There's no passive in-between when it comes to Michael Bolton: people either love him or hate him. Like Celine Dion, he's an easy target for the latter: his lyrics are blindly lovestruck, his production slicker-than-slick, and he's got the nerve to cover songs that were considered definitive in their original form. And then there's those superemotional, bombastic vocals. But those who have an ear for a well-crafted pop tune with a passionate vocal no doubt have a soft spot for Bolton, and this generous, 17-track set argues their case considerably.

Bolton's writing chops and vocal skills are in equally fine form on ballads like "That's What Love is All About," "Soul Provider," and "Missing You Now," and even adult rock is in safe hands on the likes of "How Can We Be Lovers," "Time, Love and Tenderness," and the Bob Dylan co-write "Steel Bars." As far as the remakes are concerned, Michael tears into "Georgia on My Mind," "When a Man Loves a Woman" and the chill-inducing "Sittin On the Dock of the Bay" with such authority and passion it's obvious he loves the songs deeply; comparisons are inevitable but completely unnecessary, as Michael clearly has no intention of creating new classics but rather paying tribute to old ones.

And for a greatest hits package, Bolton serves up a healthy dose of new tunes: the country-tinged "I Promise You," the atmospheric "This River," and the aptly-titled "A Love So Beautiful" are lush ballads to treasure, and "I Found Someone" finds him cleverly remaking his own tune a la "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" (the songs, both written by Bolton, were originally made hits by Cher and Laura Branigan, respectively). But a real surprise is found in the eyebrow-raiser "Can I Touch You...There?," as Michael lays down a sensual vocal over a sparse, hip-hop flavored track laced with pan flutes and ethereal keyboards. The dark, moody cut proves once and for all that even a middle-of-the-road pop artist can't be completely pigeonholed. In fact, the album as a whole proves that notion, as it becomes unavoidably obvious that even though Michael Bolton may have had the hair and vocal register to invite criticism, he also had the songwriting technique and pure, honest passion to silence it. Fans of mature pop music can't do much better.

I think that Michael Bolton has a beautiful soulful sounding voice. I don't understand why so many people are upset about him recording his versions of Otis Redding, Ray Charles, and Percy Sledge. I love Otis, Ray, and Percy, but I also love Michael Bolton. I feel that he is honoring these R & B stars when he sings their songs. I don't see anybody bashing Whitney Houston when her remake of Dollie Parton's I Will Always Love you became a mega hit. All of these reviewers that criticized Bolton and gave him one star must have some other motive behind their opinion of him. (maybe like being a little jealous) Michael Bolton is handsome and talelnted with a great voice. He's also intelligent and sensitive. So all of you player-haters just stop hating on this handsome hunk of talent, and just let the man do his thing.

I have a gazillion CD's but this one is my absolute favorite. I hate loud music but when I put this on I crank it up, can't get enough of it. No one can come close to the power and soul in Michael's voice. I am a professional singer myself and am a pretty good judge of vocal ability. I strongly recommend this recording.

Sometimes I lay awake at night and just dream of this cd...It fulfills my every dream and i eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the occasional snack to this cd. I don't think I have ever taken this cd out of my player ever since I got it. Whenever I hear this cd it makes me cry so hard that it's like I was at Niagara falls all over again. I can't imagine my life without this cd, and if I ever lost it I would commit sepeku all over the place and not even think twice about it.

Michael Bolton, (I first knew him mistakenly as Michael Dutton from a radio announcement) was the singer behind a vast number of major hits that dominated commercial radio during the 1980s and 1990s. He first came to prominence with the sudden high entry of his version of "Dock Of The Bay" (I used to sing it as "Top Of The Bay") onto the charts in 1988.

In 1990, Bolton began to dominate the airwaves with a vast string of hits, of which the upbeat songs like "How Can We Be Lovers" and "Time, Love And Tenderness" were rather painless to listen to though they certainly were extremely pompous, Bolton's voice certainly appeared to convey some real emotion. They were also undeniably catchy and could bear hearing on commcercial radio.

However, as time went by, Bolton moved onto softer and softer, airier and airier ballads that really did make his voice sound painful, grating, even tuneless. The early "When A Man Loves A Woman" is barely distinguishable from a version by Australian Jimmy Barnes but really has little tune, whilst the flyweight "Said I Loved You But I Lied" is even harder to listen to as Bolton mumbled through both verses and chorus in a way that ought never to impress.

"How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" was more of the same, but the then-new tracks are just awful even compared to Bolton's earlier output. There is not a single memorable hook in the new tracks, and Bolton's voice, really best designed for hard rock or heavy metal, falters trying to sing a tune with any gentleness in it at all, yet alone such flyweight songs as these.

Pleasant, yes, memorable, anything but. Look elsewhere for something that will keep you listening.