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Rating: For this review, I will try to be serious (as much as I can) to talk about a singer who, in my opinion, deserves a lot, but who has too often been underestimated.
Perhaps because when Anggun emerged on the scene (only to later disappear into oblivion), she was competing against the usual well-known faces, like Britney Spears, who was then taking the world by storm with the usual and pointless "Baby One More Time." Anggun, on the other hand, brought a breath of fresh air to the music world with her melodies that were decidedly different from the usual American pop we are accustomed to. Or perhaps it's also due to her Eastern origins (Anggun was born in Jakarta, Indonesia), but the fact is that her songs, in most cases, do not seem like the usual rehash of notes we've heard thousands of times before.
In Italy, she is not very well-known, but at the time, MTV did make room for her. "La Rose Des Vents," the English version of which is "Rose In The Wind," was the hit that allowed her to cross Indonesian borders in 1998, even though she was already known in France and other countries. Many may have also heard her duet with Piero Pelù in the single "L'amore immaginato" in 2003. Or you might have occasionally heard "Undress Me" or "Saviour" on the radio, which, in my opinion, once again did not receive the recognition they deserved.
I decided to review the "Best Of" mainly because it was the first Anggun CD I purchased, even though I had known and appreciated her for several years. But more importantly, because it contains some (though not all) of her best songs, like, of course, "Rose In The Wind," "I'll Be Alright," "Snow On The Sahara," "Undress Me" and many others.
I believe that Anggun's strength lies primarily in her voice, one of the most powerful and distinct currently around. But her charisma during live performances doesn't hurt either, nor do the sometimes very Oriental-esque atmospheres (while still nodding to the usual pop) of her songs. Of course, the release of the "Best Of" in 2007 went almost unnoticed (perhaps because musical channels and radios were too busy discussing dear Britney and her messes to focus on a real artist), but I highly recommend it. Obviously, if you like heavy metal types of genres, I don't think listening to Anggun is one of your priorities, but if you have broad musical views, I think this is definitely for you.
I give it four stars because I trust that sooner or later, someone will realize that pop doesn't always mean poor quality music (even if it unfortunately often does). And especially in these times, when we are bombarded with American music (like the usual Timbaland, who manages to discredit deserving groups such as The Hives with his duets), turning our attention to other countries wouldn't hurt.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
07 Undress Me (03:33)
When I can't see right in your eyes
When I'm surrounded in the craziness of time
When you're understanding, is trying hard to stand still
When I wear layers of my pride, you should
Undress me, undress me
Unlock this chain and set me free
Remind me to be myself
Undress me, undress me
Unleash my heart and make me see
When I become someone else
Whenever I'm trapped in this tide
When I forgotten that there is you and I
When your persuasion is fighting in a blindfold
when I wear my bad moods to my mouth, you should
Undress me, undress me
Unlock this chain and set me free
Remind me to be myself, myself
Undress me, undress me
Unleash my heart and make me see
When I become someone else
Like a rose without its thorn
Like a bird without a song
Like the fire without the flame
If there's a painless love, we wouldn't be the same
Undress me, undress me
Unlock this chain and set me free
Remind me to be myself, my self
Undress me, undress me
Unleash my heart and make me see
When I become someone else
Undress me, undress me
Unlock this chain and set me free
Remind me to be myself
Undress me, undress me
Unleash my heart and make me see
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