Hits Album 10 (CBS / WEA / Phonogram / Polydor, 1989)

Review
1989 saw the Dutch Hits team make a change. The double album releases of the past were cast aside for a 16 track single LP with its CD equivalent featuring 18 songs. Digital buyers rewarded. The bonus pair? Gail Ann Dorsey – Where Is Your Love?, Countdown All Star Band – Countdown. Phonogram and Polydor also climbed into bed with CBS and WEA.

Several of the tracks would also feature on other 1989 UK compilations. Bobby Brown’s quickstep of cool My Prerogative was immortalised on the fantastic Smash Hits Party ’89 while The Hits Album 10 nabbed Will To Power’s driftwood Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird, Gloria Estefan’s dreamy Can’t Stay Away From You and Roachford’s funky Cuddly Toy. Step back in time to The Hits Album 9 for the Pasadenas’ Enchanted Lady. Elsewhere Tom Jones and the Art Of Noise’s two worlds collide Kiss was on Now That’s What I Call Music 13. And Now That’s What I Call Music 14 hoovered up Kim Wilde – Four Letter Word, Level 42 – Tracie and Robin Beck – The First Time.

The lowdown: Simply Red’s understated It’s Only Love. Kissing A Fool, George Michael’s smoky smooching Faith closer. And Fleetwood Mac’s new song for their 1988 Greatest Hits album: As Long As You Follow, overshadowed for so long. Twin vocal attack and ultra sultry. Dig out your soul to Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine and Gail Ann Dorsey’s Where Is Your Love? The ghost of sophisti-pop lingers on Tanita Tikaram’s daring Cathedral Song. Shop local with The Nits. One Two Many: I can’t believe it’s not Bruce Hornsby. The piano sound on Downtown is a delight. And again: the real thing. Tony Hatch wrote Downtown; the Countdown All Star Band remodel it to extol the virtues of Countdown. Naturally it’s the Dutch music show rather than Channel 4’s flagship gameshow.

Favourite tracks
George Michael – Kissing A Fool

Tanita Tikaram – Cathedral Song

Lest we forget
Fleetwood Mac – As Long As You Follow