Here's Page Two of an opinionated review of Texas honkytonk-popster George Strait's work... This page includes reviews of his best-of collections, and links to other Strait-related resources. His regular albums are reviewed on Page One.
Here's Page Two of an opinionated review of Texas honkytonk-popster George Strait's work... This page includes reviews of his best-of collections, and links to other Strait-related resources. His regular albums are reviewed on Page One.
George Strait "Ten Strait Hits" (MCA, 1991)
Nothin' to complain about here, although there are several more action-packed and generous best-ofs that have come down the pike since this disc came out. Mighty good music, though.
George Strait "Strait Out Of The Box" (MCA, 1995)
In terms of simply tracking down all his hits (up to '95, that is...), this 4-CD box set is pretty hard to beat. Also includes his earliest recordings, a trio of songs cut for the microscopic D Records label, based in Dallas, TX. Nice stuff, though there is also more than your fair share of fluffy pop material included as well.
George Strait "Latest Greatest Straitest Hits" (MCA, 2000)
Picking up where the Strait Out Of The Box set leaves off, this disc covers Strait's work from 1994-98, and tosses in a couple of new tunes, including a fine version of Larry Cordle's Music City melodrama, "Murder On Music Row," in which George and duet partner Alan Jackson lament the then-current Nashville rush away from good-old-fashioned honkytonk. Nice balance of pop and hard(ish) country. Extra points and major kudos for their not putting out a best-of that rehashed stuff already on other collections.
George Strait "The Best Of George Strait -- Christmas Collection" (MCA-Nashville, 2003)
This twelve-song collection draws heavily on his second holiday album (in fact, it has all ten songs off that record) while including only two tracks off the more upbeat Strait To You set from 1986. If you want George's hard country honkytonk vibe, I guess you'll just have to get the other album... On the other hand, if you want to hear him in a swankier, more pop-vocals mode, this reissue may have what you're looking for.
Hick Music Index
Top photo credit: Tony Baker, courtesy of Front Page Publicity
