![]() |
While Billy Ocean would not be considered a groundbreaking or trendsetting Dance-Pop artist, he performed some of the most consistently enjoyable Pop music of the 1980's, and this is the best collection of his output available. The album is front-loaded with his biggest hits running in quick succession followed by a number of lesser, and sometimes more interesting, hits. The package is a good investment for both those interested in the crowd pleasing smashes from Caribbean Queen to When the Going Gets Tough and those wishing to dig a bit deeper into the Billy Ocean catalog. Billy Ocean is the most prominent Pop singer born in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. While his music fits squarely in the mainstream, he often maintained a subtle Caribbean influence from his national background. This collection demonstrates that Billy Ocean's style changed, sometimes considerably, depending on who was sitting in the production booth. "Mutt" Lange's bright Pop production is well-evident in the massive hit Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car and the engaging License To Chill. The deeper groove and more subtle melody of the classic Caribbean Queen is indicative of the production work of fellow Trinidad native Keith Diamond. Can We Go 'Round Again? is a delightful, unfairly overlooked, confection from Billy Ocean's early 90's work with R&B master R. Kelly. Alongside the obvious uptempo choices such as the smash hit Loverboy, Ocean's romantic ballads including There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) and Suddenly are well represented. Nearly buried at the end of the collection are three under-appreciated gems of Billy Ocean's career. The Motown beat of Ocean's Northern Soul classic Love Really Hurts Without You, his first chart hit in the UK, is irresistibly catchy. We're also treated to L.O.D. (Love On Delivery) and Red Light Spells Danger, all from the mid-1970's. This collection of Billy Ocean classics feels authoritative, extensive, and complete. If only one Billy Ocean recording is added to your collection, this should be the one. |

