The Very Best Of Jackson Browne (2004) - CD

The first half of this two-disc retrospective, drawing on Browne's five 1970s LPs and paced by stunning personal narratives such as "These Days," "Fountain of Sorrow," and "The Pretender," is unflaggingly luminous and heart-rending. The second disc, which focuses on the eight albums Browne released between 1980 and 2002, testifies to the consistency of his vision, displaying an acute observer who looked into himself ("I'm Alive") and at the world around him ("Looking East") with candor and eloquence. The politically charged "Lives in the Balance," from 1986, sounds strikingly relevant today, and Browne's biggest hit, 1982's "Somebody's Baby," is ear candy at its most bittersweet. Very Best makes a compelling case for Browne as rock's greatest confessional singer-songwriter. (RS 947)

Bud Scoppa, Rolling Stone Magazine, April 29, 2004

1. DOCTOR MY EYES
2. ROCK ME ON THE WATER
3. JAMAICA SAY YOU WILL
4. TAKE IT EASY
5. THESE DAYS
6. FOR EVERYMAN
7. REDNECK FRIEND
8. FOUNTAIN OF SORROW
9. FOR A DANCER
10. LATE FOR THE SKY
11. BEFORE THE DELUGE
12. YOUR BRIGHT BABY BLUES
13. THE PRETENDER
14. HERE COME THOSE TEARS AGAIN
15. THE LOAD OUT
16. STAY
1. RUNNING ON EMPTY
2. YOU LOVE THE THUNDER
3. BOULEVARD
4. SOMEBODY'S BABY
5. TENDER IS THE NIGHT
6. IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART
7. LAWLESS AVENUES
8. LIVES IN THE BALANCE
9. I AM A PATRIOT
10. SKY BLUE AND BLACK
11. I'M ALIVE
12. THE BARRICADES OF HEAVEN
13. LOOKING EAST
14. THE NAKED RIDE HOME
15. THE NIGHT INSIDE ME