“Best of” albums seldom move huge units, because those who
are warranted to put out such a collection have already reached multi-platinum
sales on their previous recordings. Yes, occasionally as a consumer it is nice
to see all your favorite tracks on one CD from the multiple projects; but the
flow of the collection very rarely mirrors the course that the original albums
took.
With seven studio albums spanning fifteen years, Mary J Blige, The “Queen of Hip Hop Soul” has every reason to
promote her work in this form to her extended fan base. Of course, Mary opts to take her project in a
different direction by opening with four new tracks. Being the entertainer she
is, she never short-changes her loyal following. The horn-infested “You Know”
definitely shows a new softer approach to her vocal range and is a welcomed
addition to the track listing of expected staples from her library.
Mary only placed three collaborations
on this offering, one being her 1995 classic, “I’ll Be There For You/You’re All
I Need To Get By” – featuring Wu-Tang
member Method Man – which remains
one of the greatest Hip Hop/R&B collabos of all time. The second
collaboration features John Legend
on the aptly titled “King and Queen,” which literally has the two going back
and forth plainly solidifying their regal status in R&B as the song title
suggests. The final duet is her appearance on “911” where she assists Wyclef Jean on his The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book project.
Still riding the wave of success however of her seventh album, The Breakthrough, the dominant force on Reflections: a Retrospective is actually
music from circa 2000. One noticeable album that wasn’t represented was the
2002 attempt at rekindling her former recording affiliation with Sean Combs, Love & Life. Combs
had been the driving force behind the Yonkers gal back in the early to mid
nineties when she arrived at Uptown
Records. Perhaps had Reflections: A
Retrospective housed the Eve-assisted
“Not Today” from the Love & Life
album, it may have provided a more up-tempo reprieve alongside “Family Affair”
and “Real Love,” from the traditional ballads we have grown accustomed to from Mary J Blige – which, I must say, are a
little overly represented on this collection.
But this is, after all, Mary J Blige,
and she is famed for her consistent soul searching and maintaining the
attention of those who encourage her sales by relating to the issues and
problems that many and most of them face. So this title will be a welcomed
addition for the fans who pay homage to their Queen. Could it have been any
better? Well that depends on who you ask, as we all have our favorites; but
realistically the album is a pretty safe bet which houses the tracks that she has
become notorious for.
