Subtitled Notes From Planet Earth (whatever that means) this newly compiled collection from the Dalkey Dynamo claims to be different in one major respect from previous Greatest Hits offerings. Apparently, the track listing has been chosen by fans who, in a recent poll, submitted their favourite songs for inclusion on the album.

The fact that it doesn’t include long time De Burgh favourites such as that epic tale of intrigue, ‘Spanish Train’, or ‘Shine On’ or even ‘Waiting For A Hurricane’ makes you wonder if at least some of his fans aren’t suffering from collective amnesia. Even more surprising is the omission of ‘Lonely Sky’ one of his genuinely accomplished songs and a long-time showstopper.

Still, most of the other big ones are present and correct including of course, ‘The Lady In Red’, and other chart-makers like ‘Sailing Away’, ‘A Spaceman Came Travelling’ and ‘Where Peaceful Waters Flow’. Along with these, let’s-face-it, schmaltzy ballads, are those big synth-driven 80’s AOR workouts including that well-known fare-dodgers anthem, ‘Don’t Pay The Ferryman’, ‘High On Emotion’ and ‘Ship To Shore’.

Several songs are re-recorded for the project including ‘Missing You’ and ‘Patricia The Stripper’ whose mock risque-ness sounds even more cringe-making in its updated form than the original version did all those years ago. ‘I Want It (And I Want It Now)’ is given a DJ Q-Ball remix which amazingly works quite well.

Given the current reign of all things pop, most of this stuff doesn’t sound as bad as some would have you believe and time will probably be kinder to Chris De Burgh than his sternest critics would like to admit.

Hardly an ultimate collection though.