Search - Various Artists :: Ultimate Smash Hits (Bonus Dvd)

Good mix of today's pop/rock/hip hop/and rb

Person | across the street | 07/09/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hi! I will rate the first five songs on this cd by F by being the worst and A being the best.They will be rated by how big of a hit it was and how good it sounds.1.The Game Of Love-Michelle Branch ft.Santana- A it was a huge hit on the adult contemparary chart. It charted on for over 40 weeks.2.Family Protrait-Pink- B it is kind of an earlier hit but it did score on the top 10 on billboard hot 100.3.I'm With You-Avril Lavigne (see number 2)4.Just Like A Pill-(once again see number 2)5.What Happened To That Boy-Baby ft.Clipse- D Ugh! This is a terrible song + it didn't chart above 50 on billboard hot 100 so it wasn't an ultimate hit.First 5 Songs-Various Artists B there were some hits,some of them are old but most of the songs are good.The Full CD-Various Artists B (four stars) (see first 5 songs)Well,what are you waiting for?
Buy it today!"

Totally Hits 2002.5?

GMac | Anywhere, USA | 02/06/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

""Ultimate Smash Hits" is one perplexing album; it's cobbled together out of parts of "Totally Hits 2002, 2002:More Platinum Hits and 2003", and a few other songs. It feels like a "TH" album (it's also from the same labels), yet it seems very unnessesaary and not that satisfying. A number of the artists appear twice on it, so it seems like an odd compilation. The Arista label had alot of success in 2001 and 2002; but this is not the best sampling of it.

(1) Santana feat. Michelle Branch "The Game Of Love" A-. No one expected this to equal "Smooth"; and it doesn't, but it is able to stand by itself. Carlos and Michelle have created a relaxing, breezy, enjoyable light rock song. Not a great song, but a very likeable one.

(2) P!NK "Family Portrait" B. Much grittier than P!NK's usual work; but that's kinda good because we get to see a different side of her. It isn't as enjoyable as "Get The Party Started" or "Most Girls", yet it makes no intentions to be. Pretty good, but not my top choice.

(3) Avril Lavigne "I'm With You" A. As usual, Avril hit with another powerful and deep pop song, very well done. By keeping a more toned down beat, Avril allows the emotions to slowly wind out and consume the listener. The song is both joyus and sad at the same time.

(4) Pink "Just Like A Pill" B+. Not as deep as "Don't Let Me Get Me", but just as stormin' as "Get The Party Started". The song wisely stays at a short length; thus it doesn't get boring. Breaks no new ground, yet it is a small fun dance song.

(5) Baby feat. Clipse "What Happened To That Boy" C+. Baby was always one of the weaker artists on the Cash Money label, and hasn't gotten much better. Despite a clever beat and style (especially the "Birdman" part), the track never becomes anything memorable. It's a fun listen once, then not much more.

(6) Clipse "Grindin'" C+. Catchy standard material that became a fairly big hit. Atleast the skill of the artists keep it from being a total waste and offer some talent. Clipse just doesn't have what it takes to stand on their own.

(7) Clipse "When The Last Time" C. Even the Neptunes can't make Clipse sound any better than average. In a time where rap can offer deep, cutting edge content; this comes off as tired and dated. Clipse are OK in small doses, like on Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You",but are derivetive by themselves.

(8) Bone Crusher feat. Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes "Neva Scared" D+. Busta and Jadakiss are very talented but this song gives them nothing to work with. It is annoying and degrating to the ears. Poorly made; as it shows all the shortcomings of "southern crunk".

(9) P.Diddy feat. Usher & Loon "I Need A Girl Part I". A-. For a change from most music, Parts I & II are actually different! Part II may be the more involving one, but this part still has a whole lot of charisma and likability to it. Another entry in for the era of positive hip-hop (almost R&B).

(10) P. Diddy feat. Ginuwine, Loon, Mario Winans & Tammy Ruggieri "I Need A Girl Part II" A-. A terrific R&B/rap track with a positive tone to it. Five artists may seem like too many, but everyone is giving a good amount of time to create this blissful track off one of the few remix albums that doesn't suck.

(11) Usher "U Don't Have To Call" C+. The 3rd single off "8701", and also the weakest one. A good effort that lacks the impact and fun of Usher's other singles. You also expect a bit more from a song Pharrell was attached to. Not nessecary, but still listenable.

(12) Toni Braxton feat. Loon "Hit The Freeway" B-. An OK song, although it's a little dissapointing to hear Toni doing hip-hop. Her music always kept a classic R&B feel; and it feels as if she's changing for popularity. Loon does no damage, but is not very compelling as a singer.

(13) Whitney Houston "One Of Those Days" C-. The "Just Whitney" LP showed how Whitney is slipping as an artist, and this song is why. It has no depth and feels written by the numbers; the exact opposite of what her earlier work had. More to the point: the album and it's singles flopped, why is this on here?

(14) TLC "Damaged" B+. Not the best work from TLC, but still a very good one and a decent final track for "Left Eye". It enters some of the same territory as "Waterfalls", and carries some depth in it's tone. If nothing else it shows how TLC shaped modern R&B.

(15) Faith Evans "I Love You" C. She is just an average singer, and this song was standard on the R&B front back in the 60s. Apparently she didn't pick up much from her husband; the late, great Notorious B.I.G.. You would expect more considering the people who wrote and produced it.

(16) Faith Evans feat. Loon "Burnin' Up" C. Has the same exact problems as track #12 and #15. Faith Evans and Loon are both just too plain and boring for the music industry.

(17) Blu Cantrel feat Sean Paul "Breathe" B. Pretty good, but not the best song out there. It lacks the "jucie" of "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!), but Sean Paul adds his dancehall talents to create a nice blend with Blu Cantrel.

(18) OutKast feat. Killer Mike & Joi "The Whole World" A-. The new record from thier Greatest Hits album, serves as a nice reminder of why OutKast is one of the greatest groups in rap history. This captures all the funk and fun that is expected when Big Boi and Andre 3000 spit thier biting lyrics.

Bottom Line: **. The album is too much of a mixed bag to be called a success. For every good song, there is a bad one; the album is particularly weighed down because of the good chunk given to Faith Evans and Clipse. Maybe Arista should have included some other artists, such as The Calling, P.O.D., Alicia Keys, Michelle Branch and Sean Paul. As it is the album is a mess that just isn't worth the time.

NOTE: The "Bonus Edition" includes a DVD with six videos. The videos for "I'm With You" and "Just Like A Pill" are very good. The ones for "Family Portrait", "Hit The Freeway", "Grindin'" and "The Last Time" are not as memorable."