The Essential Barry Manilow

Performer: Barry Manilow
Artist: Kid Creole & The Coconuts
Engineer: Maria Triana; Woody Pornpitaksuk
Producer: Barry Manilow; Eddie Arkin; Howie Rice; Jim Steinman; Ron Dante; Tony Moran; Al Quaglieri (Compilation)
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Barry Manilow (vocals); Kid Creole & the Coconuts. Recording information: Sony Music Studios, NY. Photographers: Herb Ritts; Firooz Zahedi; Lance Staedler. Even those who find Barry Manilow's music cringe-worthy are likely to know the chorus to "I Write the Songs," or to recognize the opening bars of "Mandy." That's because Manilow held serious sway over the pop and adult contemporary charts throughout the '70s, ratcheting up an amazing string of hits, most of which became staples of the soft rock canon. It cannot be denied that Manilow is a talented tunesmith capable of crafting powerful melodies, both melancholic and jubilant; and he parlayed this talent into a hugely successful recording and performing career lasting well into the 2000s. Arista has followed up the blockbuster sales of 2002's ULTIMATE MANILOW by issuing an expanded, two-disc greatest hits compilation dubbed THE ESSENTIAL. Naturally, the mega-hits--"Mandy," "I Write the Songs," "Looks Like We Made It," and the disco anthem "Copacabana"--are here, but there is plenty of fine material spread out over these 34 tracks, including energetic show stoppers from his 1977 live album. Disc two concentrates on the performer's output from the '80s, including forays into lounge jazz ("When October Goes") and swing ("Hey Mambo"). This is a whole lot of Manilow, and should satisfy anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of the singer-songwriter's best material.

To many the very embodiment of the soft rock and middle-of-the-road genres, Barry Manilow became an international superstar in the 1970s with a string of hits combining heart-on-sleeve sentiment and finely crafted songs with slick, highly orchestrated production. His ultra-showbiz image (which was likely influenced by his early days as musical director for Bette Midler), appealed to an extremely wide audience. Although Manilow has long been regarded as the antithesis of hip, there is no denying his considerable talent, and his fans are among the most loyal (some might say fanatical) in pop music.

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