20th Century Masters - The Best of Donna Summer: The DVD Collection
It's easy to appreciate Donna Summer all over again while watching these vintage music videos. "She Works Hard for the Money" features her least interesting vocal, though the video remains an uncompromising, tough look at the dreary lot of women in the menial workforce. The strange "Unconditional Love" sets the Jamaican-flavored song within an oppressive classroom, where a dowdy Summer teaches a bunch of blonde brats and ultimately liberates them with thoughts of freedom and respect. "There Goes My Baby" begins with a series of blackouts outlining a domestic quarrel, but the appeal here is Summer's ringing, transfixing vocal. "This Time I Know It's for Real" and "Love's About to Change My Heart" go right to the heart of Summers' unique expressiveness on dance tracks. These are hugely stirring ballads set against a disco drive and great fun to watch as Summers, looking quite smashing, becomes a true pop siren.--Tom Keogh