Alan Jackson - Greatest Hits V01 Disk 01 [Country][mp3 320][h33t][schon55]

Description

Alan Jackson - Greatest Hits V01 Disk 01
Audio CD (August 12, 2003)
Original Release Date: August 12, 2003
Format: Extra tracks, Limited Edition
Label: Arista
Bitrate 320 kbps

You don't have to get very far into Alan Jackson's splendid second anthology of hits before you're struck by how well the rangy Georgian has built his catalogue and how beautifully Keith Stegall continually produces his songs, filling the instrumental breaks with unexpectedly creative solos. While Jackson's choice of cover songs is usually inspired ("Pop-A-Top," "Little Bitty"), he's a deft writer, alternating his tongue-in-cheek, Sheriff Andy Taylor persona with his "just a singer of simple songs" earnestness, lacing it all with an unfettered delivery and a Haggardesque dedication to the bedrock honky-tonk sound. There are times when he edges too close to formula, running the romanticized, small-town, cornbread-and-chicken conceits ("Where I Come From") into the ground. But then he quickly redeems himself with a lip-tremblingly good "Drive" or "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." This package consists of two discs, 16 hits and two new cuts filling the first and an unnecessary and somewhat inferior eight album tracks occupying the second. Of the two new songs, the emotional husband-and-wife ballad "Remember When" handily outdistances the too-trite "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" with perennial smart-ass Jimmy Buffett. Jackson's too good an artist to settle for such an easy reach, but hey, let's cut him a little slack. He's paid his dues. ~ Alanna Nash

This eighteen-track retrospective - a sequel to 1995's twenty-track Greatest Hits Collection - confirms Jackson's status as the most consistent singer-songwriter in country music.
In his songs, Jackson continues to eloquently revisit his humble roots with "Little Man" and "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" as well as detail relationships in a humorous ("Right On The Money," "Who's Cheatin' Who,") or moving ("When Somebody Loves You," "Gone Crazy") manner. He's also recently proven to be a great interpreter, as shown here on Tom T. Hall's "Little Bitty" and Hank Williams Jr.'s "The Blues Man."

Risks - such as the largely spoken "I'll Go On Loving You" and the post 9/11 lament "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" - have paid off big for Jackson. Meanwhile, his attempt to be trendy - "www.memory" - missed the mark (its selection for this set over the omitted gems "Between The Devil And Me," "That'd Be Alright," and "Work in Progress" is highly questionable).

Two new recordings - the playful Jimmy Buffett-accompanied chart-topper "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" and the sparse ballad "Remember When" - end this anthology strongly. There's also an eight-track bonus disc of Jackson's favorite non-single recordings/compositions. While all are okay, only the leisurely "Tropical Depression" and the toetapping "Let's Get Back To Me And You," however, approach the quality of the hits. ~ James E. Bagley

Personnel:
Paul Franklin
Glenn Worf - electric bass
Eric Darken - percussion
Eddie Bayers - drums
Hargus "Pig" Robbins - piano
Alan Jackson - vocals, guitar
Bruce Watkins
Greenwood Hart - acoustic guitar

Alan Jackson - Greatest Hits V01 Disk 01 Tracks
01 Little Bitty
02 Everything I Love
03 Who's Cheatin' Who
04 There Goes
05 I'll Go On Loving You
06 Right On The Money
07 Gone Crazy
08 Little Man
09 Pop A Top
10 The Blues Man
11 It Must Be Love
12 www.memory
13 When Somebody Loves You
14 Where I Come From
15 Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)
16 Drive (For Daddy Gene)
17 It's Five O' Clock Somewhere
18 Remember When

---

PLS SEED: BY SCHON55