Berlin
's
electro
-
pop
sound is salvaged only by the enduring and assertive voice of
Terri Nunn
, which is why
The Best of Berlin
is the most preferable place to hear this Los Angeles-based group's music. The synth-soaked punch of
"No More Words"
from 1984's
Love Life
album and the week-long number one
ballad
"Take My Breath Away"
from the film
Top Gun
are the album's high points, while the other tracks are made up of clean and bright
techno
pop/rock
with heavy emphasis stemming from three different keyboard players employed throughout the band's career.
's '80s poignancy provided some rather palatable music, even if the charts didn't say so. Songs like
"For All Tomorrow's Lies"
and
"Blowin' Sky High"
could compete with anything
Soft Cell
or
A Flock of Seagulls
spouted at the time, and the range of
Nunn
's vocals elevated most of
's efforts above the norm of the run-of-the-mill synthesizer glitz, but only marginally. A compressed lineup of their most accomplished material is definitely the best way in which to enjoy
, avoiding all the inessentials that crept through their albums. ~ Mike DeGagne