Poems, Prayers & Promises
Artist: John Denver
Community Score: 9.50
The Linda Ronstadt Box Set
Artist: Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt's generically titled four-CD, five-hour, 86-track box set retrospective attempts with considerable success to encompass the many types of music she's sung from the mid-'60s to the late '90s. The album is divided into five unequal parts, with 31 tracks given over to an "Album Retrospective," followed by seven tracks from "The... Read More

Come on Now Social
Artist: Indigo Girls
Community Score: 5.50

Indigo Girls had sort of boxed themselves into the corner during the late '90s. They had become pop culture icons, as known for their politics as their music. Unfortunately, being in such a position meant their music had gotten a little stale, as the good but predictable Shaming of the Sun illustrated. The duo seized the opportunity to... Read More

Ring the Living Bell: A Collection
Artist: Melanie
Community Score: 10.00

The title of Renaissance's Ring the Living Bell: A Collection gives the impression that the double-disc set is a comprehensive overview of Melanie's career. Take a look at the back cover, towards the bottom of the disc: it makes it perfectly clear that the album consists of "newly recorded and digitally remastered" tracks. So, it isn't all that... Read More

Chasin' Gus' Ghost
Artist: John Sebastian

John Sebastian's Lovin' Spoonful combined his love of folk music with elements of contemporary electric rock in the '60s. More than 30 years later, Sebastian and a band of like-minded purists have reached into American history for true "folk" music. Chasin' Gus' Ghost gives listeners a scenic tour of the washboard, whiskey jug and banjo music of... Read More

The Get Together/Elephant Mountain
Artist: The Youngbloods

At a time when bands like the Byrds and the Jefferson Airplane were trying to find a balance between folk, rock, blues, country, and psychedelia, the Youngbloods cut a masterpiece of a debut that made it all look easy. The melodies poured out, and the members' relaxed, laid-back approach to playing across the genres, from blues to country to... Read More

The Byrds' Greatest Hits - EXPANDED
Artist: The Byrds
Community Score: 5.00

Without question, the Byrds were one of the great bands of the '60s and one of the few American bands of their time to continually turn out inventive, compelling albums. As they were recording a series of fine records, they released a number of classic singles that defined their era. The Byrds' Greatest Hits does an excellent job of chronicling... Read More

Donovan's Greatest Hits - EXPANDED EDITION
Artist: Donovan
Community Score: 4.00

Epic/Legacy's 1999 reissue of Greatest Hits improves on the original 1969 collection in a number of ways. First of all, the original Hickory versions of "Catch the Wind" and "Colours" are included instead of re-recordings, which is enough to make this new edition preferable, but the compilers have also chosen to include the original mono version... Read More

Favorites & Rarities
Artist: Don McLean

Spanning two discs and 42 tracks, Favorites & Rarities really is directed toward diehards, not casual fans looking for a thorough overview. Although all his biggest hits are here, they're surrounded by material that will delight only the dedicated, including alternate versions and no less than 18 previously unreleased tracks. This material,... Read More

Can I Have My Money Back?
Artist: Gerry Rafferty

The gifted Gerry Rafferty sometimes soared the staggering singer/songwriter heights of that unattainable deity, Dylan. Unfortunately, this cynical Scot also encountered a variety of corporate roadblocks (hence the title track) that continually affected his productivity. Another blatant shot at the bigwigs looms in "Sign on the Dotted Line,"... Read More

Remember: The Ultimate Collection
Artist: Cat Stevens
Community Score: 10.00

The details surrounding this single-disc compilation make it a rather fascinating listen. Years ago, the person formerly known as Cat Stevens (now Yusef Islam, but born Steven Giorgiou) renounced his work as a pop singer and even sold all his instruments. But at the close of the century, he had something of a change of heart, giving his approval... Read More