Razor & Tie's The Very Best of Mac Davis overlooks some late-'70s and early-'80s hits, but they're not missed, since this winds up as a first-rate chronicle of
Davis at his peak.
Davis walked the thin line between country and AM pop with his lavishly produced, sweet soft rock, delivering the melodies with just a hint of twang. This is unabashedly mainstream stuff, but it's so well done that it's hard to resist, especially since
Davis' warm baritone is the perfect foil for is evocatively corny tales. This concentrates on his late-'60s/early-'70s material, when he was at the peak of his powers. The compilers were savvy, and this doesn't slow as it winds through his biggest hits of the time, along with a couple lesser-known hits. It's an excellent compilation, and even if it doesn't have "I Believe in Music," it will make you a believer.