Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

I know, I'm such an oldie, at only 33. It seems that the only albums I buy lately are hits packages or reissues. To wit: George Strait's charttopping 50 Number Ones is an awfully impressive document from a Hall of Famer-to-be, Mr. Consistency. [My favorite of the 50 amassed here? His very first, "Fool Hearted Memory," such a pretty, sad song.] BMG Heritage has, hallelujah!, started remastering albums by Daryl Hall and John Oates. The first batch consists of their four biggest albums, Voices, Private Eyes, H2O, and Big Bam Boom. I picked up H2O over the weekend, and am so glad I did. All four of the reissues are digitally remastered and include brand-new liner notes culled from new interviews with Daryl and John. Three of them also feature bonus tracks, 12" mixes of hits - H2O's are, of course, "Maneater," "One on One," and "Family Man." It is so good to finally hear a great digital transfer of these classics. Today saw the release of Words & Music, the at-long-last ultra-complete double-disc collection by John Mellencamp. It's fucking perfect, alright?