Faith Hill
As I’ve made the case before, a good compilation must have a strong focus and concept about what it is trying to accomplish. Is it trying to be a definitive collection that captures the scope and breadth of an artist’s career? Is it attempting to collect rarities and odds and ends, serving as a supplement to the studio albums that rabid fans already own? Or is it just plain trying to collect the big hits, to be the CD that casual fans buy to get all of the songs they know from the radio?
For Faith Hill’s first domestic compilation, the title says it all: The Hits. Along with the obligatory three new tracks, The Hits is just that: a carrying case of nearly every signature hit that Hill has to her credit after fourteen years and more than twenty-five million records sold.
All of the big hits are here. Her huge crossover hits “Breathe”, “This Kiss”, “The Way You Love Me”, “There You’ll Be” and “Cry”, and her huge country hits “Mississippi Girl”, “It Matters to Me”, “Wild One”, “Piece of My Heart” and “Let Me Let Go.” What’s missing? Not very much, if you’re using the standard of huge hits. “Like We Never Loved At All” and “If My Heart Had Wings” are the only big ones that don’t make an appearance.
As for the new tracks, they fit in perfectly with the mood of this collection. “Red Umbrella” is a catchy pop confection in the vein of “This Kiss”, and “Lost” revisits the power ballad nirvana of “Breathe.” An interesting addition is a live performance of “Stronger”, which showcases Hill’s bluesy vocals so well that it makes any claim that she’s a studio creation seem laughably ludicrous.
I would’ve loved more moments like that, such as the rumored inclusion of live versions of “Cry” and “Piece of My Heart.” Early track lists also featured the brilliant “Stealing Kisses”, which was a minor hit last year, and “When the Lights Go Down”, which I still consider one of her finest moments on record.
But this isn’t The Very Best of Faith Hill or The Definitive Collection. It’s The Hits. From start to finish, it documents Hill’s amazing run to date as one of the biggest hit-makers of her generation, and for those who haven’t kept up with her studio albums and are craving some Faith, their money will be well-spent here.
Buy: The Hits
I agree with you pretty much completely. The only thing that doesn’t interest me is “Stealing Kisses” as a “brilliant” song. it really wasn’t that good in my eyes. other than that I do think 2 or three other hits like “If My Heart Had Wings” or “Like We never Loved At All” should have been added to the collection. It probably would have made it a lot more valuable to me personally.
The Hits is a great collection of Faith’s signature hits from the beginning of her career to present day, and the title does say it all.
This CD/DVD album has eleven (11) of Faith’s greatest hits, three (3) new tracks, one (1) new track with husband Tim McGraw, and eleven (11) of Faith’s music videos.
You can also purchase just the CD if you aren’t interested in the videos, but you would be missing out if you didn’t purchase the CD/DVD.
Any one who thinks Faith Hill is a “studio creation” has not heard the lady sing in concert and should listen to her “live” version of “Stronger” on the CD. This new track is vocally impressive and showcases her considerable vocal range (which is amazing)!
For me this one song is worth the price of the CD and is vocally flawless from beginning to end!
The only two things that would have made this album better would have been the addition of “When The Lights Go Down” and her live acoustical rendition of “Cry” with Angie Aparo (absolutely amazing vocals)! Had this rendition been released to country radio it would have been a bigger hit than it was!
The Hits isn’t Faith Hill’s very best collection (that is yet to come), nor is it a Final Collection; it is simply a great interlude piece in her musical career. This CD/DVD is progressive country music which has surpassed the “three cord” genre and in some songs is interspersed with bits of Pop music and lyrics, which most all of today’s country music is. Faith Hill’s “The Hits” is a great buy from one of country’s best female vocalist! Enjoyable and worth the money!
“All of the big hits are here.”….except the one I like — “Baby Let’s Go to Vegas.” Oh well, iTunes, here I come…
Not impressed. Not all the hits are here and some of the ones here need to be replaced. The songs that were added to the hits have not measured up to here other songs. Neither song has made a dent at country radio or billboard. Perhaps this album should have been done sooner rather than later.
Will not buy this CD