Customer Reviews

Pieces of a Dream: Best of

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Foreign to most Americans (although known for her breat cancer triumph), Anastacia is a SUPERSTAR across the pond and into the mountains. Amassing herself a sizable catalog of hits, 2005 is the time for a required collected works to hit distant shores. And the result? Pretty darn good.

Opening with the soaring "I'm Outta Love", the tracks the precede in the order they were released. Most the material off the "Not that Kind" and "Freak Of Nature" is typical girl with big voice material. The outstanding expections are the unreal "One Day In Your Life", "Cowboy's And Kisses", and "You'll Never Stand Alone" (presented here in it's richer, more complex US release reworked mix).

Beginning with "Left Outside Alone" and straight through the closing notes of the album we are given some truly great, amazing, and inspired music. "Anastacia" (the album) finally has Ms. Stacia rockin her true voice. It's a true shame that album has failed to surface domestically. Given the climate of girl rock and heavy lyrics the album could finally give Anastacia some major hits on US charts. And what about these new songs? "In Your Eyes" is a competent rock ballad, but hold on to your seats for the collection's true gem, "Pieces Of A Dream". A deep, rich, and challenging ballad that fits Anastacia's voice and latest sounds perfectly. Almost sounding like a throw away from "Anastacia", this song is no one's sloppy seconds. The one off track? The duet with Eros. He definatley has a market, but this track should have been left off.

Sadly some really amazing tracks were not released as singles; "Overdue Goodbye", "How Come The World Won't Stop", "Time", "Rearview, and the beautiful b-sided "Underground Army" far surpass some of the tunes selected for radio and release. But ulitmately this is a singles release and present the artist's best known tracks.

The "special edition" comes with a bonus remix disc featuring a collection of dance mixes. It's truly genuis idea that is a welcome choice from the ever popular additional DVD that is popping up everywhere. Most of the tracks have had releases elsewhere, but for US fans it's a great chance to get them all in one spot without have to search. Some tunes are repeated and having rarities (b-sides and rare mixes) would have made this disc truly amazing.

The packaging also deserves a nod. The designers really rocked out and made this release memorable. The CD's are house inside the inner sleeves or a little hardcover book (the album cover is still intact and looks breathtaking). The pages of the book feature the photos apparently taken for the since cancelled US release of "Anastacia" and re-shot "Left Outside Alone" video. The full lyrics and credits are included on the high glass, glossy stock paper. The CD's are a bit hard to get out of the sleeve and can become scratched easily if not handled with a little TLC. So be careful with this one!!

The final product is a great one. Anastacia is an amazing singer/songwriter with a great collection of hits to draw from. In the season of "best of/greatest hits" collections this one is stand out above the rest.

Love it! Anastacia's Greatest Hits. This release that I purchased was the import. Please note: The U.S. Domestic release does NOT include the Dance Remix Bonus CD. In my opinion--the best part of this album. Not that I don't love all the rest of Anastacia's tracks...but alas, I already own almost all of the other great songs in this collection---previously released. Most artists do this when releasing a retrospective---with a few new releases as incentive for Die-hard fans to purchase an album containing mostly songs they already have. With that said---If you dig Anastacia, get this import CD set. It comes packaged in a very slick little picture book (hardcover) with 2 CD's fitting neatly inside the front and back covers. Be careful handling the CD's as they tend to be more prone to surface scratches in packaging like this. The Domestic release of "Pieces of a Dream" include a dance mega-mix of Ana's more popular hits. The bonus CD contained in this import version have DJ remixes of "One Day in Your Life", "I'm Outta Love", "Paid My Dues", "Boom", "Sick & Tired" and others (albeit more remix radio edits than I would've liked!). The remix disc has 14 tracks altogether. Some are different versions of the same song---but still really cool! Disc 1 has 17 tracks. "Everything Burns", "You'll Never Be Alone", "Not That Kind" and "Left Outside Alone" being some of my fave tracks. If you only have her "Freak of Nature" album--you'll get quite a few tracks that were only available previously as import releases. My partner & I saw her live here in Palm Springs,CA---she is an amazing talent with an enormous voice, striking beauty and killer style! Being a huge inspiration to both of us, we had to seek out and obtain all of her albums. Do yourself 2 favors: 1-Buy this CD set. 2-Do a search on Google for Anastacia Lyn Newkirk---you'll find out alot about one amazing little lady!!!

I just got this today from UK Amazon (cheaper than on here) and I was stunned that it came in a "book"-like package. The package is amazing and beautiful with the lyrics inside on the pages. The CDs are in sleeves in the front and back of the package.

But what really counts is the tracks and amazing remixes on the remix CD. By the way, the description on here is wrong for the special edition. There is no DVD included in the packaging: just Disc 1 (with all her hits and 4 new songs and a megamix) and the remix disc. There will be a DVD being released of her Live at Last tour in March, so look for that.

All of her singles are here (except for Boom and Love is a Crime, though they are on the remix disc) as well as 4 new songs. The title track and new single, Pieces of a Dream, which is amazing and a pure Anastacia rock ballad. There's also I Belong to You, with Italian singer Eros, another ballad and In Your Eyes (ballad) as well as her contribution to the Fantastic 4 soundtrack with Ben Moody, Everything Burns. The club megamix is a almost-12 minute dance tour de force, including her biggest hits, totally remixed. It is amazing.

The remix disc is really good too, including some rare remixes of her biggest hits as well as to Love is a Crime and Boom. It's an amazing addition to have to this greatest hits set.

It really sucks that she isn't more known in the US. Most of my friends don't know who she is. I hope that whenever she releases her fourth studio album, she works harder to try and break the US. I really hope she can get successful here in the US.

So buy this awesome greatest hits package! You won't regret it.

I first viewed Anastacia about 15 years ago on MTV a talent show if you will. She placed in second which was a joke. Anatacia has the "WHOLE" package!!! I live in Florida and she is Hot here. It is to bad that the rest of the USA does not play or carry her music. She by far is a True Diva! This CD is "outstanding" as well as her others were. This is the best of Anastacia and has new releases that have not been released in the USA. It is a double CD and is simply more than I could have asked for. The first CD is the best of her singles and some new songs, the second is if you will a dance mix of her singles which again I will say is "outstanding" My Compaion and I had the Pleasure of seeing her live and I have yet to see another female artist give what she has in the pop world. When comes to great muics for dance and Love this is it! I only again wish that the USA would treat this Diva as she should be instead of her having to cross seas to become a HOT Female Artist. Anastacia has the Voice, look, body, personality and the presentation to out any female pop artist out today in the USA! I look forward to her next release knowing it will be better than that last as each one is. Oh this comes so wonderfuly packaged with a huge book like carrier. With words to each of her songs and some wonderful pictures of her. If you even think you like Her this is a Must have!

Joey C.
&
Jimmy W.

This is Anastacia at her best all the hits are here plus 4 new tracks this woman can sing her voice ranks up there with the greats like Mariah Carey,Whitney Houston,Cleine Dion and Faith Hill.She's really not that popular here in the United States Which to me is a crying shame but over in Europe she is one of there superstars.I really love her I can realte to alot of her songs it is like she knows what I am feeling my favorite songs of her's are I'm Outta Love,Not That Kind,Paid My Dues,Left Outside Alone.(to tell you the truth I love all her songs).With the special edition you get rare remixes of her songs some of the remixes are full lenght some are radio edits.Anastacia I'm your #1 Fan THANK YOU FOR MUSIC AND YOUR GIFTED VOICE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND GOD BLESS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Anastacia is...the worlds best kept secret! And this mix of greatest hits is the best way to join in on all the RAVE!

First things first, Anastacia got the shaft in the US, period. Why??? Because stupid radio programmers wouldn't add her music to radio playlists here...she is one of a kind, a total original, and radio programmers want dumbed-down, cliche-ridden crap...those people are fearful of the real deal, cuz if Americans ever heard "Left Outside Alone", they would go nuts. Now, what gets me is why the heck Sony BMG wouldn't use OTHER avenues to promote her unique brand of music??? They could have still released "Anastacia" to the American public and used TV or internet promotion???

Sheesh...now Kelly Clarkson is having hits with a sound Anastacia perfected...

Anyhoo, her masterpiece of a 3rd album was not heard by most Americans so it's pointless to release this GORGEOUS hits collection here...too bad really, as it's got the goods. The track order shows Anastacia's evolution as a songwriter, singer and all-around artist, starting in a Chaka Khan/Taylor Dayne hybrid soul/dance/pop vein (with some rock, funk and even country touches thrown in), then evolving organically into more of a hard rocker, like an edgy Tina Turner, whilst still maintaining her strength and trademark otherworldly soulful voice intact...

The track selection is first rate...where's that DVD though??? Mine didn't have one!!!!! The hits are in chronological order, the 5 new songs are worthy and nice, mostly ballads, which are fine in Anastacia's hands...that megamix is pretty cool too. Of the new tracks, I love the new single and title track "Pieces Of A Dream" the most. The second remix disc is good to have as well, but I'd much rather have had a disc (or 2) of odds and ends, like B-sides and rarities (she has TONS)...maybe one will come out or I might have to put one together myself.

I wonder what it will take for Anastacia to really break her own home market...or is it too late??? It sucks but I don't care, I'll just buy imports...I'm only bummed about not getting to see her live at a NYC club/venue...performing these songs.

Oops, almost forgot, the pristine packaging, wow!!!!!!! Stunning layout and photography, mostly in glorious black + white, with full lyrics interspersed throughout...that alone is worth the price of this package, preferably in the deluxe edition than the jewelcased single disc edition...there, you don't get the remixes either, so it pays to get the deluxe one...

Anastacia is perhaps one of the strongest and most soulful voices in pop music today. She is also a huge superstar in most of the world (except for urban music dominated US), and "Pieces of a Dream" only does her justice by offering up an excellent collection of her hit tracks from the last decade, as well as a bonus remix CD with mixes by some of the hottest DJs of our time including Hex Hector, Jason Nevins, Barry Harris/Chris Cox and Norty Cotto. Putting Anastacia's lack of US success aside (purely an outcome of poor marketing), her music is a brilliant combination of dance-pop, hook-laden lyrics, strong beats, R&B, soul and rock music.
Starting with her first big single "I'm Outta Love", Disc 1 takes you on a journey through hot Anastacia trademark track-after-track including "Paid My Dues", "One Day in Your Life", "Left Outside Alone" (brilliant) and "Sick and Tired" (wow). Some of the newer tracks include "Heavy on my Heart" and "Everything Burns" - all of these offer a rock-heavy sound, with Anastacia's deep voice working brilliantly against introspective lyrics and heavy guitar riffs. The Club Megamix that closes this set is a drawn out but deserving tribute to Anastacia's music that has burned through the dance charts year after year.
Disc 2 offers a solid goldmine of dance classics (prepare for spine-shivering dance music) with the Hex mix of "I'm Outta Love" and "One Day in Your Life", the Thunderpuss mix of Chicago's "Love is a Crime", and brilliant mixes of club classics like "Left Outside Alone", "Boom" and "Paid My Dues." But it is the Jason Nevins remixes of "Sick and Tired" that catapult this remix CD into a league of its own, with thumping beats, a haunting chant and fierce vocals, Anastacia really outdoes herself with this single.
The hard cover booklet that this best-of set come in is of value as well, with great images, lyrics and detail on this talented artist.

Anastacia is one of the most successful international artists. Born in Chicago, it is perhaps ironic that she is better known in other parts of the world. Indeed this is an irony; hundreds of thousands of people who encounter Anastacia's music assume she is British, maybe French or perhaps German. The reality is that this phenomenal dance/pop artist is as American as American gets - and it is a great disappointment not to see her recognized as such by her fellow countrymen and women. However, it is true that Anastacia's music initially struck a cord with European audiences: American's would not be familiarized with her until her 2002 Las Vegas Divas Live performance and the subsequent American release of "Freak of Nature", Anastacia's second studio album. Nevertheless, globally - Anastacia is one of the most sought after dance/pop acts. The proof of course are these two CD's filled with all of her greatest hits, remixed and revisited. For anyone still unintroduced to this great lady, this collection of songs, spanning six years of her successful career is especially essential. In addition to the twelve hits on CD 1 (extracted from "Not that Kind", "Freak of Nature", and "Anastacia") are four new songs and a club megamix...An evaluation here follows:
1) I'm Outta Love (10/10) this started her career, great song
2) Not that Kind (8/10) slightly weaker but still a hit
3) Cowboys & Kisses (8/10) very nice song, i love the name.
4) Made for lovin' You (9/10) i love the production...makes you want to dance...
5) Paid My Dues (10/10) one of my favorites, good breakup song
6) One Day In Your Life (10/10) what a hit, absolutely love it
7) Why'd You Lie to Me (10/10) another great dance hit...
8) You'll Never Be Alone (9/10) great ballad, strong vocals
9) Left Outside Alone (10/10) very popular with the clubs
10) Sick and Tired (10/10) the production here is awesome!
11) Welcome to my Truth (10/10) very uplifting/positive track
12) Heavy on my Heart (10/10) the absolute BEST ballad from Anastacia.
13) Everything Burns (10/10) great duet
14) I Belong To You (10/10) half Italian/half English, great, passionate lyrics.
15) Pieces of a Dream (10/10) love it...
16) In Your Eyes (8/10) a slightly weaker ballad
17) Club Megamix (8/10) I wish it could include more hits in a shorter version, this one is like eleven minutes long..(needs editing)

The CD is great. Every song has its own personality and that makes the entire CD very diverse. I especially love the mixes on the second disc.