Another Ultimate Collection Of All-Time Greatest Hits

The Best Of..., The Very Best Of..., The Greatest Hits, All-Time Greats, Essential..., Ultimate Collection ... I hate all these titles, because for real collectors they mean only, that another label has been juggling with the same songs, and maybe added something new not to create the feeling that this is a repackaged compilation already available on the market. Thus again, instead of enriching our collections with CD re-editions of regular LPs we are sentenced to somebody's taste and choice.
Currently reviewed compilation by Spectrum Music (division of Universal Music) contains 48 songs divided between three (why so many? All these songs would perfectly fill two 70-minute CDs! First example of the crisis of overproduction in the UK?), separately packed discs placed in cardboard box (my set received from British amazon was unwrapped, so be careful when unpacking your shipment, discs may slip out!).
In this form The Ultimate Collection has to compete on the market with other multi-disc collections. It has no chances to beat "Souvenirs" (4 CDs, 118 songs!) and may even have problems with two-disc sets: "Singles +" and "Ultimate EP Collection" containing 52 and 59 songs, respectively. "Lipstick and Powder" - the other 3-disc set still available on the market (also only 48 songs) belongs to the second league (see my review on UK amazon site) so is incomparable with this compilation.
Thanks God, Spectrum resigned here all these `stupid cupids' and focused on more `mature' cuts. The Ultimate Collection generally consists of lyric, love songs; among them the screen hits are strongly represented (11 songs, including "Born Free"). For the collectors who already possess other Connie's CDs (for example "Souvenirs", Bear Family boxes, Italian Hits or separate discs by Spectrum Music) this compilation brings only 10 new songs, taken from LPs "Happiness" ("Together Forever", "The Impossible Dream"), "Movie Greats of The 60's" ("The Good Life", "Call Me Irresponsible"), "The Songs Of Les Reed" ("It's Not Unusual", "A Lifetime Of Love"); "Hawaii Connie", "Modern Italian Hits", "Greatest American Waltzes" and "A New Kind Of Connie" are represented by alone songs: "Blue Hawaii", "Quando, Quando, Quando", "Anniversary Waltz" and "Like Someone In Love", respectively. I would strongly prefer to see the re-edition of each, whole LP mentioned above, instead of very few songs only.
The title of song No.7/CD2 "Eres (Call Me Irresponsible)" printed on the cover may suggest that this track was taken from LP "Grand Exitos Del Cine De Los Anos 60" recorded in Spanish. Unfortunately we hear this track in English.
The quality of all recordings is good, Spectrum provided full, natural sound, rich in low frequencies (which sometimes are balancing on the limits of the acceptance!). In some cases vocal parts seem to be exaggerated (e.g. in "Among My Souvenirs"; compare it with the same track taken from "Souvenirs"!). Therefore, the reference level of recordings brought to you by Polygram Studios in "Souvenirs" is so far unreachable! However, my favourite songs "(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow" and "When You Wish Upon A Star" sound here much, much better than on Bear Family disc (from the box-set "Kissin', Twistin', Goin' Where The Boys Are"), where while listening, I had a feeling of cotton swabs in my ears.
For those, for whom The Ultimate Collection is the first date with Connie, this set will be full of unforgettable impressions, for collectors - this is another set of songs already present in their collections, with only few extras. To reconcile the interest of both - three stars.