AMG Review of Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Not the first box set to distill Steve Winwood’s far-reaching career into four discs, 2010’s Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood does have a leg up on its 1995 predecessor, The Finer Things, by the virtue of covering the 15 years separating the two sets, plus adding a higher dosage of Blind Faith to the mix. Nevertheless, this 58-track box -- with its songs selected by Winwood himself -- shares a whopping 36 cuts with The Finer Things. It’s such a strong overlap that it does suggest that there’s truly a defined Winwood canon, and even though it doesn’t contain the mega-hit “Roll with It,” along with a handful of other notable tunes, Revolutions doesn’t depart from that canon. Instead, it’s a handsome, effective presentation of it, worthwhile for any serious fan who doesn’t have an extensive Winwood collection.