There have been plenty of attempts to anthologize this venerable Southern band's extensive catalog, but this is the first one to get it right. Spreading 32 tracks from just over 30 years of albums across two discs, the immaculately sequenced compilation plays like a well-conceived piece. From the flute-dominated "Take the Highway," the opening cut of their 1973 debut, the Marshall Tucker Band avoided the typical Southern-boogie-rockin'-guitar path later epitomized by their more rowdy brethren the Outlaws, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Molly Hatchet. Rather, Tucker presented a more laid-back, country-based approach, highlighted by the jazzy playing of woodwind player Jerry Eubanks and drummer Paul Riddle. Although the Capricorn/Warner Bros. decade that ended in 1983 accounts for the bulk of these selections, the last half of the second disc presents a revamped lineup led by sole original member/lead singer Doug Gray, continuing the musical legacy with remarkably engaging results. The 24-page booklet featuring a detailed history, a live CD-ROM track, and crisply remastered sound further enhance the experience that finally bestows upon this underrated band the comprehensive, classy, and long-overdue retrospective it deserves. --Hal Horowitz
