Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega

1	Luka 3:52
2	Tom's Diner / The DNA Disciples 3:49
3	Marlene on the Wall 3:41
4	Caramel 2:54
5	99.9 F 3:15
6	Tired of Sleeping 4:25
7	Small Blue Thing 3:55
8	Blood Makes Noise 2:29
9	Left of Center 3:30
10	(I'll Never Be) Your Maggie May 3:48
11	In Liverpool 4:44
12	Gypsy 4:03
13	Book of Dreams 3:24
14	No Cheap Thrill 3:10
15	Calypso 4:13
16	World Before Columbus 3:27
17	Solitude Standing 4:39
18	Penitent 4:18
19	Rosemary 2:44
20	The Queen and the Soldier Live 5:02
21	Woman on the Tier (I'll See You Through) 2:26

Barnes & Noble

Suzanne Vega writes songs full of careful observations and precise details. She is able to tell a story in a few sharp lines, and what's most striking about Retrospective, Vega's first U.S. best-of compilation, is her consistency. From 1985's "Small Blue Thing," an ode to fragility, to 1987's "Luka," a touching first-person tale of child abuse, to 2001's "I'll Never Be Your Maggie May," a sharp retort to a possessive lover, Vega's songs simmer but never boil; she's a master of restraint. Even when the music accelerates, as on the DNA remix of "Tom's Diner," which became a surprise dance hit in 1990, or the clanking experiments-in-rhythm "99.9 F" and "Blood Makes Noise," Vega maintains a deliciously icy detachment. Retrospective is a generous collection spanning her career through 2001's Songs in Red and Grey. In addition to well-chosen tracks from each of her six albums, Retrospective includes the wonderful "Left of Center" from the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, "Woman on the Tier" from Dead Man Walking, the previously import-only "Rosemary," and a live version of "The Queen and the Soldier." With liner notes from Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye, who co-produced Vega's first two albums, Retrospective encapsulates a career full of small, beautiful things. Steve Klinge

All Music Guide

Retrospective: The Best of Suzanne Vega is essentially A&M's updated version of their 1999 issue, The Best of Suzanne Vega: Tried and True, adding "Tired of Sleeping" from Vega's Days of Open Hand, "Calypso" and "Solitude Standing" from Solitude Standing, "(I'll Never Be) Your Maggie May" and "Penitent" from the 2001 recording Songs in Red and Gray, and "Woman on the Tier (I'll See You Through)" from the Dead Man Walking soundtrack. Unfortunately, A&M chose to drop "Book and Cover" from the track listing, which was only previously available on The Best of Suzanne Vega: Tried and True, but the overall collection feels a little bit more hearty with a total of 21 tracks instead of 17. Gregory McIntosh