Let me tell you something about Rick Springfield: His music sounds much better than I remember it. Back in 1983, I agreed to go with my sister to see Rick in concert at the Blossom Music Center in Richfield, Ohio. And there may have been other members of the male species attending, too. But not many. That was definitely a woman's night out.

But years later, as I listen to this collection, I am amazed at how well crafted Rick's pop rock really was. The songs are definitely aimed at the teenage market: "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything for You," and "What Kind of Fool am I" deal with teenage love and heartbreak with emotional clarity and classic pop tunefulness. After I played this CD once, I was singing "Jessie's Girl," "Don't Talk to Strangers," and "What Kind of Fool am I" for weeks. Especially the latter song.

If you liked the catchier music of the early 1980's, then you couldn't go wrong picking this CD up.

In an era of sampling and remakes, it is refreshing to hear this collection of Rick Springfield hits. This CD brings back memories of why pop music of the 80s was and still is fun. Springfield wrote or co-wrote almost all the songs on this collection. "Human Touch," "Love Somebody," "Affair of the Heart," and the timeless "Jessie's Girl" remind us of the 70s and 80s when truly talented musicians cared about lyrics as well as melody. Springfield and Springsteen we need more like you!

I'm sure when most people think of Rick Springfield they think one-hit-wonder. "Jessie's Girl" was indeed one of the best songs of the 80's. Even I wasn't expecting to know much when I got this, yet track after track I kept saying, "I know this song", and usually knew it well. My personal favorites here would have to be "Love Somebody", "I've Done Everything For You", "Don't Talk To Strangers", and the great "Affair Of The Heart". Many others are as good, and the only song here I don't like much is "Celebrate Youth". There's just no hook on that one. Maybe it was just the era, but Rick had the ability to sound new wave on one song, pop on another, and just rock on many. After a listen to this collection, I think it's easy to see he was at least a ten-hit-wonder.

This compilation's long-awaited release could not have been timelier, as the fertile soil that Rick Springfield's prolific and visionary songwriting tilled almost three decades ago has given birth to the most vanguard acts today. Springfield's extensive influence is palpably overt in bands such as Broken Social Scene, Fischerspooner, and The Rapture, all who will undoubtedly make critical tastemakers' year-end lists. Some could argue that this package's release is only to cash in on having his name dropped in high-profile interviews in Magnet, but for faithful fans, it's a long overdue endowment. The sixteen tracks here run the full gamut of Springfield's career - every anthem, burner, and couple-skate you heard on Z-92 ("The Rock!") or over the loudspeaker at Putt Putt Mini Golf is here in all its Trans Am-blaring, soundtrack-ready glory. The compilation's digital transfer, credited to Mike Hartry, is dynamic and astounding: it's all here, everything from the blistering cascading guitar solos in "I've Done Everything For You" to the stadium-level amounts of reverb in the drum breakdown in the chorus of "Love Somebody". There are a few clunkers from his late-career overtly commercial gambits, such as "Don't Walk Away", which includes a cliche' wailing sax solo straight from the hospital scene in any cop buddy movie. But from the proto-emo anthem that spawned a thousand bands in "Love Is Alright Tonight" to the beginnings of the burgeoning electroclash movement in "Human Touch", Springfield once again defines himself as the father of today's fertile independent rock underground. Get this before those dorks at Pitchfork act like they discovered this masterpiece and you're an inept fool for not having heard it first.

Still great after all these years - maybe even better than in his heartthrob pop days. If you were a fan - this is a must - if not, you'll become one when you get it. I keep listening to it over and over - great, spirited, energizing and cheery. Thanks Rick Springfield for the human touch!