BWW CD Reviews: Scott Alan's GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 is Too Good Not to Own

I can't imagine a world without the music of Scott Alan. I first discovered his work by following Stephanie J. Block. Her recording of "Never Neverland (Fly Away)," once hosted on her website, led to me purchase DREAMING WIDE AWAKE, and I have personally been a fan of Scott Alan's charismatic brand of pop songs infused with Broadway storytelling elements ever since. Today, fans of killer Broadway and West End vocals and of Scott Alan's impressive musical sensibilities can rejoice as they add Scott Alan's GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 to their music collections.

Before you get huffy about purchasing songs you (hopefully) already own, you need to know that Scott Alan is one step ahead of you. This collection features his 16 greatest hits, all of which have been remastered for this project. Moreover, some have been given new mixes, and some have been re-recorded. So, you may have heard these songs before, but you haven't heard them quite like this. Also, the album features 19 tracks. So, in addition to the 16 greatest hits, you get "I'm Coming Home to You," a new song sung by The Voice UK runner-up Christina Marie, a remix of "I'm Coming Home to You" featuring the vocals of 80s power diva Taylor Dayne, and a remix of "Taking Back My Life" sung by dance divo Jonathan Mendelsohn.

Every song on the recording stands on its own because of Scott Alan's majestic composition and lyric skills and the stirring vocal performances. The artistry captured on this album is truly resplendent, and makes this one addictive collection of tunes. Listening to the record unfold before my ears, I found myself again captivated by Stephanie J. Block's soaring vocals on the wistful and hopeful "Never Neverland (Fly Away)." Shoshana Bean's radiant voice and deftly controlled belt makes the ballad "Home" deliciously romantic and sumptuous. RJ Helton's heartfelt vocals on "Blessing" make this poignant and timely song richly evocative. With the charisma and power that made Linda Eder a star, Kerry Ellis delivers an enchanting rendition of "Behind These Walls." Samantha Barks channels a 90s Lilith Fair vibe on the nicely biting "Defective." Cynthia Erivo's stunning and tangibly effective rendition of "Anything Worth Holding On To" perfectly utilizes melancholy to move our hearts. Christina Marie impresses with sultry vocals reminiscent of Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton on the smoothly R&B "I'm Coming Home to You."

Whether you're drawn to Scott Alan's GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 for being a who's who of incredible international stage talent or because you simply cannot get enough of his narrative lyrics and emotional compositions, this album is sure to delight and inspire for years to come. Like his other albums, GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 is a gorgeous collection of truly wonderful music. It's simply too good not to own.

Scott Alan released digital and physical copies of GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1 on November 4, 2014. The album can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. Also, autographed copies are available exclusively at Dress Circle. For more information about Scott Alan, please visit http://www.scottalan.net. You can also follow Scott Alan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.