12 tracks · 44 min
While he has released over ten albums, Leo Sayer is characterized mostly as a singles artist, having found success with a series of soft rock gems in both England and America throughout the 1970s and early '80s. That said, The Essentials includes all ten of his charting singles, including "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)," and "The Show Must Go On." This collection is decidedly bare-bones -- while the package does feature digitally remastered recordings, archival photos, and detailed liner notes, the selected music offers nothing beyond Sayer's best-known and/or charting performances. And for most people, that's just fine. Essentials is note-for-note perfect for the casual listener who requires a budget-priced collection of 1970s fluff for his or her retro-themed costume party. The goofy, epochal "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" alone is worth the purchase price. True-blue fans should seek out Rhino's two-disc Show Must Go On collection for a more detailed look at Sayer's career.
