Emmylou Harris: The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches & Highways (Rhino, July 19, 2005) *****
Michael Jackson: The Essential Michael Jackson (Sony, July 19, 2005) ****
Pink Floyd: London 1966-1967 [Enhanced] (Pucka, July 19, 2005) ****
Eurythmics: 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) (RCA, July 19, 2005) ***
Emmylou Harris: The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches & Highways
Good old Rhino. If anyone needed a collection like this, it was Emmylou Harris. Harris is one of the greatest American female singers of the last four decades, yet her body of work is so large, has gone in so many directions, and has had enough ups and downs that it is difficult to know where to start with her. At 20 cuts, one could argue that this only scrapes the surface; she's released 27 albums during her career, most of them good, some of them classic. Still, this is a great place to begin, as Harris herself chose the tracks and managed a mix of hits and representative non-hits that does a good job of capturing the breadth of her work. 19 tracks cover her work from her sweet-voiced early years through her later, carefully crafted albums, taking care to include many of the highlights of her collaborations with other artists. One new song is included, "The Connection". Highlights include "Love Hurts", "Pancho And Lefty", "Two More Bottles of Wine"; there's not a weak track here. Great for beginners; old-time fans may wish there was more, but will appreciate the usual care Rhino puts into the packaging and notes. A great collection from an artist who deserves much more recognition beyond her country roots.
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