The Best of Donny Osmond [CEMA Special Markets] Album Reviews

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AMG Review

CEMA Special Markets' The Best of Donny Osmond is part of the label's budget-priced Ten Best Series, which contains the ten biggest hits from a particular artist. That theory doesn't strictly apply in this case. Donny Osmond was at the peak of his popularity in the early '70s, when he was only a teenager. All of those hits were for MGM, not Capitol, whose vaults CEMA scours for the Ten Best Series. Capitol had the rights for his late-'80s/early-'90s comeback material. During those years, he refashioned himself after George Michael -- which wasn't a bad move, actually. His hits were light, infectious dance-pop, and the very best, such as "Soldier of Love," were quite good indeed. All five of his charting singles from the era -- "Soldier of Love," "Sacred Emotion," "Hold On," "My Love Is a Fire," "Sure Lookin'" -- are here, along with selected album tracks. Truth be told, some of the lesser songs still sound like filler, but this is undoubtedly the best way to acquire the peak moments of Donny's brief comeback. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide