The Very Best of Macy Gray

Macy Gray

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 7, 2004)
• Original Release Date: September 7, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0002VEXRS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #21,198 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
2008 release, an excellent compilation from the R&B star. The Very Best Of... gathers her finest moments including the smooth 'Sweet Baby' and the hip-hop flecked 'It Ain't the Money', along with two new songs, most notably an exceptional revision of Aerosmith's 'Walk This Way', and three inventive remixes, including a deft Gang Starr take on 'I've Committed Murder' PLUS the added bonus holiday track "Winter Wonderland". Sony/BMG. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST!, December 10, 2004

By	NFL "NFL" (ON CA) - See all my reviews

The only thing that keeps "The Very Best of Macy Gray" from being PERFECT is the exclusion of her latest (and one of her biggest) hit "Oh Yeah"! I love,love,love that song..."Just throw your head back, say Oh Yeah!". OH YEAH! Other than that unfortunate exclusion, this CD contains all the hits from "I Try" to "Sweet Baby" and beyond. Another CD that I have been recommending all over is AMBER - My Kind of World. Although stylistically very different from Macy Gray (actually she's closer to Seal and Paula Cole, even Tori Amos), Amber, like Macy, is an Original. Her Alt Rock infused Electronica first Single "You Move Me" hit #1 Stateside on XM Radio. The followup "Voodoo" is currently being remixed for an early 2005 release. And then there's the Pat Benatar-esque "Just Like That" and the Power Ballad "Sacrificial Lamb". This CD is as critically acclaimed as Macy Gray's "On How Life Is" debut CD. Billboard Magazine said in it's glowing review that AMBER deserves a place in the mainstream. If you are a fan of great Singer/Songwriters and appreciate an "Original" voice with something new and fresh to offer, my advice is to buy BOTH Macy Gray - The Very Best of AND AMBER - My Kind of World.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cd, December 24, 2005

By	Little Miss Cutey (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Very Best of Macy Gray (Audio CD)

I really like Macy Gray. She has such a unique voice and sound but for some reason, she isn't quite the huge sensation she should be. I Try was obviously the biggest hit of hers to date, but that's a shame because listen to this cd and you'll hear so many other great songs. Other than I Try, my favourite is Love Is Gonna Get You. It's so boppy and contagious but then again, the whole cd is. Go and by this to hear a fantastic singer that hasn't had the success she deserves.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Collection for Fans, January 18, 2006

By	Debbie Lee Wesselmann (the Lehigh Valley, PA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Macy Gray's cartoon sexy voice has both its detractors and its fans. I happen to be one of those fans, as her vocals cannot be mistaken for anyone else even though at times she sounds like one of the blues queens of the jazz age. The biggest drawback of this CD is that Gray does not have the body of work yet to put together a first-rate "best of" album, let alone a "very best" one.

"When I See You" is one of my favorite songs because of the perfect balance between Gray's voice and the instruments. "Boo" showcases Gray's unusual voice more because of its low-profile instrumentals and plaintive lyrics. "Love is Gonna Get You" is perhaps Gray's best known song, although her voice sounds even more funky here than on the other tracks. The two versions of "Sexual Revolution" are worth duplicating, as the first starts out slow then builds into an exuberant, catchy, upbeat track while the radio version starts right with the chorus. Why Gray included the two "versions" of "I've Committed Murder" is less clear as Mos Def's rap makes the song completely unrecognizable; neither of the two is memorable enough to be included.

This CD is a good introduction to Macy Gray, and fans of her music will appreciate the compilation even if it is uneven. Those who dislike her distinctive sound are not likely to be won over even by a "best of" album. -- Debbie Lee Wesselmann