Review, buy Pop R&B: Freak Me [CD 1], Maximum Mariah Carey, Hotter Than July [CASSETTE], Can't Slow Down [CASSETTE], Rock Breakout Years: 1989, This Is Christmas, Secret Omen, Life, More Than a Woman, Picture Book [CASSETTE], Seek and You Shall Find - More Best of Marvin Gaye: 1963-81, #1's, Always Be My Baby, Back to Front, Song Review: Greatest Hits [Us Import], Let's Get It on, Red Hot Rhythm & Blues, Jumpin' Jumpin' [CD 1], Cameosis, Mariah Carey

Not as great as Innervisions (what is?), but quite probably better than Fulfillingness' First Finale, Hotter Than July is the last of the string of classic albums that included those milestones. While going for big statements only a couple of times during its 46 minutes-the celebratory reggae rocker "Master Blaster (Jammin')" and the Martin Luther King Jr. tribute "Happy Birthday"-the disc shows off a lot more than the expected high-level craftsmanship. Like humor: "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" merges an affectionate burlesque of country music ("Somebody's been rubbin' on my good-luck charm", he sings of a two-timing girlfriend) with a funk backbeat. And humanity: "Do Like You" celebrates family ties in an especially nice way, while "Rocket Love" and "All I Do" are among Wonder's most underappreciated love songs. This is worth buying for the deathless "Master Blaster" alone, but after you do, you'll be glad you own it all. -Rickey Wright.

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Review Lionel Richie / Can't Slow Down [CASSETTE]

Can't Slow Down [CASSETTE] (Lionel Richie)

Tracks Can't Slow Down [CASSETTE]

All Night Long (All Night)
Love Will Find a Way
Only One
Stuck on You
Can't Slow Down
Penny Lover
Hello
Running With the Night

Publisher: Motown
Release date: 1990-10-17
RRP: ~~£4.99~~
Price: £8.00

Review Can't Slow Down [CASSETTE] / Lionel Richie:

Can't Slow Down is probably Lionel Richie's best solo album, full of songs that would become hits-"All Night Long (All Night)", "Running With the Night," "Penny Lover" and "Hello. " Like all of Richie's best music, the vocals are spare and the choruses inviting, with each track falling somewhere between straight-up pop and smoochy R&B. -Courtney Kemp.

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Review Michael Bolton / Rock Breakout Years: 1989

Rock Breakout Years: 1989 (Michael Bolton)

Tracks Rock Breakout Years: 1989

Back in My Arms Again
That's What Love Is All About
Call My Name
Gina
You Don't Want Me Bad Enough
Forever Isn't Long Enough
Once in a Lifetime
In the Arms of Love
Time, Love and Tenderness
From Now On - Suzie Benson, Michael Bolton

Publisher: Madacy
RRP: ~~£10.99~~
Price: £2.58

Review Rock Breakout Years: 1989 / Michael Bolton:

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Review Luther Vandross / This Is Christmas

This Is Christmas (Luther Vandross)

Tracks This Is Christmas

With A Christmas Heart
Kiss For Christmas
Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)
Please Come Home For Christmas
My Favourite Things
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
This Is Christmas
Every Year Every Christmas
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis)
I Listen To The Bells

Publisher: Epic
Release date: 2003-11-03
RRP: ~~£6.99~~
Price: £2.64

Review This Is Christmas / Luther Vandross:

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Secret Omen (Cameo)

Tracks Secret Omen

Energy
Rock
Find My Way
I Just Want to Be
New York
Sparkle
Macho

Publisher: Rebound
Release date: 1995-04-16
RRP: ~~£4.99~~
Price: £19.50

Review Secret Omen / Cameo:

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Life (Simply Red)

Tracks Life

Remembering the First Time
Lives and Loves
Fairground [Alternate Version]
We're in This Together
Never Never Love
Out on the Range
Hillside Avenue
So Beautiful
Fairground
You Make Me Believe
So Many People

Publisher: Rhino
Release date: 1995-10-24
Price: £7.99

Review Life / Simply Red:

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More Than a Woman (Aaliyah)

Tracks More Than a Woman

More Than A Woman
More Than A Woman
More Than A Woman

Publisher: Virgin America
Release date: 2002-01-07
RRP: ~~£4.99~~
Price: £0.84

Review More Than a Woman / Aaliyah:

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Review Simply Red / Picture Book [CASSETTE]

Picture Book [CASSETTE] (Simply Red)

Tracks Picture Book [CASSETTE]

Jericho
Picture Book
Sad Old Red
Money's Too Tight (To Mention)
No Direction
Holding Back the Years
Come to My Aid
Look at You Now
Heaven
Red Box

Publisher: Elektra
Release date: 1990-10-17
Price: £5.99

Review Picture Book [CASSETTE] / Simply Red:

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Review Marvin Gaye / Seek and You Shall Find - More Best of Marvin Gaye: 1963-81

Seek and You Shall Find - More Best of Marvin Gaye: 1963-81 (Marvin Gaye)

Tracks Seek and You Shall Find - More Best of Marvin Gaye: 1963-81

Save The Children
No Good Without You
Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love
Heavy Love Affair
You've Been A Long Time Coming
I Wish It Would Rain
You're What's Happening (In The World Today)
Seek And You Shall Find
When I Had Your Love
Ego Tripping Out
Get My Hands On Some Lovin'
You Sure Love To Ball
Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
It's A Bitter Pill To Swallow
Praise
Abraham Martin And John
Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got
Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever

Publisher: Rhino
Release date: 1993-06-01
RRP: ~~£19.99~~
Price: £6.19

Review Seek and You Shall Find - More Best of Marvin Gaye: 1963-81 / Marvin Gaye:

An interesting grab bag of cuts from Marvin Gaye's 18-year career at Motown. His Latin-tinged first single ("Wherever I Lay My Hat," later covered by Paul Young), the smoldering "No Good Without You," and a cover of the Four Tops' "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" are among the highlights of the '60s sides cherry-picked here. And that his troubled later years produced their share of beauties is made clear by the sweet "Praise" and self-knowing "Ego Tripping Out. " Hope and despair were felt more profoundly in Gaye's music than in that of most other singers, and this intriguing package doesn't let us forget that. -Rickey Wright.

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#1's (Mariah Carey)

Tracks #1's

I'll Be There [Live] - Mariah Carey, Trey Lorenz
I Still Believe [*]
Fantasy - Mariah Carey, , Ol' Dirty Bastard
Sweetheart [*] - Mariah Carey, JD
Love Takes Time
When You Believe [From the Prince of Egypt] - Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston
Vision of Love
Hero
One Sweet Day - Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey
Dream Lover
My All
Honey
Emotions
Someday
Always Be My Baby
Whenever You Call [*] - Mariah Carey, Brian McKnight
I Don't Wanna Cry

Publisher: Sony
Release date: 2002-01-07
Price: £23.99

Review #1's / Mariah Carey:

Mariah Carey's #1's is as much a time capsule of '90s pop and R&B as a record of one woman's chart toppers: the disc chronicles a shift from the sweet, nearly '50s-style "Vision of Love" to more recent hip-hop-lite grooves featuring heavy input from Puffy Combs ("Honey"), Jermaine Dupri ("Sweetheart"), and O. D. B. ("Fantasy"). Some hit, some miss, but all feature the fluttery swoops that Carey substitutes for expression of feeling. Depth is beside the point, but few of these tracks are even fun. Still, after eight years, there seems to be no stopping her, and this album will hardly break her streak of successes. -Rickey Wright.

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Always Be My Baby (Mariah Carey)

Publisher: Sony
Release date: 1996-03-25
RRP: ~~£4.99~~
Price: £8.95

Review Always Be My Baby / Mariah Carey:

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Back to Front (Lionel Richie)

Tracks Back to Front

Still - The Commodores, Lionel Richie
Three Times a Lady - The Commodores, Lionel Richie
All Night Long (All Night)
Easy - The Commodores, Lionel Richie
Love, Oh Love
Endless Love - Lionel Richie, Diana Ross
Do It to Me
Running With the Night
Truly
Say You, Say Me
Sail On - The Commodores, Lionel Richie
Penny Lover
Hello
My Destiny

Publisher: Polydor
Release date: 1992-05-05
Price: £13.99

Review Back to Front / Lionel Richie:

Lionel's decision to release a second hits compilation within a decade may have had something to do with the fact that sales of the first were overshadowed by a spousal abuse charge; unsurprisingly then, there isn't too much to distinguish this from the other one. Certain critics have commended Lionel for having spurned the whims of fashion and persisted with sentimental love songs like "Say You Say Me" and "Penny Lover", whatever the weather, and, listening to the tacky 1980s synths of the more upbeat "Running With The Night", it's hard to disagree. Lionel's obviously at his most comfortable with the power ballad-so much so that he has no idea when to exercise a little restraint. For all its baggage-the sickly video with that blind girl and its terrible lyrics-there's the chord structure to a good Charles Aznavour song trying to get out of "Hello", but it's drowning in syrup. Perhaps it's time for a reunion of the old band: the inclusion of "Sail On", "Three Times A Lady" and "Easy" (all Commodores songs) suggests as much. -Peter Paphides.

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Review Stevie Wonder / Song Review: Greatest Hits [Us Import]

Song Review: Greatest Hits [Us Import] (Stevie Wonder)

Tracks Song Review: Greatest Hits [Us Import]

I Wish
Redemption Song
Lately
I Just Called to Say I Love You
Love Light in Flight
Do I Do
Boogie on Reggae Woman
Send One Your Love
Ribbon in the Sky
My Cherie Amour
All I Do
Sir Duke
For Your Love
Superstition
Kiss Lonely Good-Bye [Single Version]
Master Blaster (Jammin')
Stay Gold
Hold on to Your Dream
I Was Made to Love Her
Higher Ground
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
That Girl
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Part-Time Lover
Living for the City
Uptight (Everything's Alright)
You Will Know
Overjoyed
Hey Love
These Three Words
Ebony and Ivory

Publisher: Motown
Release date: 1999-12-23
RRP: ~~£27.99~~
Price: £12.37

Review Song Review: Greatest Hits [Us Import] / Stevie Wonder:

Thirty or so of Stevie Wonder's biggest hits-many of them enduring classics-make up Song Review. That's the good news. The bad news is that they're sequenced here about as well (or maybe not) as your CD player's "random" function might do it. Leading off with "Part-Time Lover"-a major chart record, no doubt, but hardly the rouser you'd expect for an opener-is puzzling enough. It's when the programming starts veering from highlights of his self-produced period ("Sir Duke") to Motown assembly-line pieces ("My Cherie Amour") that the head-scratching really begins. And don't try to count the great moments that are missing. This will do in a pinch, but if you own no Stevie, be advised that better overviews of Wonder's career (the finest by far being the four-CD box At the Close of a Century) are available. -Rickey Wright.

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