Very Best of

First off, I want to get it out in the open and confess my admiration for Kim Wilde's undeniable good looks. She is a woman who truly just got more beautiful with age. "The Very Best of Kim Wilde" is a U.K. import on EMI and the booklet features some rare photos of Kim in her early '80s punky phase complete with a Pat Benatar-like hairdo. This particular set (which is not the first Kim Wilde Best-of compilation to hit the market) was released in 2001, so Kim would have been around 40 on its cover (having been born in late 1960). Man oh man does she look gorgeous in this photo! I could literally stare at this picture for hours on end. But I digress.The fact remains though that Kim is one of those rare pop artists who is just as strong on genuine talent as she is in the looks department, and this is a great retrospective of her career from her beginnings with her first hit "Kids in America" in 1981 all the way through the '80s and beyond. It shows her evolution from her early new wave sound to becoming a worldwide pop siren later on that decade.Before buying this compilation I was really only familiar with her from her one and only American hit, the Supremes cover "You Keep Me Hanging On" and its seductively sexy accompanying video from '86, but while being great, that is not even her best song here. But it's the point where she really hit her stride in mainstream pop music and this set includes tracks from the "Close" album that would serve as follow-up in 1988, the first being "You Came." This song is a work of pop music bliss and perfectly captures the sound and feel of the late '80s. It is so beautiful and uplifting that it can give you a new outlook on life. Also included here from that disc is the wonderful ballad "Four Letter Word," where Kim really shows her mellow and tender side and dynamic vocal range. As far as the early new wave-style material here, "Water on Glass" is an ultra catchy anthem with a quick tempo and with lyrics addressing tinnitus (ringing in the ears), of which I myself am a reformed sufferer, so this song bears special meaning for me. To me though her ultimate masterpiece came in 1982 with the non-LP single cut "Child Come Away." Kim would have been 21 when this was released, the exact same age that the likes of Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) and Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols) were when they similarly reached the early apexes of their careers. Kim affirmed her newfound era of adulthood on this truly brilliant track, whose lyrics deal with somewhat dark subject matter, meaning it was not one of her bigger hits. But it's so musically advanced that it mesmerizes the listener to an arguably higher state of consciousness, with its striking chorus and entrancing and trippy keyboard/synthesizer effects.All in all, a fabulous compilation from one of the '80s best female pop artists. Once I sampled tracks off it on Amazon it was an instant purchase for me. Truly great music from a truly beautiful woman. Highly recommended.

I purchased this collection primarily so I would have high quality remasters of her U.S. hits "Kids in America" and "Keep Me Hangin' On". The samples of other songs on the disc sounded good so I thought the collection would reveal some pleasant surprises. It turns out I love many of the hits that gained popularity in the U.K. and Europe. One of my favorite cds purchased in 2012.

Kim wild what can say she's really hot, Her songs are really awsome and so good.Her voice is so great i could listion to her songs. all day.A great singer.

A trip back to the 80,s to the present.

Love it! Used to have this CD ages ago and now I can reminisce the 90s once again!

Great compilation with Kim's best tracks! My husband was so excited to get it as a Christmas present.He's been listening it in his car ever since.

I loved this. Brought back a lot of memories! Great songs! So glad I bought this!!

Havent stopped listening to the cd yet. It takes me back to when I was younger when things were carefree.