Jackson Browne
long displayed an aversion to hits collections, releasing his first one 25 years after his debut album. That 1997 disc, entitled
Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne
, had many hits, yet it was also missing many essential songs, leaving an opening for a collection that had all of
Browne
's hits and signature songs in one place. Released seven years later,
Rhino
/
Elektra
's double-disc
The Very Best of Jackson Browne
is more or less that collection. Produced by
and featuring 32 songs, this set has all the major songs --
"Doctor My Eyes,"
"These Days,"
"Late for the Sky,"
"The Pretender,"
"Fountain of Sorrow,"
"Redneck Friend,"
"Running on Empty,"
"Somebody's Baby"
-- including songs missing on
Next Voice You Hear
, such as
"Jamaica Say You Will,"
"Rock Me on the Water,"
"Take It Easy,"
"Before the Deluge,"
"The Load-Out,"
"Stay,"
and
"Boulevard."
However, there are a handful of smaller hits missing -- including
"That Girl Could Sing,"
"Cut It Away,"
"For a Rocker,"
"For America,"
"Chasing You Into the Night,"
"World in Motion,"
"Call It a Loan,"
the latter of which was on the previous compilation -- which may frustrate some listeners. Nevertheless, this is not a major problem since the collection does contain the great majority of
's best and best-known material in an attractive, engaging fashion (although the cardboard packaging may be a bit too flimsy to weather heavy, repeated listening), and for listeners who want a comprehensive overview without purchasing individual albums, this suits the bill nicely. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine