Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan, the out and out queen of the Lilith Fair circuit, can now be seen as a 90's icon in retrospect. Closer : The Best of Sarah McLachlan, a collection of her greatest hits, has arrived to remind us all just how incredibly talented and relevant this songstress was.

Though her music was melancholy on a good day, McLachlan's vulnerable and deeply emotional lyrics remain touching and timeless. In over six albums, she has mastered the art of love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption. Though her most commercial effort "Surfacing" is likely what most of America will remember, her varied library of work is just as compelling.

The songs on the "Closer" are listed in chronological order, representing the best of each album. "Possession", from "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy", spins a tale of intense infatuation. The powerhouse "Hold On" is a wrenching lament for a friend who is dying of AIDS. "Am I in heaven here, or am I in hell," she cries as she chronicles her inner struggle with the situation. "Good Enough" is an equally strong effort about abuse and finding the good in oneself and using it to move beyond that place.

"Building a Mystery", a layered, well written interpretation of the ever complicated concept of faith, begins a set of very successful commercial hits McLachlan scored with her album "Surfacing". The beautifully sung "Adia" tells a tale of a woman seeking forgiveness from a friend she has deeply hurt in some way, seen in lyrics such as, "I search myself and everyone, to see where we went wrong." "Angel", one of her most recognizable Top 40 efforts, still remains as haunting today as it did when released over eight years ago. Finally, "I Will Remember You" was a decent effort about saying goodbye that became a high school graduation theme all around the world.

The last portion of "Closer" features some of the work from her latest album "Afterglow" as well as two new additions. "Fallen", a plea for freedom from shackles of a bad relationship, is the standout in a plethora of softer, Enya-lite tracks. Of the two new recordings, "Don't Give Up On Us" is closer to the potential that McLachlan is capable of. The melody resonates pleasantly and the simple lyrics are effective enough as she sings about holding on to her now distant lover. "U Want Me 2" is an adequate effort, but much like the bulk of "Afterglow", it lacks the necessary edge that musically and lyrically made her a huge success.

"Closer" is a very good representation of Sarah McLachlan as an artist. Though the raw quality of her live album "Mirrorball" (also a greatest hits of sorts) is a more accurate reperesentation of Sarah's music, this remains a must buy for any fan who is looking for a comprehensive collection of this artist's best work.