Linda Ronstadt [Box set]

Linda Ronstadt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 1999)
• Original Release Date: November 16, 1999
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B00002MZ30
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,975 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Popular Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 16-NOV-1999

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHERE IS 'RAMBLER GAMBLER,' THE FLIP SIDE TO, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Linda Ronstadt (Audio CD)

the "How Do I Make You" single? And come to think of it, where is "Lago Azul," the Spanish language version of "Blue Bayou"? I already own most of this collection in one format or another -- LP, cassette, 8-track tapes. For me, as I suspect it will be for other die-hard Ronstadt fans, it is Disc #4 that is the most interesting, since this is the disc containing the most previously unreleased material. I imagine that that it is an enormously ambitious undertaking to put together a box set that does justice to such an eclectic career as Linda Ronstadt's, and this one pretty much does the job. It's all here: the hits, the forays into other genres & languages, the duets & the movie themes. Please don't retire, Linda!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb collection with many rare recordings, April 8, 2001

By 

Marchez Vite "marchezvite" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linda Ronstadt (Audio CD)

Linda Ronstadt's career has spanned over 30 years, with 35 released albums in folk-rock, country, rock, pop, Latino, and classic ballads.

This box set provides a great compilation of her great hits across all years and genres. The last (of 4) CD in the set is titled "Rarities," and includes unreleased material as well as some pieces released but little known. Among these are recordings of Randy Newman's musical "Faust" - a duet with Kermit the Frog - a haunting Phillip Glass/Suzanne Vega piece recorded with the Kronos Quartet - and songs recorded with the bluegrass band The Seldom Scene.

The collaborations with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Aaron Neville are extraordinary numbers of perfectly blended voices. Some of her later solo pieces have a soft, almost new-age sound to them. Quite entrancing is her lullaby rendition of Queen's "We Will Rock You."

For baby boomer fans from the '70's and '80's like me, there are dozens of songs by the Ronstadt "posse": Andrew Gold, Waddy Wachtel, Wendy Waldman, Anna & Kate McGarrigle, and Nicolette Larson.

There are almost 5 hours of music in this set. Only her 2000 Christmas album is not represented.

Caution: the liner notes [box set booklet] are a serious disappointment. No lyrics are given. The artist biography is anorexic. The information on the songs (composer and musicians) is printed in microscopic typeface.

Despite the drawbacks of the printed material, I heartily recommend this set. Ronstadt is a performer of astonishing talent and range.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An imperfect but still potent tribute to her artistry, February 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Linda Ronstadt (Audio CD)

One can certainly quibble about the song selection in this box set. For my part, I would have liked to see "I Knew You When", "When Something is Wrong With My Baby", "Someone to Lay Down Beside Me", "The Tattler", anything from "Don't Cry Now", and another of the amazing vocals from "Canciones de Mi Padre". That's just for starters - the point is, with as richly diverse a career as Linda Ronstadt's, you're not going to be able to put out a 4 CD retrospective and include every fan's favorites. Something's going to get slighted.

What this collection does do is provide a broad perspective of all the facets of her career. I don't see how one could listen to the 4 CDs start to finish and not gain renewed respect for her considerable artistry. I'm not saying everything she ever touched is perfect, by any means, but she has shown consistent versatility, intelligence and taste, not to mention a vocal gift from the Gods.

I had not heard a lot of the rarities on side 4, and they show fresh dimensions of her talent. Particulary, the selections from Randy Newman's "Faust", Philip Glass & Suzanne Vega's "Freezing" and the acapella version of the traditional "The Blacksmith" are haunting. And "Honky Tonk Blues" and "Lightning Bar Blues" are terrific unreleased country rockers from the mid-70's that its great to hear.

I admit I'm prejudiced - I fell in love with Linda's voice the first time I heard it ("Different Drum"). I've followed her career faithfully from then and enjoyed every unpredictable step along the way. I certainly hope she stops all this foolish talk of retirement. "Western Wall" proves she can keep making quality music for many years to come, and its my fervent wish that she will!