J.J. Cale's
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection gathers a dozen of his best-known songs, including "Magnolia," "Crazy Mama," and "Call Me the Breeze," as well as "Cocaine" and "After Midnight." The collection focuses on his '70s work, featuring not only singles, but album tracks from
Naturally,
Really,
5, and
Okie, among others. Though it's not as extensive a collection as
Anyway the Wind Blows: The Anthology or
The Very Best of J.J. Cale, this compilation does provide a good, concise primer on
Cale's influential mix of earthy blues-rock and finely crafted songwriting. ~ Heather Phares