STACK #206 Dec 2021

MUSIC FEATURE

CHART Vinyl

WHITNEY HOUSTON I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU: THE BEST OF WHITNEY HOUSTON “Bittersweet memories/ That is all I’m

P!NK ALL I KNOW SO FAR: SETLIST Britney, Jessica,

and Christina – this was the holy trinity of pop during the late ‘90s, and they shared a very specific

taking with me,” Whitney Houston sang in 1992, delivering what would become her signature

aesthetic. Enter Alecia Moore stage-left, who at age 21 burst onto airwaves as P!nk, sounding less like Britney’s “born to make you happy” brand of boy-worship and more like the sass-soaked tunes of Destiny’s Child and TLC. She quickly revealed that live performance was in her blood, imbuing her shows with vibrancy and athleticism. Her natural stage presence is well displayed across this greatest hits live album, including several covers, emotive bangers, and even her famed MTV Video Vanguard speech, which left eyes swimming and hearts bursting at the 2017 award ceremony. TOP TRACK: Who Knew FAST FACT: Door number 18 of Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena was painted pink in reference to the artist’s record-breaking 18 shows performed there during her 2013 The Truth About Love tour.

1. ADELE 30 2 TAYLOR SWIFT Red (Taylor’s Version) 3 NIRVANA Nevermind 4 ED SHEERAN = 5 ABBA Voyage 6 TAYLOR SWIFT Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

song – and a poignant foresight into a career marred by myriad abuses (physical and psychological), touched by triumph (Houston’s artistic genius was undeniable), and eventually cut off by her untimely death in 2012. This compilation puts that track – I Will Always Love You , recorded for the 1992 film The Bodyguard – at the centre of an evocative collection, with 19 songs spanning Houston’s every achievement. It’s a treat to be astonished anew by her gospel prowess and the way she carves an emotional arc throughout a track, and on vinyl, these songs shine particularly bright. TOP TRACK: I’m Every Woman FAST FACT: Houston was introduced to I Will Always Love You by her The Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner, who suggested Houston cover it as the film soundtrack’s lead single.

7 OLIVIA RODRIGO Sour 8 HARRY STYLES Fine Line 9 ABBA Gold 10 RADIOHEAD Kid A Mnesia

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