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Reviews
Destiny's Child
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Released: 18th March 2002.
I'm reviewing this after only a couple of listens, but perhaps this sort of album needs to be assessed on "gut reaction"! With a forthcoming delayed tour, no totally new group material since the "Survivor" and Christmas albums and solo projects in the offing, a remix package was perhaps a logical step by Destiny's Child as a group, and it's not unsuccessful in that context.
Several tracks will be familiar - "No No No" Wyclef style, and the "Bootylicious" and "Nasty Girl" reworks that have been made into videos of late, as well as various alternate versions of tracks that have been released before as singles B sides, and "Independent Women Part 2" which also featured on the Survivor album.
Standout tracks for me include the Neptunes Remix of "Emotion" - in fact an alternate vocal version that challenges the original for harmonic quality - and Maurice's Xclusive Livegig Mix of "Bills Bills Bills" - sure to get you "shaking your thang"!
A nice touch is the bonus track - Michelle singing "Heard A Word", a track from her forthcoming solo album "My Heart to Yours". Michelle, for me, is the DC member whose talent is as yet the most untapped, and her easy, bluesy, almost retro vocal style makes her an Ella Fitzgerald or Dinah Washington for the 21st Century with enourmous "crossover" potential (Radio 2 take note!).
All in all though, I have to say this is mostly a treat for die-hard Destiny's Child fans, so please take my comments and the score in that light!
What is the target market for remix albums? Die-hard fans of course! It's naturally naive to think that "This Is The Remix" is an disc the fans of Destiny's Child will like.
This album comes from people who think the fans won't mind buying an already released material, as long as they own a complete discography by their favourite group.
Is that the way to treat the fans? I think not. Surely the fans will already have most of all the singles and therefore all the remixes somewhere. They won't have the odd one or two that are so far exclusive for this album though. Are they any good then?
You have some bog standard dance remix of "Nasty Girl", a song that was supposed to be the fifth single from "Survivor" but now it turns out it won't be. You're meant to buy the album instead.
There is also a new solo track by Michelle, in order to get the Destiny's Child fans interested in what's bound to be a really boring gospel album she's about to release. It's nothing to look forward to, judging by the unexciting "Heard A Word", which doesn't fit in with the remix album at all. Also, there is an "E-Poppi Remix" of a song called "Dot", available on "Charlie's Angels" soundtrack.
That's it. Really. The rest is old stuff. Vaguely interesting is the "Jumpin' Jumpin' (Extended Version Remix)" and the Neptunes remix of "Emotion", which is on the CD2 of the "Emotion" single, as well the remix of "Bootylicious". The dancey remix of "Bills Bills Bills" isn't bad either, but the whole thing just has the word "mediocre" written all over it.
To sum up, the last offering from Destiny's Child oozes the "highest profit at lowest cost" approach, which doesn't really go with quality, presenting a highly unremarkable selection of tracks that don't really stand out above the noise.
Oppose the idea of fan exploitation, don't let them get you and refuse to buy the album. It's really not worth it.
This release uses copy protection, and might not play on all current or future equipment.
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