The first time I heard "Love & Affection", I was a snotty-nosed 16 year old who thought Genesis and E.L.P. were the cat's meow. When I heard her rich, deep, soulful voice sing about the price of love and the cost of friendship, when I heard the gorgeous ear-candy pop arrangements that underscored such a beautiful voice, I knew then and there that heaven would sound exactly like Joan Armatrading. I rushed out to buy JOAN ARMATRADING, a wonderful album released at a time when her label (A&M) boasted incredible pop smarts and a great promotions team (especially in Canada); their hard work meant pop radio stations sometimes took chances and played music just like hers thereby impressing a younger generation (like mine). Her voice has been a constant companion since then. From the jazzy inflections of "Show Some Emotion" to the new-wave electro-pop of "I'm Lucky", the edgy eighties soft-rock of "Drop The Pilot" to romantic ballads like "Willow", Joan's music has always been there to pick me up when I'm down. A&M's remastered hits anthology is a breath-taking collection of all her best moments (fans should try to find a double CD anthology released by A&M U.K. in the mid-nineties that was even better!). It's to her credit that this stuff still retains all its passion, power and soul.

While this compilation covers more of her songs than "Track Record", it still isn't complete. Either way you look at it, you really need to buy all her early albums to fully appreciate the magic of Joan Armatrading.

This compilation is ideal though for those just discovering her because it features early gems such as "Whatever's for Us" and "Love & Affection".

Joan was recently voted in the top 200 influential women of rock of all time. Well deserved.

Joan is underrated in many countries, and almost forgotten by radio now. It's sad that so many only know her for the success of "Drop the Pilot" in 1983. That song is not really representative of her magic.

Joan Armatrading was born to do this. Her songs traverse the emotional spectrum from one end to the other with the grace and agility of a dancer. Her voice is at times rich with joy and at other times, drenched in pain. Her writing is sometimes sublime, sometimes frivolous but always compelling. She is a genius.

Joan Armatrading was popular -- Yes, POPULAR!-- back in the late 70s and early 80s when she released "Me Myself I" and "Walk Under Ladders." Aside from being one of the most stellar voices in popular music, she is a superb songwriter as well, in the same league as Bonnie Raitt and Sinead O'Connor. Song's like "Rosie" "Me Myself I" and "All the Way from America" are veritable anthems. Every time I hear them I get chills. Phenomenal stuff. I can't recommend Joan Armatrading highly enough...and if you ever get a chance to see her in concert, don't miss her.

I'm surprised more folks don't know about Joan Armatrading - especially with all the great women artists there are right now. She was holding her own long before Paula Cole, Natalie Merchant, etc. This is a great cd - soulful & yet it really rocks at times. There's never been another song like "(I Love It When You) Call me Names" - it makes me laugh everytime I hear it. Go Joan!