EMI's two-disc collection
Souvenir: 1989-1998 rather nicely chronicles the decade when
the Rankin Family rose to prominence in the Canadian pop/folk scene and opened a floodgate of likeminded musicians who brought Celtic influences into the contemporary scene. The collection is evenly focused on their entire career, with a bit of emphasis on the albums
North Country and
Uprooted, but also properly serves as an end cap to an impressive career (
the Rankins disbanded in 1999) and as a memorial to the late
John Morris Rankin (1959-2000). It is the perfect place to start for the curious and a fine set for those looking for a comprehensive retrospective.