Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

What more can you say about a legend the caliber of Michael McDonald in the music business? He can sing his head off! Michael McDonald did things that people aren't doing today in the music industry-- crossing over. In the 1970s Mc Donald was one of the frontmen for the "blue-eyed soul movement" and he did it very well. He is both adult contemporary while also being soulful and exciting to listen to. His voice is both coarse and smooth at the same time. He is definitely, in my eyes, still one singer to beat, even in his early 50s. He is keeping soul music alive where others choose to let it go, and that is definitely respectable.

As for his ultimate hits, it is an excellent compilation combining the highlights of his career including "What A Fool Believes" with the Doobie Brothers, "Takin' It To The Streets", "On My Own", his sensational duet with Patti La Belle", and even a modern hit from his MOTOWN album "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". That is just a partial list of the wonderful hits included on this master singer's ULTIMATE COLLECTION. You can't go wrong with a veteran, especially on a strong compilation disc as this one.

There are no original tracks on this album. But because Michael McDonald is one of the world's greatest musicians/songwriters,I give this album five stars. The ex-Doobie Brother and pre-DB's background vocalist for Steely Dan gives us his very best on this collection. The Doobie Brothers recordings contained herein are from 1976's TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS,the title track and IT KEEPS YOU RUNNIN'. From the Grammy-winning MINUTE BY MINUTE,released in 1978 is WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES,co-written by McDonald's friend Kenny Loggins. WAFB itself won a Grammy also in early 1979. From 1980's ONE STEP CLOSER is REAL LOVE. From McDonald's '82 solo debut IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES is I KEEP FORGETTIN'(EVERYTIME YOU'RE NEAR) and I GOTTA TRY. In 1983,McDonald collaborated with James Ingram on YAH MO B THERE,produced by Quincy Jones. That song is from an album of Ingram's. From McDonald's second solo album NO LOOKING BACK,released in 1985,is the title track. SWEET FREEDOM is from the 1986 MGM/UA film RUNNING SCARED and the soundtrack album. The film's stars Billy Crystal and the late Gregory Hines join McDonald in the music video. TAKE IT TO HEART is from the 1990 album of the same title. The lone track from 2003's MOTOWN,also a Grammy-winner,is AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH made famous originally by the late great Marvin Gaye. The other songs are excellent! This collection could have used REACH OUT I'LL BE THERE from 2004's MOTOWN TWO,MINUTE BY MINUTE and DEPENDIN' ON YOU from MBM,ONE STEP CLOSER from the album of the same title and PLAYIN' BY THE RULES from ITWIT. Also on this collection is ON MY OWN,a duet with Patti LaBelle,from LaBelle's 1986 MCA album,WINNER IN YOU. Fans of McDonald are also fans of Daryl Hall & John Oates,The Righteous Brothers,the late Robert Palmer,Ingram,Ambrosia and of course,the Doobie Brothers.

As I've said about other compliations, we all have to realize that you can only get just so much music on one CD. And, with an artist as prolific and as significant as Michael McDonald, that means a lot of great music is going to be excluded from a single disc.

Still, this is a good, useful overview for the casual fan...for the person who is perhaps just discovering McDonald with his Motown CDs or who hasn't heard anything from him since his days with the Doobie Brothers. This disc collects a diverse group of tracks from various eras, and all of them are excellent. I would have liked to have seen "One Step Closer" or his duet with Patti LaBelle, "Ever Changing Times" included, but, given the time/space limitations, I think the producers did a good job of choosing tracks.

There's a lot to like here: "Yah Mo Be There" with James Ingram is always inspiring; "I Keep Forgettin" is a moody, bluesy masterpiece; "Sweet Freedom" is a great dance tune with one of Michael's best vocals; and, of course, his work with the Doobies shines brightly. (Michael's stint with the Doobie Brothers includes the terribly underrated but masterfully performed LIVIN' ON THE FAULT LINE album, in addition to TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS, MINUTE BY MINUTE, and ONE STEP CLOSER.)

One day, it would be great to have a box set that included all of these tunes, plus more of Michael's work with others like Kenny Loggins, Cristopher Cross, and even Steely Dan. Until then, be happy with this "nearly ultimate" collection.

This 2005 "Ultimate Collection" is true to it's word in the fact that it compiles two worlds onto one great CD: One is Michael McDonald's solo material and other other his former band that he was lead singer of The Doobie brothers in the 1970s. This isn't a replacement of McDonald's solo 'best of' CD "The Very Best of" from a few years before. Many of the most well-known songs from McDonald and crew appear on here including a track from his most recent release "Motown Two" and a bizarre remix of "Open The Door" from his "Blue Obsession" CD. At 77 minutes, this is a very good investment in introducing someone to his music.

I agree with the other reviews quibbling that this is not an "ultimate" CD: Michael has too many other outstanding songs that need to be included before it could be called an "ultimate."

But it is the first collection, that I know of, that includes his Doobie Bros hits with his great solo and collaborative hits. This CD will make for wonderful gifts to friends I want to expose to Michael's broad career.

An "ultimate" edition would probably be at least three discs long! The tunes ad up when you think about how many songs he's sung with everyone from Christopher Cross to Ambrosia to Steely Dan to DC Talk! And there should be a DVD clip included of the hilarious Second City TV sketch from the Eighties with Rick Moranis as Michael rushing from one studio to another to sing back-up on everyone's songs.

I have all of Michael's CDs and DVDs already, and I still bought this one since it puts a lot of his hits together on one disc.

The feeling of true blue-eyed soul hasn't really been showcased that well within the past few years. It arguably seems more like people would definitely rather hear actas that seem to be more about being sexy on the outside like Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Lopez. Still, the past has brought some great artists who have delivered the essence of classic soul like Michael McDonald. Since his sucess as a joining member of The Doobie Brothers, he brought out a unique and driven appeal that isn't as credited today, but still remains a absolutely flawless guilty pleasure, and that is widely shown on this collection.

Michael McDonald: The Ultimate Collection, is a 2005 retrospective of the lone Doobie Brothers members' flight from simple keyboardist, to a pop pleasure. The collection shows Michael's work graciously well, and smartly also portraits his Doobie Brothers era as well, something widely overlooked from his 2001 greatest hits. The songs here have all been restored well, and continue to bring out a lot of appeal for Rock N' Soul on tracks like Takin' It To The Streets, the #1 track On My Own with Patti LaBelle, You Belong To Me, I Keep Forgettin', and the Grammy-winning 1979 Song Of The Year, the great track What A Fool Believes. Sadly, there is just one downside, the record doesn't highlight Michael's Motown records Motown & Motown Two at all. Although Ain't No Mountain High Enough is displayed here, tracks like his cover of Marvin Gaye's I've Heard It Through The Grapevine, and Reach Out I'll Be There were sadly overshadowed.

Despite one unfortunate flaw, Michael McDonald's Ultimate Collection is a great addition into anyone's music library for die hard Doobie Brother fans, or for anyone who loves those great 80's classics. I love these songs a whole lot, and I definitely recommend this collection that still is tasty as sweet freedom.

Album Cover: A-

Songs: B 1/2+

Price: A-

Remastering: A

Overall: B+

Released to capitalize on the surprise success of Michael McDonald's Motown tribute, Rhino beefed up the barely four year old Very Best of Michael McDonald with one track from that covers album and some of his best Doobie Brothers songs. It makes for a much better overview of McDonald, who became a huge singles artist in the 80's even when his albums didn't seen to get much notice.

From the moment he stepped to the front of the Doobie Brothers, McDonald captured everyone's ears. His urban leanings moved the Doobies away from their greasy biker rock and into "Taking it to the Streets." Soon he was making Grammy worthy hits like "What a Fool Believes" and then to the ultimate solo career. But "I Keep Forgetting" was an incredible song from a great album (If That's What It Takes) that appeared just as 80's New Wave became dominant. It meant that McDonald's brand of easy listening soul took a back-seat to the likes of Culture Club and The Cars.

So while albums like No Lookin' Back didn't get the huge success songs like "Lost In The Parade" were worthy of, McDonald joined his friend Kenny Loggins as a go-to guy for soundtrack songs, like "Sweet Freedom." His one-off singles with James Ingram ("Yah Mo Be There") and Patti LaBelle ("On My Own," which hit number one) did keep him in the public eye, even as his albums charted lower and lower. It means that songs here like "Blink of an Eye" or "Open The Door" went mostly unheard till now. (In all honesty, the popular singles are the most interesting songs.)

Regardless of the chart status of the any of the songs here, it is still McDonald's voice that captivates. His forays into blue-eyed soul gave both his band (The Doobies, Steely Dan or solo) gravitas, or hits for others (Carly Simon with "You Belong to Me"). While his style of singing may have fallen from style for a time (the Motown CD's were his first top 40 albums in almost 20 years), his resonant soulful baritone voice never did.

Not sure why anyone would give this compilation less than 5 stars. If you're looking for a greatest hits package from Michael McDonald, everything you are looking for is on this package. Not only does it feature his career with and without the Doobie Brothers, it also shows the incredible versatility of his range and styles. Some may nit-pick that this doesn't dig deep enough into his career, but the truth is, it's a greatest hits package, and it hits that mark absolutely perfectly. If it showed up in the top 20 of Billboard with McDonald singing on it, it's in this cd set. Greatest hits packages are meant to lead us to an artist. It's up to you to decide whether you want to dig deeper into his catalogue. If you have the money, do so, by all means. You won't be disappointed. If you don't have the money, or just want the songs you remember from the radio, you'll find it all here.

I've been a fan of Michael McDonald and the Doobie Brothers for years, but have resisted buying CDs because I really only *love* 2 or 3 songs off each album. I'd just about resigned myself to buying the MP3s and burning my own disk when I stumbled across this album. This collection is really the best of the best, including McDonald's earliest songs with the Doobies (all the ones you wanted!) all the way up to his latest solo releases. I even discovered a few new favorites from his solo years. Album notes are great, with stories from McDonald about how he came to write each song, and what collaborations with Patti LaBelle, James Ingram, and Carly Simon were like. If you're only going to own one album, this is the one.

Michael McDonald is, and always has been great to listen to. Driving in your car, out for the evening, or with someone you love, he's my choice.