins" is a must-have. I already had all the songs on all the various albums and I still got it.

Also, if you ever have the chance to catch Kenny live, DO IT. I saw him last summer (2002) and I was completely blown away by his energy and his voice. I see on his website that he's extensively touring this year as well (I already have my tickets for this summer)--you will not be disappointed!

Kenny Loggins's influence on music is subtle--but it's there. Three decades' worth of effort has proven his talent, as a singer, as a songwriter, and as a musician.

His early work with Jim Messina stands out as some of his more interesting matter, but it is Loggins's solo career that gets the most attention here (of course; it is, after all, THE ESSENTIAL KENNY LOGGINS).

Upbeat rhythms highlight tracks such as "I Believe In Love," "Wait a Little While," and others. Sometimes it's cloying; but then, the same can be said for Loggins's ballads, especially "Forever" and "For the First Time." It is when Loggins blends the upbeat with the serious, and then puts his heart and soul into the vocals, that this collection shows its true spirit: a singer/songwriter who has an almost unparalleled talent.

THE ESSENTIAL KENNY LOGGINS spans thirty years, but it all flows together easily. This is a collection for music fans of all genres; whether you like rock, folk, country, pop, R&B, or what-have-you, this collection will stand out as one of true, genuine music by a real, bonafide artist. There aren't many like Kenny Loggins, which makes his music that much more enjoyable.

Kenny Loggins has been many things in his long career (has it really been 30 years?). Earnest song-writer, proto-folkrocker with Jim Messina, middle-of-the-road hitmaker as a solo artist, and 80's movie soundtrack go-to guy. It fills up the two CD's on this set and still manages to run out of room. Which makes this "Essential" collection the best buy for an instant Kenny Loggins library.

One of the things that really pulls this CD past the single disc Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow is the inclusion of some Loggins and Messina hits. (Where is their comprehensive best of?) The tender originals of "Danny's Song" and "Love Song" eventually became pop smashes for Anne Murray, and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band made a career high out of "House at Pooh Corner." Once Kenny and Jim split off for solo careers, Loggins took flight. When Stevie Nicks joined him for "Whenever I Call You Friend" (from Nightwatch), he had his first major hit.

Loggins epitomized the perfect middle of the road sounds of the period, like his friend and occasional co-writer, Michael McDonald. Keep the Fire boasted the perfect collaboration between the two men on "This Is It." Then came that first stroke of cinematic magic, when the theme to a Bill Murray vehicle roared into the top ten. "I'm Alright" was a jaunty shout-along that made Kenny not just a middle of the road icon, but a pop star. It was reflected in the harder rock stance of High Adventure, down the the faux Indiana Jones cover and Steve Perry from Journey guesting on "Don't Fight It." Even with the tougher image, the romantic "Heart to Heart" showed that Kenny did not stray too far from his roots.

Then came more soundtrack gigs. Number ones from Footloose and top tens from "Over The Top" and "Top Gun" kept Kenny on the charts, even if they just scream 80's MTV these days. It also seemed like Kenny's albums were getting rudderless; the title track to Vox Humana is little more than a lame re-write of "Footloose" and "I'm Alright," but "Forever" is a lost romantic hit. When he got back to making solo albums apart from Hollywood, they became more MOR (think James Taylor or Dan Fogelberg) and more introspective. Both Back to Avalon and Leap of Faith are more in tune with his Loggins and Messina work than before (despite a pair of soundtrack blasters on "Avalon"). Then Kenny made a wild left turn, making the delightful Return to Pooh Corner. it could easily be one of his best albums, and it was recorded as a children's lullaby disc. Subtle and moving, with Kenny covering Paul Simon, Rikki Lee Jones and revisiting his own "House at Pooh Corner," it strips away all the 80's bombast and has the feel of a homegrown record.

The last song here is a reminder of the creative synergy that Kenny shares with Michael McDonald. They duet live on "What A Fool Believes" (from Outside: From the Redwoods), again proving that when it comes to that perfect, immaculate sound that permeated the mid-seventies, few did it better. This is a close to a five star collection. About the only thing that could improve it would be a third disc and make the thing into a box-set. Which, come to think of it, isn't such a bad idea.

PS - it's time to remaster Loggins' catolog; from Loggins & Messina up.

This is a near-perfect two-and-a-half hour collection of one of the pop world's great singer-songwriters. You get seven tracks from his Seventies partnership with Jim Messina. [The only quarrel here is the exclusion of "Thinking of You" and the inclusion of the 2:26 single version of "Angry Eyes," instead of the 7:40 album version.] From there you get all fourteen of Loggin's Top 40 solo hits, sampling all ten of his solo albums (excluding his holiday album)along the way. While there is nothing from his 1980 live album, you do get a terrific live version of "What a Fool Believes" with it co-writer Michael McDonald from the 1993 live album OUTSIDE: FROM THE REDWOODS. Loggins had some of the biggest hits of his career in the Eighties, especially with soundtrack songs like "I'm Alright," "Footloose" and "Danger Zone." If you're looking for a solid overview of a stellar career, this is it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED