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Album Description: The 36 songs here, spread over two CDs, don't cover Johnny Rivers' early, pre-Liberty Records career, but they do represent the broadest cross section of his hits for that label and beyond, B-sides, and superior album tracks assembled to date in one place. As revealed here, ... read more The 36 songs here, spread over two CDs, don't cover Johnny Rivers' early, pre-Liberty Records career, but they do represent the broadest cross section of his hits for that label and beyond, B-sides, and superior album tracks assembled to date in one place. As revealed here, Rivers is a very versatile, somewhat underrated talent whose range extends far beyond Top 40 rock, "Secret Agent Man" or any other single hit, into folk, soul, and blues, all of which he plays with an unpretentious honesty. He remained remarkably consistent through the psychedelic era and into the 1970s, even amid the twin onslaughts of disco and punk, and there are no real weak points on this set. Additionally, the notes give a reasonably detailed picture of Rivers' life and career, which started far earlier (1957) than most listeners realize, and the sound is up to Rhino Records' usual standard, in terms of quality and the selection of masters. ~ Bruce Eder Often unfairly dismissed as a second-rate imitator since his hit-making heyday, Johnny Rivers is in fact one of rock's great blue-eyed soul singers. The best Johnny Rivers collection available, 1991's ANTHOLOGY is a typically excellent Rhino release. Superbly remastered, the 38 tracks on these two discs sound better than ever. Rivers performs covers almost exclusively, and there are some unexpected choices here, like Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic" and Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm," alongside the expected Chuck Berry and Motown songs. The double-disc format gives a wider overview than most compilations; hits from both the '60s ("Memphis," "Poor Side of Town," "Secret Agent Man") and '70s ("Swayin' to the Music") are included, as well as relative obscurities. minimize Album Information
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