Kim Wilde's number one cover of
the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" gave her a number one hit back in 1987, but she gained chart life five years earlier with the glitzy bounce of "Kids in America," allied with the new decade's keyboard-laden
pop sound and peaking at number 25 on
Billboard's Top 40. The Singles Collection 1981-1993 is easily the most opportune avenue available to investigate the rest of
Wilde's material. While video may have been her best friend throughout her career, sporting her attractive looks and modest Brit attitude,
Wilde's music does contain some pleasing dance hooks and catchy melodies. "Another Step (Closer to You)" and "Love Is Holy" are bright and lively with typical yet congenial
pop melodies, while "You Came" mixes a clean, keyboard-aided backdrop to
Wilde's sheer vocal style. "Chequered Love" and "Water on Glass" aren't genius, but their arrant
pop melodies and simplistic beats are anything but standstill. Even minor efforts like "Rage to Love" and "Never Trust a Stranger" find a way of hurdling clichéd '80s
pop/rock fabrications so that they sound slightly fresh and breezy. Only the unbecoming "Cambodia" and the hollowed out "Child Come Away" should be avoided on this collection, as both lack the spirit that
Wilde usually packs. ~ Mike DeGagne, All Music Guide
