Originally issued to commemorate {$the Isleys}' four-album streak of gold records, {^Forever Gold} served as a concise summary of the band's classic mid-'70s era. Though it's since been superseded by many CD collections, it does do its job, since {&"Fight the Power,"} {&"That Lady,"} and {&"For the Love of You"} are all here in their original uncut versions, as well as their covers of {&"Hello It's Me"} and {&"Summer Breeze."} All are definitely essential, but can be found on other, more comprehensive collections. The one unusual cut here is {&"Hope You Feel Better,"} from 1975's {^The Heat Is On}, a cut not found on most other {$Isleys} albums. It's a great tune, but anyone starting an {$Isleys} collection would automatically start with {^The Heat Is On}, since it's a required album. What's more, {$the Isleys} released many other indispensable songs after this album, so it's not nearly as crucial as it once was. As a summary of {$the Isley Brothers}' classic era, {^Forever Gold} is serviceable, and is worth a cheap purchase, but fans should really try to track down other, far more extensive samplers first. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, All Music Guide