The Annie Lennox Collection (Super Deluxe Version)

iTunes Review

Annie Lennox's post-Eurythmics years have seen her Arctic Goddess persona gradually melting away, revealing the vulnerable mortal underneath. The Annie Lennox Collection testifies to the consistent strength and stylistic focus of her output since the release of her solo debut Diva in 1992. Lennox’s unmistakable voice — by turns remote, insinuating and anguished — works best in stately, elegantly tooled pop settings. From songs of romantic discontent (“Why,” “No More ‘I Love You’s’”) to maternal joy (“Precious”) and urban angst (“Pavement Cracks”), she’s found ways to apply her otherworldly presence to universal themes and emotions. Along the way have been some intriguing side projects, including soundtrack contributions to Bram Stoker’s Dracula (“Love Song for a Vampire”) and Lord of the Rings – Return of the King (“Into the West”), both included here. The buoyant “Pattern of My Life” (written by Keene’s Tom Chaplin) and the celebratory “Shining Light” (first recorded by the Irish group Ash) are newly recorded tracks with an upbeat edge. Lennox has grown even more expressive and human with time.