A  "greatest hits" package stuffed with a few new songs, a few remixes, and a few hits.

August 16, 2005 - Used to be a time when a band put out a "Greatest Hits/Best Of" compilation midway through their career. These efforts were usually timed for release during a hiatus or when said band had moved on to another label for more money. Then their previous label would usually release a compilation to cash in on the band's forthcoming publicity blitz while their new label would usually put out such a record to fill the gap until a new release was ready.

Times have changed, however, and the new wave of pop stars tend to crank out "Greatest Hits/Best Of", "Live" and "Remix" albums at the drop of a hat. As such it should come as little surprise that after only three albums—one of Christmas standards and two of mainstream pop—Hilary Duff has released a greatest hits package. Though to call Most Wanted a greatest hits package is something of a misnomer. Only five of the album's 13 tracks are culled from her two previous pop efforts. Added to this mix are three brand new tracks, three remixes, and two songs that previously appeared on the soundtrack to Cinderella Story.

If you're a devout Duff follower, then you've heard the inclusions from Metamorphosis ("So Yesterday" and "Metamorphosis") and those from Hilary Duff ("The Getaway," Mr. James Dean," and "Fly"). You've probably heard the two tracks from Cinderella Story, too ("Girl Can Rock" and the pretty decent cover of The Go-Go's staple "Our Lips Are Sealed"). That said, the only draw for this album are the three new tracks and the three remixes, causing one to wonder why Duff and Hollywood Records didn't just release a six-song EP or why they didn't just commission a few more remixes and put out a remix/new song album instead. Go figure.

The new tracks come courtesy of production team Dead Executives (aka The Madden brothers from Good Charlotte) and run the gamut from "Wake Up," the first single from the album. Following in the footsteps of her compatriot/nemesis Lindsay Lohan, the track is one of those lament laden endeavors where Duff whines about her fame and how nobody really knows here. Like Lohan's "Rumors" Duff's track is masked as a boppy club jam that offsets the self-pitying lyrics "There's people talking/They talk about me/They know my name/They think they know everything/But they don't know anything about me" with a party anthem chorus of "Wake up/Wake up/On a Saturday night/Could be New York/Maybe Hollywood and Vine/London, Paris, Maybe Tokyo/There's something going on…"

"Beat Of My Heart" doesn't try for subtlety as it utilizes the much overused heartbeat for the foundation rhythm over which Duff croons in her best post-post-post-modern New Wave manner. It's like a glorious uninhibited slab of Euro pop as filtered through the vocal chords of a warm-blooded American girl. Conversely "Break My Heart" sounds not unlike a GC outtake, thanks to their patented slick and clean "punk" guitars and a chugging rhythm that helps Duff take more of an aggressive "rock" posture.

On the remix front "Come Clean (Remix 2005)" goes for a thumping house infusion courtesy of Chris Cox. "Rock This World (Remix 2005)" goes for a Kid Rock-meets-Aerosmith rock blitz augmented by wafts of hard-edged pop theatrics. And "Why Not (Remix 2005)" is all hyperkinetic pop taken to a speed-rift level of sugar high bounce. But perhaps the best inclusion is the "hidden" remix of "I Am," which adds new depth to the 2004 song thanks to swelling synths that reverberate with a decidedly '80s indie waver.

In the long run Most Wanted is a filler album at best. The new songs that are served up still show Duff chasing trends rather than setting them and actively searching for her own voice and image. The remixes are decent enough, but nothing stellar (how about a remix album of Duff tunes as re-imagined by some of the top-notch DJs, electronic musicians, and laptop wunderkinds out there? Now that would truly be something to behold.

Definitely Download:
1. "Wake Up"
2. "Our Lips Are Sealed"