The Sweetest Fix

According to Christopher Hogwood, in his marvelous biography of Handel, "In the winter of that year [1750], Handel received what was for him an unusual commission. Although closely associated with the London theatre, he wrote very little incidental music for plays. A request from John Rich to provide airs and dances for Smollett's 'Alceste' was undertaken, according to Hawkins, in repayment of a debt to Rich."

This two-CD, 43-track box set is the most comprehensive retrospective of Motown's biggest female star before Diana Ross. Although her first hit, "Bye Bye Baby," presented Wells as a blues belter, she quickly settled into a sly and sassy groove. Subsequent hits like "You Beat Me to the Punch," "Two Lovers," and "My Guy" (all included here) made the most of her shy, seductive voice by teaming her with some great songs and production by Smokey Robinson. Although many of these tunes were relegated to B-sides, album tracks, or even the can (11 were previously unreleased), the material written by Motown stalwarts like Berry Gordy, Holland-Dozier-Holland, and Mickey Stevenson when Smokey was unavailable is not far below the hits in quality.

Nearly doubling the amount of tracks and running time of the similarly titled album, this video of one date on Sade's 2001 world tour serves as a handy greatest-hits package as well as documenting one of the classiest and highest-grossing tours of that year. Anyone who thinks Sade's music is too ethereal or plush to make an impact on a concert stage instead of the bedroom needs only to watch this to understand how the creative lights, imaginative set, rear projection films, and her impeccable band combine to create a performance every bit as exciting as Madonna's and far less ostentatious…