The Isley Brothers - Forever Gold (1990)

Originally issued to commemorate the Isleys' four-album streak of gold records, Forever Gold served as a concise summary of the band's classic mid-'70s era. Though it's since been superseded by many CD collections, it does do its job, since "Fight the Power," "That Lady," and "For the Love of You" are all here in their original uncut versions, as well as their covers of "Hello It's Me" and "Summer Breeze." All are definitely essential, but can be found on other, more comprehensive collections. The one unusual cut here is "Hope You Feel Better," from 1975's The Heat Is On, a cut not found on most other Isleys albums. It's a great tune, but anyone starting an Isleys collection would automatically start with The Heat Is On, since it's a required album. What's more, the Isleys released many other indispensable songs after this album, so it's not nearly as crucial as it once was. As a summary of the Isley Brothers' classic era, Forever Gold is serviceable, and is worth a cheap purchase, but fans should really try to track down other, far more extensive samplers first. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, All Music Guide