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Now that we're more than two decades into the era in which pop artists' music videos are at least as important as the music itself (if not more so), it's easy to forget just how innovative and interesting the videos turned out by Eurythmics throughout the '80s were--at least until you take this 21-song anthology for a spin. From 1982's "Love Is a Stranger" through 1989's "Angel," Eurythmics Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, working with a variety of producers and directors (sometimes including Stewart himself), turned out a remarkable array of clips. Often enigmatic, usually arty, sometimes rather cold and humorless (if not unamusing), they are never less than thoughtful and provocative, with an extraordinary range of ideas and techniques. Those same adjectives apply to Lennox, who's not only a sultry, soulful vocalist but a fascinatingly chameleonic visual presence. She assumes dozens of different personas, from red-haired androgyne to Monroe-esque vamp, from mousy homemaker to leather-clad dominatrix and beyond (she and Stewart both play some 15 or more different roles in "The King & Queen of America" alone), and is rarely less than riveting. It also doesn't hurt that the visuals accompany some outstanding songs and performances, like "Sweet Dreams," "Here Comes the Rain," "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" (with Aretha Franklin), "Who's That Girl?", "Missionary Man," "Miracle of Love," "Would I Lie to You?", and many more. And while the synth-pop style of the earlier recordings sounds a bit dated these days, the videos have lost none of their appeal. Put simply, Eurythmics: Greatest Hits is a treat. --Sam Graham
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