20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of George Strait (CD - 2002)

Producers include: Jimmy Bowen, George Strait, Tony Brown, Ray Baker.

Compilaton producers: Dave Weigand, Andy McKaie.

Recorded between 1983 and 1993. Includes liner notes by Paul Kingsbury.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This is part of MCA's "20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection" series.

Liner Note Author: Paul Kingsbury.

Photographers: Tony Baker; Mark Tucker .

George Strait himself chose the 12 number one country hits included in this midline-priced compilation, which presents digitally remastered tracks. The hits ranged from "You Look So Good in Love," which topped the charts at the start of 1984, to "Easy Come, Easy Go," a number one in October 1993. During this period, an additional 11 Strait singles also reached the country summit, so this is just a sampling. Some of his biggest hits (i.e., ones that stayed at number one longer) -- such as "Love Without End, Amen" and "I've Come to Expect It From You" -- are included, while others -- such as "You Know Me Better Than That" and "If I Knew Me" -- are not. In the less easily quantifiable category of signature songs, again some are included, notably "All My Ex's Live in Texas," while others, such as "Ocean Front Property," are missing. So Strait easily could come up with a second volume for 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection without even getting too far into the 1990s. And he probably will. ~ William Ruhlmann

While this budget-priced entry in the 20TH CENTURY MASTERS series hardly scratches the surface of George Strait's country music career, it does include a multitude of highlights. Most of the compilation stresses Strait's romantic and even somewhat maudlin side, with "Baby's Gotten Good At Goodbye," "Famous Last Words," and "Love Without End, Amen" providing just some of the highlights.

But the singer has a slyly witty side, too, represented by his massive hit "All My Ex's Live in Texas" and the truckin' "Ace in the Hole," which both serve to leaven the sentimentality of his regular material. He sounds most at home here on his gently swinging version of Tommy Collins' "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')" which combines both his witty and sentimental facets, while the bittersweet "You Look So Good in Love" is a sure-fire tearjerker. minimize