The Ultimate Hits

AMG Review of The Ultimate Hits

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

John Anderson's 2004 release on Koch is called Ultimate Hits, which gives the impression that it's a reissue of his big hits from the '80s and '90s. While the titles of the songs are indeed familiar -- "Swingin'," "1959," "Straight Tequila Night," "Black Sheep," "Money in the Bank" -- these are not the familiar hit versions. Instead, they are recently recorded new versions produced by Anderson and Joe E. Spivey, which will surely disappoint anybody looking for a concise collection of Anderson's biggest hits. That's the bad news. The good news is that these new versions are thoroughly enjoyable. While the production is perhaps a little too clean, the house band is strong and Anderson is in good voice, making this a fun revival of his hits. Perhaps it's not the first choice for casual fans, but listeners who want to hear Anderson revisit his best-known tunes will find this quite nice.