Alison Moyet had over a decade of international success behind her, first with
Vince Clarke in
Yaz and then solo, and her
Singles set served as a timely retrospective upon its 1995 release. The selection of tracks is balanced evenly and arranged chronologically (save for the inclusion of the unreleased cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" that kicks things off), opening with three
Yaz cuts, including the classic "Only You" and the dramatic "Winter Kills." Numbering among the highlights of this strong compilation are the gorgeous blue-eyed soul of "Invisible" (her biggest U.S. hit), the buoyant "Is This Love?," and the aching "This House."
Singles deftly mixes originals and covers (
Moyet's canny take on
Jules Shear's "Whispering Your Name" is another standout), and the four unreleased tracks will delight fans. With most of her hits present, this serves as a definitive and nearly flawless gathering of the best of
Moyet's classy catalog. [Columbia's 2008 edition included an 11-song bonus CD.] ~ Tom Demalon