AMG Review of Greatest Love Songs

Jason Birchmeier
All Music Guide

Greatest Love Songs compiles many of smooth vocalist Will Downing's best and most passionate songs, beginning with his self-titled album (1988) and reaching all the way to his later work with Motown, All the Man You Need (2000). It's a nicely balanced compilation, featuring a few songs from each of Downing's albums, including some of his R&B hits such as "Free," "I Try," and "I Go Crazy." Since most of Downing's albums can be quite spotty, it's convenient to have a distillation of his work such as this, even if it focuses mostly on his more seductive and gentle songs. As an added bonus, Downing includes brief observations on each of the songs in the liner notes.