Very Best Of Power Ballads, The - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	3 Great CD's, excellent compilation
Disadvantages:	-

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I've always been a fan of Power Ballad's and used to often watch the Magic Channel when they had them on for hours and hours so when I opened this for my birthday I was ecstatic. This sort of music takes me back to my childhood and reminds me of times that I spent with my grandparents at there house, as they were obsessed with music and anything in the hit parade as it was called then was purchased on vinyl which now all reside in a huge cabinet at my nan's house.

I think the album title however is a little deceiving "The Very Best of Power Ballads - The Greatest Driving Anthems ever". Now in my opinion that contradicts itself a little and I think there is a difference between Power Ballads and Driving Anthems. In my opinion a Power Ballad - as it says in the little is a ballad - quite simple and a driving anthem can actually be anything that basically gets you going when you are in the car, so if you are anything like me this can cover a huges amount of various types of music. Personally the title of the CD should be along the lines of 80's classic as more or less around 90% of the songs on this 3 CD album are from the 80's with the odd one or two driving anthems/power ballads from the later era.

However, i general it is a great CD, which when you purchase compilation albums you normally get one great CD and two more with a few odd songs on that are good, but there are only a few tracks on the whle compilation that I personally wouldn't have chose to put on there.

CD 1

This CD starts off with a band that I was bought up with, everyone will know and if you don't you haven't been born. Queen - We are the Champions. A great track from the late Freddie Mercury and his co, Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor, Queen had many great hits and really there should have been a few more on this particualr album. Following on it just gets better for me and like I said the whole album takes me back to my CHildhood, Foreigner - I want To Know What Love Is. One of my grandads favourites, that was played at his funeral and also a classic tune. With many other Classic favourites on this CD, including Whitesnake - Is This Love, Mr Mister - Broken Wings and many other tear jerkers if you have had a few drinks.

- Queen - We ARe The Champions
- Foreigner - I Want To Know What Love Is
- Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
- Whitesnake - Is This Love
- The Scorpions - Wind of Change
- Joe Cockner & Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong
- Mr. Mister - Broken Wings
- Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero
- Cher - If I Could Turn Back Time
- Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arm Tonight
- REO SPeedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling
- Meatloaf - I'd Lie For You and Thats the Truth
- Heart - ALone
- Alice Cooper - Poison
- Marrillion - Kayleigh
- Starship - Nothings Gonna Stop Us
- Maria McKee - SHow Me Heaven

CD2

I feel on CD2 that there are a few tracks that could have been dropped from this compilation, they don't seem to quite fit in with the era that most of the come from, although they are good tracks by great artists, I think they could have been replaced, i.e. Robbie Williams - Angels and Nickelback - How YOu remind Me

- Robbie Williams - Angels
- The Cars - Drive
- The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin
- Air Supply - All Out of Love
- Chicago - Hard to Say I Am Sorry
- Roxette - Listen To Your Heart
- Boston - More Than A Feeling
- REM - The One I Love
- Nickelback - You Remind Me
- The Rolling Stones - Streets of Love
- The Animals - The HOuse of the Rising Sun
- Nilsson - Without You
- Sinead o Connor - Nothing Compares to You
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood - The Power of Love
- Poison - Every Rose Has a Thorn
- Nazareth - Love HUrts
- Pandora's Box - Its All Coming Back to Me Now

CD3

Again a few songs on this particular CD that I don't think should be on there, the likes of 4 Non Blondes - Whats Up, however for me this CD make up for it with Carol Decker in T'Pau with China in Your Hands and the one hit wonder John Waite, which I think is one of the best songs of all time during the 80's era. We also have the UK version of WHitesnake - Here I Go AGain.

- Bonnie Tyler - Holding Out For a Hero
- Europe - The Final Countdown
- Whitesnake - Here I Go Again
- Billy Idol - White Wedding
- Huey Lewis & The News - The Power of Love
- Belinda Carlisle - Leave the Light On
- Paul Carrack - Don't Shed a Tear
- Alannah Miles - Black Velvet
- 4 Non Blondes - Whats Up
- Chad Kroeger - Hero
-T'Pau - China In Your Hands
- Simple Minds - Alive and Kicking
- Stevie Nicks - Rooms on Fire
- John Waite - Missing You
- Mike and the Mechanics - Over My Shoulder
- Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell

I think following the kind of format that they have when making this compilation they ahve actually missed on or two classics from this which would have been nice to see, including the likes of Ultravox - Vienna and A-Ha, but thats just my opinion.

Great Great CD though!!