Alison Moyet - The Best Of: 25 Years Revisited

Solo goodies collected and reworked

It’s sometimes forgotten that Moyet was the UK’s biggest-selling female artist for four straight years in the mid-80s, such was her across-the-board appeal. Having initially found favour with the indie fraternity as one half of synth-poppers Yazoo, she took much of that fanbase with her after moving into the more lounge-like MOR territory of labelmate Sade.

Elements of Yazoo can still be heard on hits such as Love Resurrection and Invisible, though Moyet’s formidable vocal range really gets a work-out on All Cried Out and her sole charttopper, a faithful reading of Billie Holiday’s That Ole Devil Called Love. Ian Broudie added shimmering guitar to her 1994 album, Essex, best heard on the gorgeous Whispering Her Name, originally recorded by US singersongwriter Jules Shear.

A second disc offers 11 new versions of back catalogue beauties, including a jerky guitar-led jazz workout through Situation, one of her former band’s best tunes. That’s the past taken care of, and Alf’s vibrant 2007 album, The Turn, proved she’s still got the chops to suggest the story is far from over.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Sony | 88697581282 (2-CD)

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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