Alexander O'Neal - Greatest Hits (2004) FLAC

From the early days in the seventies as lead singer with Flyte Tyme, through the headiest days of his solo career in the eighties, Alexander O'Neal showed ceaseless ability and talent. This comprehensive Best Of collection includes the tracks famous for their synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines that were used on his Tabu/Epic albums of the '80s and early '90s, plus the best of his later R&B and soul-tinged material. But the standouts here are his finest uptempo and ballad singles, on such cuts as "Fake" and "Criticise", plus his range and passion on those such as "Never Knew Love Like This".

Alexander O'Neal, along with Luther Vandross, was the public face of male soul in the 1980s. This Greatest Hits compilation, produced mainly by longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis charts the hits predominantly from his first two albums and a handful of songs from subsequent releases.

The intro song, "Never Knew Love like This", with label mate Cherrelle epitomises his mid-tempo style, awash with overly slick MIDI instruments and catchy choruses. The big songs here are undoubtedly "Fake" and "Criticise" from the acclaimed second album Hearsay, slightly rougher and more macho than say, "The Lovers" but just as crammed with heartfelt sentiment and soulful tales of love. A welcome inclusion is the duet from Cherrelle's High Priority album, "Saturday Love", a classic of the "Minneapolis sound" that sits more than comfortably with O'Neal's own work. Greatest Hits may seem heavily packed with older material but it was these songs on the Tabu label that made him a latter day soul legend and with the all new remastering, this collection is just as valid now as it was almost twenty years ago. --Georgina Collins