The Best of Brandy is a collection of Brandy's biggest hits.  Any 18 of Brandy's songs are going to make for a great collection.

Now, I can't in good concience call this a complete collection of Brandy's best music, on account of three really big omissions: “He Is,” “Tomorrow,” and “Open.”

“He Is” is an absolutely beautiful song - a diamond in the rough from Full Moon.  “Tomorrow” (from Never Say Never) is possibly Brandy's most emotionally intense song, and one of few songs ever to have made me cry.  “Open” is perhaps Brandy's best recording since her Never Say Never album; see my review of the Osmosis Jones soundtrack.

I'd have happily dropped a couple remixes to have two or three of these fit.

The Best of Brandy starts off with strong tracks from Brandy's upbeat, lighthearted self-titled debut; then progresses into her highly-refined second album, Never Say Never; then touches briefly on Brandy's third and fourth albums, Full Moon and Afrodisiac; and ends with some tracks not on any of her albums.

Because mastering engineers on the whole have an obsession with loudness, each year, records get louder and louder.  Putting songs from 1994 and 2004 on the same disc therefore poses a challenge, because you don't want the listener to have to adjust volume between tracks.  Therefore, the songs had to be remastered.  Not surprisingly, they went with louder.  (About 1.5dB.)

Getting those 1994 tracks louder meant more dynamics compression, which means lower quality.  It's not a huge difference, but if you have a good ear, you'll notice it; especially in “I Wanna Be Down.”

Apart from the album cuts, there are six tracks in total that you don't get on Brandy's albums.  (They have in all cases been published elsewhere, but it's nice to be able to get them all at once.)  Also, “Have You Ever?” on this disc is slightly different than on Never Say Never - I think it's the radio edit, though it's not listed as such.

The version of “Brokenhearted” on The Best of Brandy is the duet with Wanya Morris as opposed to the album version.  This version has a deeper, more melancholy feel to it.  As well as Wanya adding his usually skilled vocals, Brandy herself sings this version arguably better than on Brandy.

The Best of Brandy has one of the many versions of “U Don't Know Me” from the remix EP.  It has one of Rodney Jerkins' very dominant beats, and also features Shaunta and Da Brat.  Da Brat's got a cool, in-yo-face style.  Brandy does lay down some skilled vocals, though she's a bit secondary to the rappers and particularly the showy production.  The original of “U Don't Know Me”, from Never Say Never is smoother and more refined.

We're treated to the magnetic “Sittin' Up In My Room” from the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack.  It's no wonder this song won Brandy an MTV Movie Award, a Grammy nomination, and a Platinum single!

Next, Brandy joins Quincy Jones and Heavy D. on “Rock With You,” from Q's Jook Joint.  It's a catchy, upbeat number with clean, smooth vocals from Brandy and stylish raps from Heavy D..

Ray-J joins Brandy on “Another Day In Paradise,” a cover of the Phil Collins classic ballad about social inequity.  Brandy gives a beautiful performance, and Ray-J is quite good also.  This is possibly Ray-J's best vocal delivery.

The Best of Brandy closes out with the Human Rhythm remix of “I Wanna Be Down.”  The track has a good beat, thick but laid back.  Queen Latifah, YoYo, and MC Lyte drop some hip, relaxed rhymes.

The Best of Brandy covers the spectrum of Brandy's music fairly well (albeit with notable omissions), and makes for an enjoyable mix.