Tribute and remix collections are always a bit baffling. Too often the remixes, overzealous in their attempts to "update" a song, add thudding dance beats and some electronic wizardry. Invariably this fiddling saps the song of any heart it once had, making it feel naked despite it's new and updated clothing. It is much like the fable of the vain king who hired some crooks to make him fine clothing. Instead of crafting clothes, the crooks instead utilized their imagination and spun a yarn where the honest and trustworthy would be able to see the fine clothing, whereas anyone who should not be trusted would see nothing. So when the king was unable to see the clothes the crooks presented, he was too embarrassed to say so and parades himself in public naked.
This is rather what the remix artists here have done, though to less nude results, and without the same deceptive malice on their part. The songs just don't feel right all tricked out in today's loud beat generation. These new clothes for Curtis Mayfield, a legend on par with Marvin Gaye, are just a load of senseless fluff, loud and driving though the beats may be.
I only recommend this collection for people who already own a lot of Curtis Mayfield cds and are looking for something familiar, yet different all at the same time. No one else should bother. If you are new to Curtis Mayfield you would be much better off checking out "The Very Best of Curtis Mayfield."
1.5/4
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