Michael Bolton - Greatest Hits 1985-1995 (1995)

Michael Bolton possesses numerous attributes inherent to a great recording artist: a grandiose voice able to be at once overwhelming and gentle, the vision to convey powerful emotional details with simple vocal inflections, and the ability to set his songs in precise musical colors. But what is probably his most overlooked quality is also his greatest strength: the man is a tunesmith nonpareil. Not only is he a powerful songwriter in his own right (having written for everyone from Barbra Streisand to Kiss), but his knowledge and choice of cover songs borders on the omniscient. And they all become hits: the proof is on Hits 1985-1995: Best of the Best Gold. It was Bolton's renditions of soul classics that first gained him an audience. Zelma Redding, widow of the legendary Otis Redding, called Bolton's chart-topping take on "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" her "all-time favorite version," and his interpretation of "Georgia on My Mind" personifies the timeless elegance of modern pop. Yet his own compositions shine just as brightly: "Soul Provider" glides with a smoky, saloon feel, "How Can We Be Lovers" deftly communicates the complexities of relationships, and "Steel Bars" (co-written with Bob Dylan) moves with classic Bryan Adams-ish abandon. Hits 1985-1995: Best of the Best Gold also shows off Bolton's knack for nurturing hits out of current songwriters, and finding nuggets ripe for renewing. Among the latter is the remake of Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne's "A Love so Beautiful," a sweeping ballad on which Bolton pays homage to Orbison's unique tenor. Among the former are "When I'm Back on My Feet Again," "Time, Love and Tenderness," and "The River" -- all by Diane Warren -- all modern-day epics of the heart that place the fleeting, indescribable moments of love (and love lost) into exquisitely poetic pop statements.