"On her mid to late 1960s recordings, Marianne Faithfull's voice was at times so delicate that Michelle Phillips' voice sounded positively robust by comparison. But that's one of the reasons Ms. Faithfull's early work was (and remains) so endearing. The other reasons? One, she possessed talent right from the start. Two, she and her producers selected songs perfectly suited to her style and range. And three, the production values (notably the musicianship, the background vocals and the arrangements) were first-rate.
Without question, this 2-disc compilation of her early pop and folk recordings is the best-sounding offering in the digital age. I think this is the fourth such comp I've bought since the ABKCO "Greatest Hits" CD came out some 15 years ago. The production team here has really done a superb job of remastering these recordings, some of which are now at least 40 years old.
So why only a 4-star rating? The absence of her first hit single -- "As Tears Go By" -- is a major drawback for me. This was the song that introduced Marianne Faithfull to most of us who embraced Top 40 radio all those years ago. It really should have led off disc 1. I'm puzzled why it wasn't included.
That said, the songs that are here, including her other major chart entries -- "Come And Stay With Me," "This Little Bird," and "Summer Nights" -- sound better than they ever have. Unlike with previous comps, I don't have to crank this one up to hear her voice and the musicians and singers who accompany her. Her older CD comps sound flat, listless, even muddy. This one fills the room. It has presence. So, whether you want to upgrade what you have of her early work or you're curious to know what Ms. Faithfull sounded like years before she gave us such darkly memorable albums as Broken English, Strange Weather (which soulfully revisits "As Tears Go By"), and Before The Poison, the 2-disc The Collection is the one to get."
If you love Marianne Faithfull's folk early days, this is it
uthungus | San Francisco, CA | 02/16/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you're looking for "Sister Morphine" "Eyes of Lucy Jordan" or any later remakes of Faithfull's early works this is not the place to find them! All of these are during the period of time when her voice was young, fresh and at times operatic. This includes her folk pieces for the "hard-core" folk listener but also lovely covers of things I never realized she even did that others took to more recognized heights.
Examples being "The First Time Ever I saw Your Face", "Monday Monday", "If I Never Get to Love You" (IMO a gentler version than the late great Timi Yuro's which I still do love anyhow!); "I'm a Loser" and yes, she even covered Petula's "Down Town" very sweetly!
Thoroughly enjoyable listening experience of another time in a great artist's long career!
"
Love in a mist
Mary A. Enriquez | Walnut, Ca USA | 11/08/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I loved this!!!! It brought back lovely memories of my flaming youth in England in the 60,s I always think of Marianne as a gentle girl lost in the mist waiting for her truelove to appear on the moors to rescue her at which time she promptly turns into "LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY" and kills him with lovesickness. This dvd is wonderful and if you like the "young and Innocent" convent girl who rocked you will love it."
Marriane Faithfull Pre-Broken English era voice.
i. t. j. | 03/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An excellent collection for starters, my only complaint was that it mostly and very nearly contains the complete first two cds that she released-which are not that hard to come by and did not include much from the oh so rare and hard to find copies of North Country Maid and Loveinamist. More of the latter would have been excellent. Also note that Marianne's classic and 1st single As Tears Go By is missing. There needs to be a collection 2 with more from the rare cds otherwise its as good as it gets-it contains 40 songs so its quite extensive but if you're looking for just her hits and none of her filler then I would recommend Marianne's greatest hits with 16 tracks only."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1