All Fired Up: The Very Best of Pat Benatar

All Fired Up: The Very Best of Pat Benatar is an excellent two-disc compilation on one of rock & roll's first ladies. Her previous hit collection, Best Shots, was too brief (and is now outdated), and 1999's Synchronistic Wanderings is a little too much for the casual (or even devoted) fan -- this set is just right. All of Pat Benatar's charted singles are included, as are some of her key album tracks (unfortunately, "Precious Time" is the only glaring omission). Disc one includes the singer's earlier, more straightforward rock hits, from her first single, "I Need a Lover," to classics like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Fire and Ice," "Promises in the Dark," "Shadows in the Night," "Little Too Late," and the single edit of "Love Is a Battlefield." Disc two includes her mid-'80s, more pop-leaning hits, as well as several songs from her post-commercial success period, including "We Belong," "Invincible," "Sex as a Weapon," "All Fired Up," the blues tracks "Payin' the Cost to Be the Boss" and "True Love," and later singles such as the overlooked "Everybody Lay Down" and "Somebody's Baby." This collection also includes excellent cover and interior art and a wonderful booklet with great photos, pictures of all her singles and albums, and release dates. For those unfamiliar with Benatar's work, this is an excellent introduction, and a great hits package for the fans. ~ Jose F. Promis