As its title implies, this collection is drawn from quirky Texan singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett's first three albums, effectively chronicling his '80s output. The pot is sweetened by two new songs; "The Truck Song" is characteristically wry, juxtaposing hardcore-country imagery with references to Wim Wenders and Paris, while "San Antonio Girl" is a Western swing nod to Bob Wills. The nearly identical melodies of the two songs are plainly intentional, if still inexplicable.

The bulk of ANTHOLOGY finds Lovett cementing his legend during the most overtly country-sounding period of his career. He applies the lessons learned from country-folk songwriting mentors Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark to a more postmodern, ironic style that's also informed by Randy Newman. When Lovett adds a sarcastic sucker-punch to a scenario rife with honky-tonk tropes on "God Will," or turns the story-song "L.A. County" into an implied murder ballad, he's showing off both his modern narrative skill and his old-school country chops. Kudos as well to ANTHOLOGY for favoring the more obscure cuts from Lovett's breakthrough third album and eschewing the overplayed hits.

Track Listing:

1. Truck Song, The
2. Cowboy Man
3. God Will
4. Farther Down The Line
5. This Old Porch
6. Why Don't I Know
7. If I Were The Man You Wanted
8. San Antonio Girl
9. If I Had A Boat
10. Give Back My Heart
11. I Loved You Yesterday
12. Walk Through The Bottomland
13. L.A. County
14. Which Way Does That Old Pony Run
15. If You Were To Wake Up

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