Disco de Lionel Richie: “Back to Front”

This review is for the K2HD version. As noone has yet to post a review of this CD and given it's price I felt compelled to do so. As I said I have mixed feelings about this disc, made and mastered in Japan.

First the good. The sound quality is exceptional. I have a high end system that reproduces the nuances of this disc very well. I think to truly appreciate the sonics of this disc one will need a very resolving playback system. That doesn't mean it won't sound good on any system. It's just the better the system the more one will be able to appreciate it's sonics. I have been auditioning some of the higher resolution discs as of late and have been quite impressed with many of the formats such as K2, DXD, and Utra HD. (The sound of the Ultra HD format is extraordinary BTW.) This disc provides outstanding details without being bright. The overall sound is warm and smooth and subtleties are very well expressed. Much closer to the "analog" sound so many audiophiles desire than what your typical redbook CD provides. If your looking for exceptional sound quality this disc certainly provides it. Another positive is it includes all of the lyrics to all of the songs and it all comes in a very nice "book like" package. Also this isn't simply a remaster of Mr. Richie's 1992 "Back To Front". It includes two songs not on the original CD, "Dancing On The Ceiling" and "Stuck On You". Yet this leads me to the negative.

This disc despite adding two more selections and being so well produced has the shortened, and in my opinion less likeable, "radio edits" of such classics as "Still", "Sail On", "Three Times A Lady", etc. For example, "Sail On" on this disc is the 3:53 version rather than the 5:30 album version. I find this very disappointing for a disc where so much went into it's mastering and production, not to mention price. Since it's obviously not simply a "better sounding" version of the original, by virtue of it's inclusion of two more songs, why not give us "better" sound of the better long versions and really make it something special? For this reason I can't give this disc a higher rating. If it had the long versions it would've easily gotten 5 stars. If you want the long versions I recommend the 2006 "Lionel Richie/Commodores Gold" 2 disc CD set by Hip-O. It features every song on this disc plus a lot more. It also has very good sound quality remastering which I've found to be the case with all of the "Gold collections"Gold [Original recording remastered]

Commodores, Lionel Richie | Format: Audio CD

. It's selling for far less than this disc. $15.38 from Amazon and even less from other sellers. I give the the K2HD disc A+ for sound, D- for music content, overall a C. If you want exceptional sounding short versions then get this disc. If you want exceptional sounding long versions take a pass on this. If you want the album versions go for the well remastered "Gold" set.

I grew up in the 80's hearing Lionel Richie sing all these songs, so i got the cd and the songs are just as good as they've always been. It never gets old cause they are all classic, this is what 90's music is missing....there will probably never be much music thats good like this. Another thing i like about this CD is that it includes some good songs from The Commodores along with Lionel's best hits. The only complaint i have is that my favorite song that Lionel sings, "You Are" is missing.

There are often times where a decent artist can make or break the best reflection of their career with a greatest hits record. While it is often desired as well as it could be, it is often declared as a miss. That has been the case with so many artists like Whitney Houston, Melissa Etheridge, and the late Luther Vandross. They've had a very wonderful reflection of music, but it wasn't that way with their greatest hits records. For Lionel Richie, he has been another example. His era of his solo works, and his success with The Commodores in the 60's and 70's, is arguably some of the most elequent works ever in the history of the Motown era, and his first greatest hits is a mixed reflection of good works.

Back To Front, Lionel Richie's 1992 greatest hits record, tries to do a good job at reflecting Lionel's solo works with his efforts with The Commodores in a convient package of music. The collection does have a lot of great songs that still remain defiant towards Lionel, and what has made him one of the most elequent singer/songwriters ever. The collection includes a lot of great songs from his career including Endless Love with Diana Ross, the Oscar-winning Say You Say Me from White Nights, All Night Long, Easy, and the tender ballad Hello. Although the album does include some great songs, there arguably could've been more added on that was overlooked from not just Lionel's solo works, but also The Commodores as well. The collection overlooks tracks like Love Will Conquer All, the soft and soulful Stuck On You, and Commodores tracks like Lady (You Bring Me Up), and Brick House.

All in all, Back To Front fairs well as a good hits collection reflecting Lionel Richie's career, but there just could've been a whole lot more to have been desired that should've been shown. I absolutely suggest you purchase the 2003 Lionel Richie Definitive Collection instead. It is a much better greatest hits record than this one.

Album Cover: B 1/2-

Songs: B-

Price: B-

Remastering: C+

Overall: C 1/2+

I must admit that I hadn't listened to Lionel Richie in about 20 years, but for some reason I felt compelled to purchase this CD a few years back - and I am really glad that I did!

"Back to Front" is filled with the best love songs ever sung by this amazing artist! It's one of those CD's where every song is great, and the artists passion is palpable. Plus, it brought with it some wonderful memories from my high school days - when Lionel Richie was at the top of his game.

I would recommend this CD to anyone who remembers listening to Lionel Richie in the past - once you hear him again, you'll remember why you loved these songs back then! I would also highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys listening to great love songs - Lionel Richie is one of the best crooners out there!

Lionel Richie was always the truth. He always left his touch. He understood words&Music as well as anybody who has ever done it. the Brother can Write. he has that songs&Vocal moments where you are yelling OUTRAGIOUS!!!!! this is a Artist's Artist. He is One of My all Time Favorite Artist's Ever. I miss when His Music was Dominating the Charts. I wish all of these Rappers would go away&Lionel Richie's Music was running things again. this is a soul Brother who brought it.Only Michael Jackson had a Bigger impact back in the 80's than Lionel Richie. Irony they both Wrote the Mother of all World Uplifting songs in 'We Are the world". Lionel is only 2nd to MJ in terms of Leaving a Successful group&then going solo&blowing up even bigger. but Lionel Richie as a Songwriter is on that Mount Rushmore of Great songwriters. the Brother wrote them songs that you feel in your guts. LR was always the Musical Truth. this is a Great collection. Lionel Never sold as a Artist. he always stayed in his lane. Props to the soul brother always on Dat. he got the Career that is should be a required Blue-Print. he did it the right way.