Compiling a best-of collection for the Isley Brothers is tough. Not only because there's so much substantial music, but because they've recorded for so many labels, their music is widely-scattered.

Which brings me to the lone fault of 'The Ultimate Isley Brothers'. Lacking only their two mid-sixties Motown hits ("Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)" and "This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)"), this is a near-perfect collection.

But Motown is notoriously selfish with its hits, preferring to keep them in the family and not lease them out to other label's collections, no matter how lovingly those collections are assembled.

Which 'Ultimate' is. Re-mastered, with insightful liner notes by Elvis Mitchell, and track information detailing chart positions, release dates, etc., this is another exemplary issue in Legacy's Rhythm And Soul series.

This is a steaming slice of spine-bending funk and soul that no Isley Brothers fan should be without.

This is the first collection of hits from The Isley Brothers to contain their early hits from Tamla/Motown (Shout Part 1) and their ground breaking soul hits on T-Neck (top ten songs like It's Your Thing, That Lady and Fight The Power, which was later used in the Spike Lee movie "Do The Right Thing"). This collection shows how the Isleys were a formidable force in R&B music alongside acts like Earth, Wind & Fire and Parliament/Funkadelic, and they continued their success (in various incarnations through the 80s and 90s. This set also contains the anthemic "Harvest For The World", but the only thing that prevents me from giving this a five star rating is the omission of "At Your Best (You Are Love)" which was a #6 hit for Aaliyah in 1994.

Of course, compiling "greatest hits" albums is a serious burden. But of course, you are bound to miss one or two classics when putting them together. Spanning over fifty years, the Isley Brothers have undergone more transformations than any musical group - yet they have always been true to delivering brilliant cultural and social anthems along with their artistic mix of Southern funk and mellow pop/R&B.

This collection DOES give you a glimpse of their finest moments in music history...even going back to their 'first' hits such as "Twist And Shout" (before the Beatles made it a universal standard), "Shout" and "It's Your Thing". But what happened to their hits from their Motown days' such as "This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You"...or their infamous slow jams such as "At Your Best (You Are Loved)" or "Footsteps In The Dark" or how about "Choosey Lover". They ARE NOT on this album. We can't even begin to list the moderate hits they had in the 90s and even today! Of course, you cannot put all of the Isley Brothers' hits on one CD. And of course, I actually thought they could - but I was fooled. It cannot be done.

No, don't get the wrong picture, folk. The Isley Brothers are a breed of raw musicians that helped evolve the sound of funk and later established the thin link that connects R&B to pop. This album only gives you a glimpse of their awesome efforts. Sadly, it dosen't satisfy. Also, the song order is kind of depressing. You're hearing a hi-fi song from the 70s on "Groove With You" and all of a sudden, you're going back into time again in the 60s on the poorly, analog sounds on "Twist And Shout". One second you're jamming to the funk offered on "The Pride", and then you're back in the 60s with "Shout (You Know You Make Me Wanna)". You have to turn the volume knob back and forth just to make the musical experience pleasant for your ears. Maybe they should have put the songs in some chronological order. But even if the folk at Legacy/Epic did that, leaving out the other "Isley hits" would still stand as a poor judgement. Still to this day, there is no perfect "compilation" for this group; even the 3-CD "It's Your Thing: The Story of the Isley Brothers" isn't complete. Maybe some day they will get it together...until then, buy up all the individual albums of the Isleys and enjoy!

I have to agree with many of the previous reviewers...there is no possible way of doing a REAL "Ultimate Collection" of these Founding Fathers of RockFusionR&Bfunkafication, without making it an extensive (and expensive) boxed set. And even then, Motown, who has a legacy of being notoriously stingy with its catalog, still wouldn't kick in the essential cuts that would truly make it a complete overview of the Brothers' stellar career.

Still, if you have never heard of them, or you've heard the name but don't think you're familiar with their music, your education should definitely start here. The core of their hit-making songwriting and performing skills are all in these songs.

For the rest of us rabid IB fans or completists, we still have a long wait ahead of us, folks. Besides "Footsteps In The Dark, Parts 1 & 2" and "Voyage To Atlantis," you will also discover that such footstompers as "Take Me To The Next Phase, Parts 1 & 2", "Go All The Way", "Livin' In The Life" and its inevitable and explosive conclusion, "Go For Your Guns" are all M.I.A.

However, for a good start, this will do.

I recently purchased this CD. I was born in 1975 and fell in love with the smooth sounds of these cats at an early age and due to the tiresome sampling by rap stars may new generations continually be embraced by the beautiful soundmaking of these cats. THis CD even showcases the early Isleys which still show these cats could jam. But it was these music in the 70s and 8-s that solidafied these sounds for me. Ernie Isley is one of the most underrated guitarist ever. Check out his jamming riffs that soar on "Summer Breeze" and "Voyage to Atlantis" and "Who's that Lady". These riffs combined with Ron Isley's silky smooth voice is one of America's best treasured combination. In my opinion, Earth, Wind and Fire is great, but for me it is the instrumentation and visionary lyrics that elevate the Isleys. Songs such as For the love of you, grove with you, the pride,and harvest for the world are not just for lovers but were filled with visions. Even when the Isley remake a song "Summer Breeze" or diddle with Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"(not included here), "Hello It's Me" reinterprets the song to another level. This CD is an awesome compilation of song of the groups good hits. Even though it omits "Footsteps in the Dark", still it is certainly a good compilation nonetheless. However,these are my top 10 in order for the greastest hits of the Isleys:
1. Living for the Love of You (Simply breathtaking!)
2. All In My Lovers Eyes (Is this not a slow jam next to Sensuality)
3. Harvest for the World (So politically savvy)
4. Between the Sheets (Simply for its contribution to help other songs be that my better_
5. Footsteps in the Dark- (A great song of infidelity but told so musically chic..
6. Voyage to Atlantis - Do you not want to take the voyage,especially with ERnie Isley's sexy guitar playing?
7. Make Me Say it Again Girl - The sexual refrains and moaning by Ron Isley is infectious!
8. Who's That Lady -- Need I say more
9. Fight the Power--- Another wonderfully politically charged jam
10.Don't Say Goodnight -- Who could not make love after this song?

I cannot imagine a world existing without these musicians.

Honorable Mention: Choosey Lover, Let's Fall in love, Hello It's ME..and soooo many others... Thank you Isleys Brothers