5 comments about From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters.

1. I would recommend this for anyones collection. Elvis is great, the music is great & the sound is great. No re-mixes!!!!!! Its just the way Elvis wanted it to sound like. No one can improve perfection. I wish they would leave his music alone. These cd's are great!!!! You also need to get the 50's & the 70's Masters to complete the collection. All 3 of them are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. This five CD collection features all of Elvis Presley's "essential 60's masters". This does not include soundtrack recordings, gospel songs or live performances. Elvis' 1960s recordings sometimes don't get much respect, mostly because many of the soundtrack songs were pretty bad. But the non-soundtrack songs were of a much higher quality. Nearly all the songs in this collection are very good. A few unreleased recordings (mostly alternate takes) are thrown in to appeal to collectors. This is a great collection that reevaluates Elvis Presley's '60s recordings.



3. It's about time this box set was rereleased with better packaging and more recent remasters. That goes for the 70's masters box set, too.



4. Great collection of Elvis 60's music. Be sure to treat yourself to the 50's and 70's collection to complete your collection. There are several songs not included on other cd's. You won't be disappointed.



5. Why isn't that song on here? That's a fantastic song! Mercy!

5 comments about The Essential Marty Robbins: 1951-1982.

1. OTHER THAN NOT GETTING THE BOX THAT A SET IS SUPPOSED TO COME IN THE PRODUCT WAS PERFECT.



2. With the exception of Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, and Johnny Cash, no other Country artist had as big an impact on the more lucrative Billboard Pop singles charts than Marty Robbins, as no less than 24 times did he crack the Top/Hot 100, with another eleven just missing by making the "bubbling under" charts. And among that 24, four were Hot 100 hits only as Cap & Gown [# 45 in 1959], Is There Any Chance? and Ballad Of The Alamo [# 31 and # 34 respectively in 1960], and I Told The Brook [# 81 in 1962] did not make the Country charts.
   
   Also, contrary to one reviewer's contention, A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation) was not his best pop hit. That honour belongs to El Paso which was his only # 1 in late 1959/early 1960 [A White Sport Coat made it to # 2 in 1957 and was his second best].
   
   He did, however, have SIXTEEN # 1 Country hits, beginning with his very first for Columbia way back in 1952 [I'll Go On Alone] and ending in 1976 with Among My Souvenirs. Both are in this box set. In addition, he had 78 other Country Top 100 singles.
   
   So, yes, it would be rather difficult to put together a set containing 50 selections and not leave off SOMETHING of significance. In my case, for example, I would have loved to see Ballad Of The Alamo included.
   
   But hey, what is here is worth the price because, not only does it contain 24 charted hits, they are fully detailed in the 22-page booklet that accompanies the 2 CDs. This also contains informative liner notes written by Rich Kienzle in July 1991 along with many great photos of Marty over the years, as well as album cover reproductions (including his first), and personal appearance/movie poster reproductions.
   
   For once Columbia did something right.



3. The sound reproduction is excellent. This a very good collection of his songs, but the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that "Streets of Laredo" is conspicuously omitted. Considering that there are 2 discs with a total of 50 songs, I don't know why this song wasn't included.



4. The other reviewers have it pretty well-covered: this CD best covers the career of the Glendale, Arizona, native. Some of the early tunes are representative of songs that some people can point to as "hick" music. Marty didn't begin to hit his stride until the mid-50s with songs like "The Story of My Life" and "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation", the latter of which he wrote himself in just a few minutes. His "Don't Worry ('Bout Me)" was a unique crossover in that it employed the so-called "honky tonk" country sound with a malfunctioning piece of studio equipment that sounded like s "bass sax". (They left the sound in to great effect). His gunfighter albums were big sellers and, besides the classic "El Paso", included "Song of the Bandit" and "Cool Water", songs written by a hero of his, Bob Nolan, the main songwriter for his group, the original Sons of the Pioneers. Marty's ability to handle all popular song styles is displayed in this exceptional album. He refused to be placed in a rut or be classified as just a country singer. We could have done without some of the earlier unrecalled songs in favor of a few left out, but all in all, this item is well worth the price. For the record, "El Paso, City (by the Rio Grande)" is my favorite. Hope you enjoy it.



5. What did Elvis, Jim Reeves, Frankie Laine, Faron Young, Merle Haggard and Gene Autry all have in common? They were all fans of Marty Robbins; probably the greatest singer ever to grace Country Music. Robbins could have taken off his stetson, stepped out of his spurs and left the Country trail to be a Pop singer as his great voice effortlessly embraced songs such as 'That old Feeling', 'As time goes by', 'You made me love you', 'September in the Rain', 'Summertime', 'It had to be you' with versions that were better than many of the Pop balladeers of his time. The man was such an immense talent that most of his hits were his own compositions and not only could he sing any genre of music he could also write them as well. Soul is a much misused word in Music but Robbins had it in abundance and you believe it when Marty sings weepers like 'Begging to you', 'I walk alone', 'Don't Worry' and the vocal gymnastics he displays on 'Tonight Carmen', 'You gave me a mountain' and 'My woman, My woman, My wife' are a joy to the ear. His versatility is astonishing (probably only Elvis and Bobby Darin) can rival his talent for singing such a wide variety of songs. This box set is a stunner; Great versions of the oldies like 'Yours', 'Beyond the Reef', 'Ghost Riders in the Sky', plus a plethora of Robbins hits abound on this album.I am just disappointed there haven't been further volumes as there is enough in Columbia's vaults to justify follow ups of this truly once in a lifetime talent.

No comments about The Collection: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J./The Wild, the Innocent &....

5 comments about Perception (6CD/6DVD, Boxset).

1. If you are a Doors fan/lover, then this box set will easily satisfy you. I do prefer some of their other versions to some songs, but most everything else was right on. It was worth the price, and Amazon did a great job on the gift wrap. It was a memorable birthday present for my girlfriend, and even better for me since she moved in. Now we share this great Doors collection.



2. If you are a Doors' fan then this is a new way of listening to them. Out takes and new versions of old favorites.



3. The DVDs do have DVD-Audio (MLP) 24bit 96khz 5.1 tracks for every song.
   
   I couldn't find this info before ordering (Amazon is not very good at properly describing hi-res audio products).



4. if you own a high end audio system w a dvd-audio player this set is a must have for any doors fan.the 5.1 versions are smokin hot, the 1st album not so much probably due to the quality of the original tapes but by the time you get to break on through or wishful sinful you will be weak in the knees, la woman is the same release that was independant some years ago with the kickoff of the dvd-a medium. but the collection is well worth it if you are an audiophile, the other reviews that tell you to purchase the old packages obviously do not have dvd-a players



5. Without getting into all the technical points of this boxed set, this boxed set sounds awesome. Liner notes are outstanding. A must for the Doors fan. This is all you need!

5 comments about Dance of the Rainbow Serpent.

1. This is a 5 star affair but it would be nice to get a huge boxset of Santana's work. That said, the production is excellent and for a fan just starting out this is a fantastic overall view of Santana's output up through the 90s. He personally picked out the songs and that always seems to cause consternation among fans. Afterall, we all have our favorites and we expect that he would pick those songs. But it's great and the booklet has some nice insight into each of the songs and what made them, and continues to make them, special to Carlos.
   
   Thankfully, there is nothing from Supernatural or Shaman.



2. Okay, Santana has been alive and recording long enough, that it would take a small loan from a bank to gather all his collective recording together for purchase (not that you could find them all at one source)... so, in an effort to condense them all, I would recommend getting this recording.
   
   I suspect if you are buying this collection, you must already know something about Santana... so I won't go into every song on this outing, but some really good ones are the Woodstock playing of Soul Sacrifice... that is quite good. The drumming is good, if you enjoy drumming that is.. then the jam kicks in and it is quite enjoyable.
   
   One of my favorite CS songs is Samba Pa Ti. This version is so clean and production so good, it sounds like heaven in the earphones.
   
   Another great song is the tune (on the third CD) called Wings Of Grace. Sometimes I feel as though in an effort to make his songs sound so free, CS often gets clumbsy, but this song Wings Of Grace is so soaring.
   
   Side Note: I saw CS in 97 before Supernatural made him the great comeback kid, and he opened up for Dave Matthews (who really gave CS a shot in the arm introducing him to an audience that helped spur the sales of Supernatural) and there were only a spotty bunch of us in the crowd that was not there to see DMB, but to see CS. It was fun.. we had the T Shirts on and kept yelling CARLOS inbetween songs. Roots opened up for CS that night, then it was on to DMB all three sets were great...



3. This fabulous collection of Santana's best (as of this collection's release date, anyway) is a feast for his fans and sure to attract new ones from the present generation. The tracks on Disc One alone make the set worth its purchase price with its splendid renderings of "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va". Thanks, Carlos, for giving such a treat to your fans.



4. 
   Although the packaging for this set is lavish, the sound quality of the earlier tracks is very disappointing. "Evil Ways" sounds like it's coming out of an AM radio station, and the tracks from "ABARXAS" don't sound much better.
   
   Fans should skip this set and buy the first 3 Santana albums that were remastered in 1998 (which sound better than even the Mobile Fidelity CD's).
   
   Those 3 CD's also contain extra live tracks from the era of the original album's release that make ownership a must.
   
   In addition: Columbia/Legacy has released the first Santana album as a "Legacy Edition". Expanded to two discs, it delivers the first album, remastered again in 2004, with additional session tracks; the first, discarded recorded sessions for that album, plus for the first time, the entire Woodstock performance set.



5. Driving cross country last year, my brother picked out a dozen CD's to help me along my way. I didn't want any jewel cases to save space. Of these many disks, disk three of Dance of the Rainbow Sperpent was included. It has no track information on the disk and only the title "Spirit Disk 3". I had no idea who I was listening to until I returned home. I thought the CD was a best of various guest artists disk like John Lee Hooker and Vernon Ried. I also wondered why he gave me disk 3 only. There was a reason.
   
   Frankly I loved disk 3, particularly "Mudbone" of which the sample listed here only hints at it's potential. The song builds in intensity with all the instruments coordinated such that I thought perhaps a single artist layed the whole thing up in a studio. I strongly recommend those reading this, at the very least, download this piece of music as an mpeg file.
   
   I like Santana. Overall, I didn't think much of this CD. I'd rate disk 1 as a 3 or 4 (better to buy the LP Abraxis than this), disk 2 as a weak 2, and disk 3 as a very strong 5. Disk one included a live version of Soul Sacrafice that is weak compared to the studio edition. By the way, I'd rate Abraxis as one of the best LP of all time, so why include any of it here, when that LP stands so strongly on it's own?
   
   All in all, I liked the rhythm and subtlety of the song Mudbone on disk 3, so much that I was tempted to rate this album a 5 for that alone. I listened to that song over an over on autorepeat driving through the desert. Two tracks on disk 3 inlude John Lee Hooker, "The Healer" and the excellent "Chill out (Things are Gonna Change)". "Every Now and Then" with Vernon Reid is excellent also. When you mix talent like this, something wonderful happens.
   
   The question is this? Do you want to buy all three disks to get disk 3? If it was me, I'd say yes it's worth it. On the other hand, if you listen to mpeg files, you'd be better off paying for and downloading just those few songs.

5 comments about Chicago Box (Bonus DVD).

1. If you want music buy Group Portrait which mercifully ends with Chicago XIV.
   Disc five could and should have be replaced with the bonus material from the individual 1970s cd releases or a soundboard live concert from 1972-3 when the band was at its peak. Chicago XVI or much worse XVII and the rest is work the band should be ashamed of. This trash also brought in legions of dumb bell fans who don't mind a lethal dose of Michael Bolton in their music. Jason Scheff and the egotistical for no good reason gum chewing, scat singing Bill Champlin are the reason many original fans would not consider buying new Chicago product. Chicago was once a tight band that played amazing, complicated arrangements. Now they are their own cover band with sometimes just 2 original members playing formula power ballads to chubby girls who shout Jason! (squeal, giggle, giggle). When it comes to destroying their musical legacy this band has left no stone unturned.
   As for the DVD the short but sweet 1972 concert is what this band was once all about. In true current Chicago fashion it has been properly stunk up with the promo material for Chicago XIII. What were they thinking releasing "Must have Been Crazy" as the single? Who made this video? A high schooler taking a television/video mini-course? Must have been insane is more like it. "Closer To You" would have been a better choice. One thing to be said about the Dacus era is that they sounded much tighter live and seemed to have quit showing up for concerts drunk from what I personally witnessed.



2. If you're a Chicago fan don't bother with any of the many Greatest hits because they can't come close to this box set. It is awesome!!



3. You either love or hate the MOR Chicago sound, from 1969-1973/4 they were innovative and exciting. The decline can be traced to Terry Kath's death and Robert Lamm's decision to take a back seat for the next 30 years. Just buy CTA and see how far they fell....or buy Robert Lamm's solo stuff.



4. This set, to me, is one of their best. I already have many of these recordings, however, it's great having them in one set. The DVD is funny and entertaining.



5. I have met and spent time in the presence of Lord Michael Ramsey and Lady Jane. A delightful couple and saints both in the true sense of the word. I look forward to reading this book and having it in my collection.

5 comments about Long Train Runnin': 1970-2000.

1. While living in the Bay area during the turn of the decades (69-71) there was a fashionable shift in the music scene brought about partly by the so-called "end of the hippie era" and growing social consciousness that (rightly) put those "dazed and confused" years behind.
   Concerts were less a hodge-podge of available acts 'cause promoters had become savy to the ever growing fanbase(s) with similar "vibes". Example: you'd be hard pressed to find a concert billing that paired, say, 'The Moody Blues' with 'Steppenwolf', or 'Black Sabbath' with 'Donovan'.
   
   Out of this music schism people flocked to their favorites and fiercly tribalized behind the sounds that best exemplified their inner state.
   It was this enviorment that gave birth to the Doobie Brothers, who over several years capitalized on the "good vibe" manifesto challenged by the scenes more politically conscious and/or progressive contemporaries.
   Having seen them gigging around the Bay in those early 70's I was well aware of that part of their popularity. I fell away from their music as the 80's approached but heard snippets over the airwaves time and again.
   I was a little concerned as I considered this box if the later stuff would interest me (ie disc 3). Though the Doobies "sound" had morphed somewhat (line-up changes included) I can still see their appeal. There is a consistancy throughout which still harkens back to what I liked way back then. None of their appeal has diminished with me, I STILL find the music uplifting, propulsive, and a darn fine listen.
   
   This is a box set worthy of its subject. Four cds stuffed with music covering a solid representation of the 'DB' sound. A nice fat booklet full of info, all housed in a hefty long box.
   
   I won't quibble about the inclusion/exclusion factor, each to his own. The music is all Doobies and the "vibe" is what made/makes them so popular, still.
   
   All in all a great box set!



2. The first 3 discs are sort of a "best-of" collection, with a little too much stuff (and not necessarily the best-chosen songs) for the casual fan. The 4th disc, with the rarities, is definitely for the hardcore fan. I own pretty much everything else by the Doobies, so I would have liked to have been able to just get the rarities. I guess that kind of thing wouldn't be expected to sell well enough on its own, though. (BTW, disc 3 also features a couple of "rarities" as well: "Wynken, Blynken & Nod," which was the only decent track on a various-artists kids' songs LP, and the awesomely fun, brand-new cover of "Little Bitty Pretty One.")
   
   Since my interest lies in the rarities, I haven't concerned myself with the other tracks (except for the fact that this set frustratingly misses the opportunity to restore "Neal's Fandango" to the full length version that was on the original STAMPEDE LP but not the CD).
   
   The rarities are often fascinating, and worthwhile beyond their historical interest. Between Disc 4 here and the various unauthorized editions of a set of early demos that exist (EXCITEMENT, ON OUR WAY UP, etc.), it's clear that the Doobies' debut album did not include the best material they had available. Songs like "Four Days Gone" and "Bluejay" are not just good by reject standards -- they're good, period.
   
   Another interesting rarity is the studio version of "Olana." I would have thought the band was breaking up before this would have been recorded. It falls short of the FAREWELL TOUR version (where's that keyboard riff that drives the chorus?), but it almost makes it possible to imagine the Doobies continuing post-Pat Simmons. (Note that I say "almost.")
   
   My only issue with what is and isn't included on the rarities disc is that the so-called "unissued live version" of "Jesus Is Just Alright" is actually the version from the FAREWELL TOUR album.



3. Although they never garnered the critical praise of The Band, Mott the Hopple, CCR there were few bands that could hold a candle to the hit making strength of The Doobie Brothers. This collection gathers up a healthy sampling of their singles, best album tracks and rarities in a four disc set. While I would have paired back the selections from the band's weakest albums (including the awful "One Step Closer") (hence 4 stars), this collection doesn't skimp on the band's worthwhile output from their peak years.
   
   Sound quality is exceptional with a crisp detailed sound not heard before. Since fans will probably be familair with the bulk of the tracks here I'm only going to focus on the fourth disc with the bonus tracks. We get a number of good demos including Pat Simmons' "Daughters of the Sea","Four Days Gone", "Pat's Song"; Tom Johnston's "Osborne" (an early version of "Long Train Runnin'), "Lovin' My Way Back Home", "Peace in the Valley" all of which are strong tunes. "Bluejay" is also quite good and with "Peace in the Valley" one of the highlights here. It's a pity these songs never showed up on an album before now. "Armadillo Death Chang" is interesting as well--Johnston appears to have had a problem with song titles much like George Harrison in many cases as the title has absolutely nothing to do with this rockin' tune.
   
   "Outside of Barstow" is a demo with just Johnston and his guitar and, again, is a terrific little song that should have been revisited. "Spiel" is a John Hartman composition (the only solo composing credit the drummer received)that's really more of a joke track. I haven't listened to "Olana" in a while but this studio version of the Michael McDonald track is better than the live version from the 1983 final tour recording.
   The rest of the material was released in one form or another and these are either demos or alternate versions of the final tracks. We also get demos for "Sweet Maxine", "Shuffle" two demos from Michael McDonald "Takin' It To The Streets", "We Would Sail Away" both of which are strong demos. A Live version of "Jesus is Just Alright" from the live album sessions in 1982.
   
   The booklet has lots of rare photos, interviews and features the band discussing the changes over the years. If you purchased the most recent greatest hits release (2001)the text and photos from the booklet are the same. I was disappointed that there wasn't a DVD (much like the recent Pretenders set) as these guys in their prime were a powerhouse on stage. The four stars reflects the fact that the there could have been more previously unreleased material. I was hoping that the four tracks that Tom Johnston completed for "Livin' On The Fault Line" but withdrawn from the album would have been included but no such luck.



4. I found this at a wherehouse club for $38. There isnt a ton of gold to mine (even Michael Macdonalds 'You belong to me' is already on their expanded 20 track Greatest Hits.) I am a big fan of box sets and always ready to listen and learn. Its a good overview including the Michael Mcdonald songs from the 1976 Takin' It To The Streets album and a healthy sampling from Minute By Minute and One Step Closer.



5. Just a quick complaint about a great box set of Doobie magic,one of my fave tracks "Without You" ain't on it, was so disappointed!. But overall a great selection of all their classics and more.

5 comments about British Invasion: 1963-1967.

1. I've longed for a great compilation of British Invasion tunes - from '63 - '67 or thereabouts. I found it in this compilation. I love the mixture from the more rebellious to the simple pop sound that came over to give us all something to stretch even higher from. Great, simply great tunes. I could listen to these for the rest of my life, and hey - I plan to do just that.



2. There are some good songs here, but the third CD is basically a waste. Also, it sounds like some of these selections are not the versions that were played on the radio back then. Some of them are the hit versions, but others do not sound quite right. The third CD should have contained bigger well-known hits from that time, but it just seems to be filler and nothing I care to listened to again.



3. When will someone put only really quality songs on a retrospective CD? This is like every other "history of..." CD I have ever bought: you pay for a bunch of songs to get the few that really matter. A "British Invasion" CD without any of the Beatles early chart-toppers? Kind of silly, really. But I bought it for the few songs I had to have to cover this important era in rock history, and the sound quality did NOT disappoint.



4. This definitive 60s british collection brought back all the memories of growing up in the 60s, which I did. 54 great tunes -- remastered bringing out all of the wonderful music of a simplier time, and a few production defects you can't hear on vinyl.
   
   I loved it and would highly recommend buying this 3-CD collection.
   
   Bruce from Tallahassee



5. This is an excellent compilation of all the top British artists of the 60's and 70's. Great for anyone who appreciates that music era

5 comments about As Long as I'm Singing: The Bobby Darin Collection.

1. Catchy tunes from a bygone era. Even my 14 year old son enjoys listening!



2. This collection of Bobby Darin's best is great, but I can't help but feel it somewhat lacking. Now, don't me wrong, almost every cut on this boxed set is quite excellent. But even so, I can't help but think it could've executed in a much better fashion.
   
   First of all, I don't like the sequencing of the cds. I understand they did it to reprsent Bobby's versatility as an artist, but it comes off as a bit of a hodge-podge. Had I been in charge of putting together this collection, I would've put it together in chronological order, as I feel it would give a better sense of Bobby's growth as an artist over time rather than breaking the recordings up based on genres. It makes for a very incongrous listen.
   
   Secondly, while many if not most of the recordings here are essential, A LOT of great recordings are missing. Bobby's classic renditions of standards such as "More," "On The Street Where You Live," "The Good Life," "The Good Life," "I Got Rhythm," "Moon River," "Call Me Irresponsible," "Goodbye Charlie," "Softly As I Leave You," "Venice Blue," and many others? These are some of Bobby's best and most beloved recordings, but unfortunately did not make the cut.
   
   Also, and I know I will be flamed endless this, but I think a lot of the stuff on the fourth disc could've been extracted to make room for more worthwhile material. Sure, there's some great songs present such as the hit singles "Things," "You're The Reason I'm Living," "18 Yellow Roses," and "If I Were A Carpenter," as well as album tracks like "The Work Song," "Sally Was A Good Girl," "I'm On My Way, Great God", "Simple Song Of Freedom," and his covers of "Reason To Believe" and "Blowin' In The Wind," a lot of these recordings come off as a bit pretentious as if Bobby were seeing "Look at me, I'm versatile!," which he didn't need to do because everyone knew he was already. People will of course disagree with me, but I can think of many more worthwhile recordings that could've been added.
   
   That being said, this is still a very worthwhile collection by one of music's greatest and most underrated pioneers. The packaging is excellent to boot as is the great booklet. I recommend this, even if it is flawed.



3. I keep this 4 CD boxed collection in my car, Obviously it is not everything of Darin but a great selection, and it is with me to & from work. I guess I'm just a compulsive listener of this great entertainer.



4. By FAR AND AWAY one of the finest box sets ever produced about any singer! ALL of Bobby's Best is in here.
   
   There NEVER was another "lounge singer" like Bobby was, period! He had it all, from great "swing" style, to "blues", "classic rock", and "weepies" (if you will)!
   
   *(note)
   My only comment on this box is this....(I bought it hoping that the song "Here I Am" was included in it...it is not)...But, if you do a search here at Amazon for "You're The Reason I'm Living/I Wanna Be Around", it will take you to this wonderful double album, containing "Here I Am", plus many more GREATS that will "fill out" this box! Trust Me on THIS ONE, folks! You're gonna love this box (and the noted separate album(s). ~operabruin



5. If you missed some songs ,in this Collection you can find all .

5 comments about The Anthology (1968-1990).

1. As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.
   
   "The Anthology (1968-1990)" [BOX SET] contains forty-one tracks and for many artists it would be at least thirty-five too many. Luckily, for us Dave Edmunds is unique and the plethora of material is all thrills with no fill.
   
   The inclusion of both the music of Love Sculpture and Dave's subsequent projects enhances the legitimacy of the release to an even higher plateau.
   
   For those of you that haven't experienced the earlier side of Edmunds one listen to "Sabre Dance" will be a wake-up call. It is relentless rock and roll in your face with a bite. Quickly Edmunds diversity is showcased because the next tune is the Gershwin song "Summertime." The mood changes from glad to sadness and Edmunds six string reflects the emotions. "I Hear You Knockin" has been a stable on Classic Rock stations since its inception. The construction of the instrumentation and vocal delivery immediately impacts the brain. When the songs with Nick Lowe take center stage it is blatantly apparent that Edmunds has the unique ability to pay homage to his fifties roots but in such a way those that grew up on 60's and 70's rock and roll embrace the sound. "Here Come The Weekend" and "I Knew The Bride" are examples. "Trouble Boys" is one of those rock and roll tunes that capture a moment. The end result being free from the slightest flaw. When Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk" hits the speakers you are listening to one of the finest covers ever. The energy and conviction is superlative. Speaking of interpretations. How about the vision Dave had for "Queen Of Hearts?" Juice Newton (Major hit) saw it one way and Edmunds took it to a different path. His version of the Hank DeVito song could rank as the most underrated tune on the collection. "Singing The Blues" has been recorded a zillion times with brilliant versions from Guy Mitchell to Paul McCartney. Edmunds leaves his imprint with a terrific rendition. John Fogerty's "Almost Saturday Night" normally wouldn't sound proper coming from any other artist. Edmunds leaves enough of the Fogerty calling card to keep the version superlative. As you get near the end of the material the Edmunds penned tunes "Information" and "High School Nights" will satisfy your craving for his material.
   
   From Love Sculpture to a solo road and a pile or rocks, this is as good as it gets.
   
   
   Enjoy the music and be well,
   Craig Fenton
   Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"



2. The Dave Edmunds Anthology is an outstanding collection, if you are a Edmunds fan you will have heard (or already own) most of this material, but if like me, I purchased this to "retire" my old and worn Dave Edmunds vinyl collection....Great stuff for any fan of Rock n Roll/Roots rock.....GET IT !!!!!



3. Rhino does it again. This covers everything with 41 songs from Love Sculpture to Jeff Lynne. Includes a 52 page booklet with great liner notes but even better each song is covered individually and discussed by Edmunds and/or Billy Bremner. Something that surprised me is how little Edmunds wrote, only seven songs and they were co-written. I have never been a big Edmunds fan (I think like the Everly Brothers he's a little too white for my taste) but I do appreciate his talent and I find his music growing on me (like the Beach Boys & The Dead) as I grow older.



4. This is almost the definitive dave edmunds collection. It contains almost all you need. The almost faultsless Rockpile LP's are well represented and have aged splendidly.



5. Dave was a brilliant musician - you might describe him as an electric guitar virtuoso - and a good singer (though some of the early tracks are instrumentals), whose records often reflected his fifties influences, but his music always sounded fresh and exciting.

   His first success came with Sabre dance, an incredible cover of an old instrumental that reached the top five in the UK and was quite unlike anything else in the late sixties pop charts. He had no further success until I hear you knocking topped the British charts in 1971 and also a huge hit in America. This song was originally written and recorded by Smiley Lewis but was also an American hit for Gale Storm. However, Dave Edmunds made the song his own with his high-energy performance. Later in the seventies, Dave had further British success with Girls talk (an Elvis Costello song) and Queen of hearts, an original song that later became a huge American hit for Juice Newton. It is ironic that his biggest success as a recording artist was with a cover version, but that when he did come up with a great original song, it was somebody else who had the American hit. Baby ride easy is a country duet with Carlene Carter that is unlike anything else here.

   Some great covers are included in this anthology, often better than the original, including Promised land, Born to be with you, Singing the blues, Crying in the rain, Almost Saturday night and The race is on - so there's some rock'n'roll, some blues and some country in there. Bruce Springsteen wrote From small things big things come for Dave to record.

   There are many other great tracks here, too numerous to mention. They are by no means all covers. This is by far the strongest anthology of Dave's music that I've come across. If you enjoy early rock'n'roll, especially Elvis in the fifties, you will surely enjoy Dave's music.