When they first broke on to the music scene, they were four teenage girls who looked and sounded like they wanted to be the new TLC, but within a few years they had pretty much outdone everything their idols had ever achieved. Somewhere along the line it all got a bit diva-ish and the line-up shifted a few times, but their popularity never really dwindled.

This greatest hits record has sixteen tunes on it which have all presumably been No.1 somewhere (but certainly not all in the UK!), and if you like soulful girly R&B, you can't really go wrong here.

It seems a little insane that they've opened the album with a brand new song, and the four minutes and forty-six seconds of Stand Up For Love drift by without really causing any kind of reaction before they get started properly with Independent Woman Pt.1.

There's only one song from their debut album, which may disappoint the old school fans; although they're more likely to be sorry the Missy Elliott and Timbaland collaboration Get On The Bus - which featured on second album The Writing's On The Wall - didn't make the cut.

It becomes clear listening to the album the way in which Destiny's Child have progressed. It's all got a lot glossier in recent years, but to put it bluntly, the tunes seem to have fallen to the way side. Either that or maybe it's just that Beyonce has been saving any gems they come across for her solo projects.

Speaking of Beyonce, there's a big 'Crazy In Love' shaped hole on this album. Obviously it was a solo attempt from Ms Knowles, but with its phenomenal success it probably seems as tied to the Destiny's Child brand as their biggest group hits.

The best songs on this record and those that came from their second and third albums. The likes of Survivor, Say My Name, Bootylicious and Bug A Boo make tracks like Soldier and Lose My Breath seem like a waste of breath.

As far as greatest hits albums go, Destiny's Child show themselves to be pretty ace, but still not quite the incredible force in R&B that some of their recent award ceremony costumes might suggest they think they are.

To put it simply, there's a lot of skippable tracks on this. It'd be far more worthwhile looking for The Writing's On The Wall and Survivor albums in the January sales and listen to the group when they were at their full potential. Album tracks like So Good and Apple Pie A La Mode are much finer examples of the exciting, inventive, catchy and soulful R&B pop that these girls are capable of. And let's face it - if you liked the recent hits, you've probably already bought them on CD single anyway.

share:  Facebook | Digg | del.icio.us | more

Mercury Prize 2009 nominees