Thebe Mabanga CD OF THE WEEK It is hard to believe that Whitney Houston has entertained us for 15 years now. The double-CD compilation Greatest Hits (Arista) is a timely reminder of what brought her to the point she is at and what she is capable of.
The compilation showcases Houston in two contrasting but equally brilliant moods. On the first CD, she is young and innocent. It reflects on a glorious solo career with some of her timeless classics and collaborations with two youngsters who must have grown up listening to her, Deborah Cox and Enrique Iglesias. With Cox, she gives a scintillating performance in Same Script, Different Cast. With the legendary Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias+s son she turns up the heat with the sultry Could I Have This Kiss Forever. For the second CD, she is slightly older and sizzling as she works with some of the best remix producers, including the celebrated David Morales, to revamp her chart toppers from across the decade. From I+m Your Baby Tonight to My Love Is Your Love, she has club crawlers eating out of her hand in this set.
The album is available in two sets, a red and a blue one. Buying both would be a waste of time and money – they have few variations. Also, when one considers that the album follows closely on her lukewarm My Love Is Your Love and last Christmas+s remix compilation, it is fair to say that this is an overkill of Houston.