by Luther Vandross List Price:$22.00 Our Price:$17.00 Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 5 weeks
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Wednesday, October 04, 1989
Label: Sony
Average Customer Review: 5 Based on 22 reviews.
Sales Rank: 78
Tracks
1.
If Only For One Night/Creepin'
2.
Superstar/Until You Come Back To Me
3.
Stop To Love
4.
So Amazing
5.
There's Nothing Better Than Love
6.
Give Me The Reason
7.
Any Love
8.
I Really Didn't Mean It
9.
Love Won't Let Me Wait
10.
Treat You Right
11.
Here And Now
12.
'Til My Baby Comes Home
13.
Promise Me
14.
Since I Lost My Baby
15.
Bad Boy/Having A Party
16.
A House Is Not A Home
17.
If This World Were Mine
18.
Never Too Much
19.
The Glow Of Love
20.
Searching
21.
'Til My Baby Comes Home
22.
I Really Didn't Mean It
23.
If Only For One Night/Creepin'
24.
Love Won't Let Me Wait
25.
There's Nothing Better Than Love
Editorial Review
The classiest of R&B's lover men, Luther Vandross eschews the sweaty soul intensity of his predecessors for a silky-smooth sound that achieves its romantic aims nonetheless. In the hands of a lesser artist, Vandross's narrow focus on love songs would seem restrictive, but he somehow finds endlessly entertaining ways of conveying simple messages like "I love you," "I miss you," and "Why did you leave me?" The Best of Love is just that--a 20-song retrospective that clocks Vandross's brilliant career through its first decade, including such gems as his gorgeous reworking of the Bacharach-David chestnut "A House Is Not a Home," Smokey Robinson's "Since I Lost My Baby," and his own early hit "Never Too Much." Vandross was a staple on the R&B charts throughout the '80s, but the set culminates with "Here and Now," his 1989 crossover smash. Since then, Luther has belonged to everyone; this set shows it should have been that way all along. --Daniel Durchholz
Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
5 The defintion of R&B is Luther Vandross
If you have never heard "A House is Not a Home" by Luther Vandross then you have no idea what R&B can be at it's best. I love this collection of all of my favorites. I've always said that Luther Vandross was like a G rated version of Barry White but put all of Luther's best in one package and there's some serious heat. He could set an atmosphere of candles and red wine better than anyone. I always loved Lionel Richie's love songs but Luther can deliver a sound that makes a whole room feel romantic or soothe a broken heart better than anyone.
Rating:
4 Luther Vandross' Best Years Covered On This 2CD Set
Hearing Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" on this "Best of Love" collection recalls how fresh it sounded among 1981's funk/rap/R&B slammers ("Super Freak," "Bad Mamma Jamma," etc.) It had the best of two worlds; sparkling production and arrangement recalling what disco did best (courtesy of arranger Nat Adderly, Jr.); buttery, popping percussion by Marcus Miller, and a tour-de-force, tongue-twisting vocal by Vandross. It blueprinted a sound you hoped would last as long as the classic, finessed soul (think Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, who wrote testimonials on the liner notes) that inspired it.It did. Luther and his collaborators crafted immaculately produced, gorgeously sung originals and covers throughout his first five albums, the best gathered here. He slowly, slyly extracts the pain and yearning from Leon Russell's "Superstar" that the Carpenters' version overlooked. His voice rises like smoke around the romantic, tricky wordplay of Bacharach-David's "A House Is Not A Home" and Smokey Robinson's "Since I Lost My Baby." His originals (sparkling mid-tempo tunes like "Stop To Love," and "Till My Baby Comes Home") display a rhythm and countermelody sense validating Vandross' songcraft experience. (Before achieving his solo success, Luther sang on everything from commercials to David Bowie's "Young Americans" album, which he co-wrote.) Much of Vandross' Top 40 success ("Endless Love," "Power of Love") followed this release, as would other greatest hits collections following his release from Epic Records. But "The Best of Love" is indeed Luther Vandross' best from the years he refreshed, then ruled, the R&B ballad. Highly recommended.
Rating:
5 For Lovers Only!
Luther had that real nice style back in the day. The big man from The Bronx had that powerful voice & a collection of solid albums under his belt when he released this Best Of collection back in 1989. Its a pretty thorough two discs. You get all the classic singles, party numbers, jazz, and slow love ballads, all running together smoothly. His six solo albums are all covered, and the cuts are sandwiched by 'Searching' and 'Glow Of Love', two great early numbers LV sung with Change that start the album, and two new cuts, including the hit 'Here & Now', that close it.This was bought for me as a present years ago by a special someone, and what a great gift! This is perfect music for any vibe, a soft, sweet album to get you chilled or in the mood if you get me. Luthers 80s style is captured nicely and this is the best collection you can get although obviously it was before his 90s material. Well recommended especially for lovers.
Rating:
5 Vandross and Valentine's Day...A Perfect Combination.
....you cannot lose with this one. Luther Vandross's best leaves you wanting more. More love, that is. Get it for that special somebody, elope somewhere for the night and listen to it together...break out the cognac, light the scented candles and float with those fabulous melodies and Vandross love standards from years gone by. If you are not undone by the time he gets to his rendition of "Superstar" and "If This World Were Mine", then you probably weren't meant to be together...yeah. It deserves ten stars!
Rating:
5 How many stars are in infinity? He gets that many!
FOR A DIE HARD LUTHER FAN, THE CD IN QUESTION IS LIKE CANDY TO A SEVEN YEAR OLD. I HAVE LOVED THIS MANS STUFF SINCE I FIRST HEARD "SINCE I LOST MY BABY" WHEN I WAS 10 OR 11. I PLAYED MY "ANY LOVE" TAPE SO MANY TIMES THAT I BURNED IT IN THE TAPE PLAYER! THE ONLY THING IT IS MISSING IS "OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD", MY SECOND ALL TIME FAVORITE LUTHER VANDROSS SONG ("SUPERSTAR" IS THE FIRST). LUTHER TRULY IS IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF. I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM, GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS, AND THE ISLEY BROTHERS ALL IN CONCERT TOGETHER.
Rating:
5 Luther's Greatest Years Covered From 1980-1989
During the late 80's, Luther's career was spotty. Until 1989, when Epic Records finally released a compilation of Luther's best years. The Best Of Luther Vandross: The Best Of Love is a compilation with 20 classics. Luther recorded 3 new songs for this album. One of my favorites was "Here And Now", which was a 1990 Grammy winner. I've listened to the whole album today and it's really superb. But, they left out 2 of my favorites, "Wait For Love" and "Better Love". The new compilation Epic/Legacy released, The Essential Luther Vandross wasn't needed because we already have this anthology. For those 2 classics I have just mentioned, I would buy his early 80's albums like Busy Body or Never Too Much. Anyway, this is a better bet. Avoid those other compilations like Greatest Hits or the budget priced, Super Hits. Buy this and his old albums like Never Too Much.
Rating:
5 The Essential Luther
Simply put, this collection is a must-have. Before Brian McKnight, before Maxwell and Chico and Kenny, and before all these so-called singers who are as subtle as a neon sign, there was Luther. There was That Voice, capable of making people swoon and fall in love simply by singing the phone book. This double-cd set showcases the best Luther Vandross has to offer, with subtle reworkings of some of his hits (listen to the original versions of some of the songs and you'll note that there have been some additional background work done). Unfortunately, there have been a couple of songs that are not included, like "Wait for Love" or "Forever, For Always, For Love," songs that would have strengthened an already classic compilation. Their omission does not detract from the set, though. Ultimately, this is truly the best of Luther, the best of love
Rating:
4 Luther Vandross' Best Years Covered On This 2CD Set
Hearing Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" on this "Best of Love" collection recalls how fresh it sounded among 1981's funk/rap/R&B slammers ("Super Freak," "Bad Mamma Jamma," etc.) It had the best of two worlds; sparkling production and arrangement recalling what disco did best (courtesy of arranger Nat Adderly, Jr.); buttery, popping percussion by Marcus Miller, and a tour-de-force, tongue-twisting vocal by Vandross. It blueprinted a sound you hoped would last as long as the classic, finessed soul (think Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, who wrote testimonials on the liner notes) that inspired it.It did. Luther and his collaborators crafted immaculately produced, gorgeously sung originals and covers throughout his first five albums, the best gathered here. He slowly, slyly extracts the pain and yearning from Leon Russell's "Superstar" that the Carpenters' version overlooked. His voice rises like smoke around the romantic, tricky wordplay of Bacharach-David's "A House Is Not A Home" and Smokey Robinson's "Since I Lost My Baby." His originals (sparkling mid-tempo tunes like "Stop To Love," and "Till My Baby Comes Home") display a rhythm and countermelody sense validating Vandross' songcraft experience. (Before achieving his solo success, Luther sang on everything from commercials to David Bowie's "Young Americans" album, which he co-wrote.) Much of Vandross' Top 40 success ("Endless Love," "Power of Love") followed this release, as would other greatest hits collections following his release from Epic Records. But "The Best of Love" is indeed Luther Vandross' best from the years he refreshed, then ruled, the R&B ballad. Highly recommended.
Rating:
5 Luther's Greatest Years Covered From 1980-1989
During the late 80's, Luther's career was spotty. Until 1989, when Epic Records finally released a compilation of Luther's best years. The Best Of Luther Vandross: The Best Of Love is a compilation with 20 classics. Luther recorded 3 new songs for this album. One of my favorites was "Here And Now", which was a 1990 Grammy winner. I've listened to the whole album today and it's really superb. But, they left out 2 of my favorites, "Wait For Love" and "Better Love". The new compilation Epic/Legacy released, The Essential Luther Vandross wasn't needed because we already have this anthology. For those 2 classics I have just mentioned, I would buy his early 80's albums like Busy Body or Never Too Much. Anyway, this is a better bet. Avoid those other compilations like Greatest Hits or the budget priced, Super Hits. Buy this and his old albums like Never Too Much.
Rating:
5 Vandross and Valentine's Day...A Perfect Combination.
....you cannot lose with this one. Luther Vandross's best leaves you wanting more. More love, that is. Get it for that special somebody, elope somewhere for the night and listen to it together...break out the cognac, light the scented candles and float with those fabulous melodies and Vandross love standards from years gone by. If you are not undone by the time he gets to his rendition of "Superstar" and "If This World Were Mine", then you probably weren't meant to be together...yeah. It deserves ten stars!
