The The Essential in Bloomington, MN

There is no shortage of excellent
John Denver
compilations, and
RCA Legacy
's two-disc
Essential John Denver
collection doesn't disappoint. All of the hits are here (
"Rocky Mountain High,"
"Calypso,"
"Back Home Again,"
"Annie's Song,"
"Perhaps Love,"
etc.), and the sequencing is linear and concise. Fans looking for a more diminutive yet equally satisfying overview should check out 2005's
Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits
, but for the discerning listener looking to capture the full scope of the late
country-pop
great, this rich slab of history will more than suffice. ~ James Christopher Monger