Ultimate Collection (Liza Minnelli album)

Ultimate Collection
Compilation album by
Liza Minnelli
ReleasedNovember 6, 2001
Recorded1964–1989
GenreTraditional
LabelHip-O
Liza Minnelli chronology
The Capitol Years
(2001) 		Ultimate Collection
(2001) 		Life Is a Cabaret!
(2002)

Ultimate Collection is a compilation album by American singer and actress Liza Minnelli, released in 2001 by Hip-O Records.[1] The tracklist spans much of Minnelli’s recording career, from her first solo album in 1964, when she was 18 years old, to some of her most unique recordings released twenty-five years later. The singer’s versatility is showcased through songs that cover a substantial number of musical genres, including rock, pop, country, dance, and synth-pop.[2]

Music critic Dave Tianen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel included the album in his list of the best greatest hits albums to give as Christmas gifts. According to him, tracks like "Theme from New York, New York," "Cabaret," and "Come Saturday Morning" would satisfy casual fans of the singer.[3]

Content

Describing the album's content, Billboard reported that it opens with the song "Try to Remember", produced by Simon Rady (from the 1964 album Liza! Liza!), and closes with "Losing My Mind" (from the 1989 album Results), produced by the Pet Shop Boys. Between these two tracks, Billboard highlights "gems" such as "Cabaret" (from the 1972 album Live at the Olympia in Paris), "Maybe This Time," "Say Liza" (from Liza with a Z, 1972), and, of course, "Theme from New York, New York" (1977). The magazine also pointed out that the collection is accompanied by a 16-page booklet featuring an essay written by Minnelli’s historian (and that of her mother, actress and singer Judy Garland), Scott Schechter, along with several photographs.[4]

According to Rex Reed, a critic for The New York Observer, the compilation gives the star "21 reasons to celebrate," offering a comprehensive overview of her career—from her first studio recordings at age 18 to the iconic "Theme from New York, New York" and her forays into pop music with the Pet Shop Boys.[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Deseret News[7]
The News Press[8]

Reviews from music critics were generally favorable. Jose F. Promis of AllMusic wrote that despite some omissions, the compilation features excellent songs and "will likely please casual listeners and the curious most."[6]

Critic Chris Hick of Desert News gave it three out of five stars, considering the songs from her early years with Capitol Records and A&M Records (which released her first six studio albums) the best tracks. He noted that her later work became overproduced, and she began relying too heavily on belting.[7]

Mark Marymont of The News Press rated it two and a half out of five stars, calling it a "compilation from six of the labels she recorded for, offering fans a broad look at the musical side of her career."[8]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."Try to Remember"Harvey Schmidt, Tom JonesLiza! Liza!4:17
2."Together (Wherever We Go)"Stephen Sondheim, Jule StyneLiza! Liza!1:04
3."The Look of Love"Hal David, Burt BacharachLiza Minnelli3:30
4."Come Saturday Morning"Fred Karlin, Dory PrevinCome Saturday Morning1:46
5."Medley: MacArthur Park/Didn't We"Jimmy WebbCome Saturday Morning4:06
6."Love Story"Randy NewmanCome Saturday Morning2:22
7."Simon"Peter AllenCome Saturday Morning3:09
8."Cabaret"Fred Ebb, John KanderLive at the Olympia in Paris3:24
9."Maybe This Time"Fred Ebb, John KanderNew Feelin'3:13
10."Can't Help Lovin' That Man"Oscar Hammerstein, Jerome KernNew Feelin'2:38
11."Come Rain or Come Shine"Harold Arlen, Johnny MercerNew Feelin'3:11
12."Stormy Weather"Harold Arlen, Ted KoehlerNew Feelin'2:43
13."The Man I Love"George Gershwin, Ira GershwinNew Feelin'2:46
14."Love for Sale"Cole PorterNew Feelin'2:36
15."God Bless the Child"Billie Holiday, Arthur HerzogNew Feelin'3:32
16."Say Liza (Liza With a Z)"F. Ebb, J. KanderLiza with a Z3:13
17."Ring Them Bells"F. Ebb, J. KanderLiza with a Z5:36
18."The Singer"Walter MarksThe Singer2:29
19."Theme from New York, New York"F. Ebb, J. KanderNew York, New York [Soundtrack]3:17
20."City Lights"F. Ebb, J. KanderThe Act6:23
21."Losing My Mind"S. SondheimResults4:12

References

  1. ^ "The Liza Store". The Official Liza Minnelli Website. Archived from the original on October 13, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  2. ^ "Liza Minnelli - The Ultimate Collection". www.hip-o.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2002. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Tianen, Dave (December 3, 2001). "Make several sound choices for greatest hits - ProQuest". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 3 E. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  4. ^ "Ultimate Collection". Billboard. February 2, 2002. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Reed, Rex (December 3, 2001). "My Xmas List: Rerelease Me". The New York Observer (15). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Promis, Jose F. "Liza Minnelli - Ultimate Collection Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 11, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Hicks, Chris (December 7, 2001). "Greatest hits CDs are great yule gifts". Deseret News. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Marymont, Mark (March 8, 2002). "Music". The News Press: G. 14. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.