It's been 15 years since the release of Katie Melua’s debut album, the chart topping Call off the Search (2003), and now BMG are releasing Ultimate Collection. The 2-disc release is compiled by Melua and features 30 songs from her 7 studio albums as well as her cover of ‘Fields Of Gold’ (the Children In Need 2017 single) and 2 brand new recordings: ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and ‘Diamonds Are Forever’...

Katie Melua is one of those artists that has just sort of faded into the mists of time. I recall her output in the '90s but, other than 'Nine Million Bicycles', I couldn't for the life of me think of one of her singles that I knew... But then I wasn't really a huge fan.

Of course, once I listened to this 2-disc, 33 track (2 hr, 02 min, 12 sec) album, the memories came flooding back. Mind you, I was also reminded how bland Melua's distinct brand of pop is. There's nothing that memorable, here that Melua fans won't already own and as far as I could tell these weren't new recordings - other than the two new tracks, covers of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and ‘Diamonds Are Forever’.

It was interesting to revisit some of her old hits I'd completely forgotten about, but it's not really an album that I'll be that keen to revisit in the future. But this album isn't aimed at me, it's a collection, chosen by Melua for her fans. And if you followed her back in the '90s then this is a collection that you'll be pleased to own.

Track listing:

Disc 1
01 - Nine Million Bicycles
02 - What a Wonderful World (with Eva Cassidy)
03 - Plane Song
04 - The One I Love Is Gone
05 - Crawling Up a Hill
06 - In My Secret Life
07 - The Love I'm Frightened Of
08 - Red Balloons
09 - Belfast (Penguins and Cats)
10 - A Time to Buy
11 - What I Miss About You
12 - Spider's Web (Single Version)
13 - Thank You Stars
14 - I Will Be There
15 - River

Disc 2
01 - The Closest Thing to Crazy
02 - Dreams on Fire
03 - Wonderful Life
04 - If You Are so Beautiful
05 - Piece By Piece
06 - The Little Swallow
07 - Just Like Heaven
08 - Call Off the Search
09 - The Walls Of The World
10 - The Flood
11 - Tiger in the Night
12 - I Cried For You
13 - If You Were A Sailboat
14 - Where Does The Ocean Go?
15 - Perfect World
16 - Bridge Over Troubled Water
17 - Diamonds Are Forever
18 - Fields of Gold

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Nick Smithson