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Review: Jack Foley
SAY what you will about Kylie, but it's difficult not to find
something to admire about her path to near-iconic status.
Having made a name for herself in Neighbours, she then quickly
emerged from the derogatory pop puff of Stock, Aitken and Waterman
to become one of the world's most popular pop stars, thanks to
an uncanny ability to marry catchy, chart-friendly tunes, with
a sassy vocal style that made her all the more alluring, not to
mention all manner of sexy videos.
Not content with that, she dabbled in movies and has even branched
into fashion, becoming an underwear queen into the bargain, as
she sought to make the maximum gain from the assets at her disposal.
In music terms, she's probably second only to Madonna
in the glamour stakes, while, quite possibly, she has showbiz's
most sought-after bottom, beating the likes of J-Lo at their own
game.
It's little wonder, then, to find the time is right for a greatest
hits compilation, which chronicles her musical journey from throwaway
pop wannabe, to a major artist in her own right.
Ultimate Kylie is just that, a double CD packed with
her biggest hits, as well as some new material thrown into make
it all worthwhile.
CD1 chronicles the early years and will probably find the most
tracks to be skipped, particularly during the wretched opening
tracks The Locomotion and I Should Be So Lucky,
which really haven't aged well. Equally turgid is her hysterically
bad debut with former Neighbours co-star, Jason Donovan, Especially
For You.
If the early years represents the worst of the singer, then the
latter years represent the best, demonstrating her ability to
continue to sound contemporary in a way that rivals Madonna, even
if she has never quite been able to reach the same heights.
Her duet with Nick Cave, Where The Wild Roses Grow,
was a surprise path for her to take, and evidence of a more mature
singer, while tracks such as Breathe and Chocolate
play up the sassiness, without pandering to the pop so much.
They're much more fun than blatant chart-busters such as Can't
Get You Out Of My Head and Did It Again, which continue
to fill the dancefloors despite being relentlessly over-played
in their heyday.
Fans will no doubt flock to the retrospective, just as they have
most of her work, but it does, however, offer an insight into
some of the Kylie back catalogue that didn't always enjoy success,
such as when she did, at least, attempt to experiment a little.
And with new material, including her Scissor Sisters collaboration,
I Believe in You, guaranteed to keep her riding high
in the charts over the festive period, it's little wonder to find
that Ultimate Kylie will be the ideal stocking filler for guys
and gals alike this Christmas, to accompany the underwear or calendars
that are sure to be near the top of plenty of shopping lists as
well.
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Track listing:
Disc: 1
1. I Should Be So Lucky
2. Got To Be Certain
3. The Locomotion
4. Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi
5. Especially For You - With Jason Donovan
6. Never Too Late
7. Wouldn't Change A Thing
8. Never Too Late
9. Tears On My Pillow
10. Better The Devil You Know
11. Step Back In Time
12. What Do I Have To Do
13. Shocked
14. Give Me Just A Little More Time
15. Celebration
Disc: 2
1. Confide In Me
2. Put Yourself In My Place
3. Where The Wild Roses Grow - With Nick Cave
4. Did It Again
5. Breathe
6. Spinning Around
7. On A Night Like This
8. Kids - With Robbie Williams
9. Please Stay
10. Can't Get You Out Of My Head
11. In Your Eyes
12. Love At First Sight
13. Come Into My World
14. Slow
15. Red Blooded Woman
16. Chocolate
17. (Can't Start) Giving You Up
18. I Believe In You
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