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This is a really great selection of songs and even though most appear all too frequently on numerous compilations celebrating this period, the album would still normally rate five stars. However, I am surprised that none of the previous reviewers point out that not all the recordings are the originals as stated but inferior re-recordings that lack the nostalgia of the originals, e.g. Only Sixteeen by Craig Douglas, Wonderful Land by the Shadows and Pat Boone's Love Letters In The Sand. This really lets it down and there really can be no excuse for this from a label of the pedigree.

This CD has a conservative song selection and a conservative style, which some people may not like. However, the across the board musicianship of this group is superb!! The pitch and harmonies are vastly superior to Il Divo for example, but you have to be able to 'hear' perfect pitch and harmonies and really care about quality, to know the difference.--:)---We don't have classically trained musicians like this in the USA, putting out albums like this anymore, so you don't know how spoiled you are!!-----Blake takes its time in developing its songs and harmonies, and does not AT ALL cater to what will sell!!---They are musicians first and foremost, and if you cannot handle a group's conservative choice to be fantastic singers FIRST before what will appeal to the masses, then don't put them down!!--There are plenty of those good looking expensively 'promoted' groups out there, who are not into the music first and foremost. We have plenty of them in the USA if you would like to have one or more!!--:) Don't ask Blake to be like all these other 'fast-paced, style over substance groups', which are a dime a dozon!!---And thanks to Great Britain, for at least giving groups like this a chance!!---And to you, Blake, I say hats off to you and to your great music!!---I am honored to own both your albums.

You can argue about who's been most successful or who has the most stage presence, but when it come to sheer vocal ability Christina has her peers beat hands down. It's amazing that this voice can come out of such a tiny woman, but vocally she's more than a match for the likes of Aretha, Patti and Whitney.

This Greatest Hits album not only shows off her power but also her versatility - from her pop beginnings she's moved on and tried her hand at jazz, blues, rock, RnB and everything in between. Even her teen pop is catchier and has more bite than your average commercial throwaways, but in songs like Fighter and Beautiful she shows off true soul and grit as an artist. The new stuff that's included is very electro pop, very 'now' and just as good as any of her back catalogue, with her showing off a slightly more pared down vocal than her usual high riffs. The one and only low point on the album is the strange remake of Beautiful, a gorgeous song that frankly did not need messing with - but even that's oddly listenable, and when the worst you can say of this diva is that a song is okay rather than her usual excellent you know she'll be sticking around. That voice will ensure she does so here's to the next ten years.

Personal favourite - Fighter and Candyman. The first for its brilliant Dave Navarro guitar and amazing vocal, the second for its sheer retro fun

This is as fine an introduction to the works of Leonard Cohen as could be imagined. The track list, selected by the man himself, covers almost every period of his recorded output (Cohen is not prolific in the way, say, Bob Dylan is, or Neil Young), but I do feel some truly great stuff has been overlooked, i.e. the hushed, but haunting version of 'Story Of Isaac' from 1973's LIVE SONGS, which is one of the most profound things that anyone has ever written, the great live recordings from FIELD COMMANDER COHEN: Tour Of 1979, which admittedly was not released until after THE ESSENTIAL LEONARD COHEN appeared. Of those songs, I feel the title track is as good and epic a song as any he's recorded, and the version from NEW SKIN FOR THE OLD CEREMONY would have sufficed over e.g 'Take This Longing' which already appears on his GREATEST HITS. As for the Passenger version of 'Lover Lover Lover', what can I say? It is blistering! Likewise (from that same album) versions of 'The Window', 'The Smokey Life', 'The Stranger Song', 'The Gypsy's Wife' (long since a staple of the live act) and an unforgettable reading of 'Memories' from the unfairly-maligned DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN, are all worthy of inclusion. In fact, it's true to say that all Cohen's output is essential, but I would also have included 'Ballad Of The Absent Mare' and 'Came So Far For Beauty' from RECENT SONGS, 'The Old Revolution' from SONGS FROM A ROOM (if only for discovering it had been a minor hit in the UK: hats off to Dale Winton for pointing that out to me!), the live 'Joan Of Arc', 'One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong' and 'Hallelujah' from 1993's COHEN LIVE, 'Coming Back To You' and 'The Captain' from 1984's VARIOUS POSITIONS, but the greatest omission surely has to be the Lorca-inspired 'Take This Waltz' from the brilliant I'M YOUR MAN. I could eulogise forever. Suffice to say, if your not familiar with the man's work, this is the perfect place to start. After that, buy THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN, his debut (perhaps, alongside Jeff Buckley's GRACE and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND AND NICO, the greatest debut of all time, for my money).

This is by far the best thing i have heard for a very long time, i have followed Paul Weller since his early days and i am still surprised and amazed at his depth and quality, this CD captures it all, the atmosphere the quality of both his voice and musical talents, dont wait just buy it...

I love this album. Well worth the wait. Well done Jason, Beautiful songs. Very Romantic, you have done your fans proud with your new album. I could listen to this album all day. :-)

along with Duffy these are my 2 albums of the year. Every track is superb, very classy production and I love the use of horns on a lot of the tracks. Only 2 or 3 sound like Texas, otherwise you get Tamla, Nancy Sinatra and a French sound.I wish there were more songs as the 11 fly by when listening and its under 40 mins long. Do another next year Sharleen!

I love this album. Ever since i bought it iv been driving my family and friends crazy singing all the catchy songs. As a big busted fan i think it is a very good pop/rock album. I would recommend it to anyone, the jonas brothers are more than just some "disney popcorn" and their songs are very well written. One of the best albums i own!