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SINGLES is a the double-disc, 40-track release by U.K. pop singer Dusty Springfield and includes "I Only Want To Be With You," "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself," "Windmills Of Your Mind," and "Some Of Your Lovin'." There are a seemingly infinite number of compilations featuring the blue-eyed soul and R&B of vocalist Dusty Springfield. What separates The Singles+ (2003) from many of the others is being able to find one package with all the hits as well as enough key album tracks to suffice for those wanting a thorough yet compact collection. For starters, it should be noted that there is no material from the folk-driven trio the Springfields. Nor are there tunes from her return to the spotlight in the '80s and early '90s. What can be found on this two-disc anthology are 40 of her most celebrated solo songs at the absolute peak of her reign as England's A-list diva during the '60s -- this despite being legally blind and suffering from severe bouts of personal shyness and insecurity. However, as soon as the spotlight was cast, Mary O'Brien (her birth name) turned into a sexy and sultry vocalist with whom there are but few to compare. With equal measures of Brit-pop, hip-grinding R&B, and lushly scored ballads, Springfield became a household name and musical icon on both sides of the Atlantic. Her string of hits ranged from the upbeat and cheery "I Only Want to Be With You" and "Stay Awhile" to a host of Burt Bacharach and Hal David compositions such as "Wishin' and Hopin'," "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself," "The Look of Love," and "In the Land of Make Believe." She also drew deeply from the well of Brill Building writers Gerry Goffin and Carole King, with seminal covers such as "Some of Your Lovin'," "Goin' Back" (which was played at Springfield's funeral in 1999), and the lesser-known "Don't Forget About Me." As one might anticipate, The Singles+ also sports her timeless readings of "Every Day I Have to Cry," "My Colouring Book," "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten," "Son of a Preacher Man," "Breakfast in Bed," and the Philly soul of Gamble & Huff's "A Brand New Me" and "Silly, Silly Fool," as well as a haunting rendition of the Rascals' "How Can I Be Sure." To be sure, this is a fine compendium for all but the most complete-minded enthusiast. ~ Lindsay Planer
