Make it about 4.5 stars and a must for Vandy fans!
John DeWald | Denver, CO USA | 04/09/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a bit of pricey 2-CD set, but if you dig Vandenberg, you have to consider getting this! The first disc is pretty much a greatest-hits collection. But as with any greatest-hits collection from about any artist, one can complain about omitted tracks. In this case, the studio version of "Friday Night" and the awesome instrumental "Prelude Mortale" are missing. But overall, disc 1 hits most of the highlights from Vandenberg's catalog and is 75 minutes long.Interestingly, you'll definitely need to enjoy the track, "Burning Heart", as it appears here three(!) times. The very first track is "Burning Heart (2004)" and it's a very worthy version. This one features more acoustic guitars, a few electronic percussion flourishes and some symphonic-sounding backing as well as some electric guitar. Sometimes when an artist says that they've got a "2004" version of an older song, they ruin it by making it "modern rock" or "nu-metal". Not here. As for other versions of "Burning Heart", the original studio version closes out disc 1. Disc 2 closes out with an all-acoustic version of "Burning Heart", though you can still hear some strings (violas, cellos, violins) in a few spots. Overall, I really enjoyed the new versions.Disc 2 is what is really a treat for the fans. It contains 7 demo versions and 3 live tracks. The demos are really eye-opening - they sound almost album-quality. It's fun to hear these demos and see what made it to the albums. The live tracks are quite cool and "Friday Night" is present, taken from a gig in Japan. Another rare track "Roll Through The Night" is also served up from a concert in the USA.If you like Vandenberg, you'll want this one even if you've got the studio albums. So it's pricey but worth it."
Track Listings (29) - Disc #1