Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 10/14/2005
A gifted songwriter and an amazingly versatile and soulful singer,
Jackie DeShannon has been woefully under-appreciated by the general listening public, and her body of work -- both as a singer and as a writer -- is long overdue for a critical reappraisal. This generous collection has some wonderful sides, including
DeShannon's early version of
Sonny Bono's
"Needles and Pins," her lost
folk-rock classic,
"When You Walk in the Room," a brilliant
Supremes facsimile,
"Are You Ready for This," and her biggest hit, a rendition of the
Bacharach/David classic
"What the World Needs Now Is Love," a song that philosophically can never go out of style. This is a great set, as far as it goes, but it lacks any of her later work, like the original version of one her greatest compositions,
"Bette Davis Eyes," which was a huge hit for
Kim Carnes.
Raven's
The Best of Jackie DeShannon does a wonderful job of fitting the highlights of her complete career on one disc, with
Rhino's compilation -- also called
Best of Jackie DeShannon -- coming in as a close second. This set will definitely do in a pinch, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
~Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
;)
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