Rik Emmett

The first retrospective of his solo career, 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rik Emmett gathers his biggest hits outside of Triumph, including "Saved By Love," "The Longing," and "World of Wonder." For the most part, this compilation focuses on the more pop-oriented side of his solo career, spanning ballads like "Let Me Be the One" and "When a Heart Breaks" as well as upbeat, mainstream rock like "Big Lie" and "Bang On." Live renditions of "Middle Ground," "Lay It on the Line," and "Hold On" from 2000 add a welcome rawness to these songs, even if they do sound somewhat out of place with the glossy productions on the rest of the collection. While including a couple of Emmett's new age pieces would've given more depth to the collection, overall 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rik Emmett is a good starting point for his pop/rock-based solo work. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide