Disco de Dolly Parton: “Playlist: The Very Best of Dolly Parton [Slipcase]”

Playlist is a new series of budget compilations by Sony BMG and Legacy Recordings that's sort of modeled after the idea of making the perfect playlist/mix CD of an artist. Usually, when one makes a mix CD of their favorite artist, they like to include hits, fan favorites, and some lesser-known tracks that they enjoy. This is the idea behind this CD. and some of the artwork involved. (If you look at the tracklisting on the back, it kinda looks like a playlist from a program like iTunes.)

This compilation of Dolly's RCA material is quite excellent. Here are, of course, classics like Joshua, Coat Of Many Colors, Jolene, 9 To 5, I Will Always Love You, Here You Come Again, and Islands In The Stream. But also here are some maybe lesser known tracks like Touch Your Woman, Lonely Comin' Down, and Mission Chapel Memories. While it's short, just clocking around 42-43 minutes, it's definitely a satisfying listening experience. The sound quality, for the most part, is excellent, although I did hear a few minor metallic-sounding anomalies during the first 45-60 seconds of Love Is Like A Butterfly. Other than this, I don't really have many quibbles about the sound quality.

The packaging is fairly nice. Like Universal's 20th Century Masters compilations are doing now, these new Playlist compilations are using eco-friendly packaging. The only plastic is in the CD itself. The rest is biodegradeable paperboard. The case is extremely slim - even slimmer than the new eco-friendly 20th Century Masters CDs from Universal - and the CD itself sort of rests in a sort of pocket that holds on to the bottom of the disc to keep it in the indentation in the tray. The CD includes no paper liner notes - instead, you put the CD into your computer and a PDF file opens up with digital liner notes that include photos, links to wallpaper, links to info on the Playlist series, song credits, and more.

Since Amazon has not posted a tracklisting for this CD, here it is:

1. Joshua

2. Coat Of Many Colors

3. Touch Your Woman

4. Mission Chapel Memories

5. In The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)

6. My Tennessee Mountain Home

7. Jolene

8. I Will Always Love You

9. Lonely Comin' Down

10. Love Is Like A Butterfly

11. The Bargain Store

12. Here You Come Again

13. 9 To 5

14. Islands In The Stream [With Kenny Rogers]

Although this is a great compilation, I do not believe it's worth the thirteen dollars that Amazon is selling it for, so if at all possible, don't buy it here. I purchased it at a certain chain that rhymes with Hall Bart for just under seven dollars.

To sum it up, this compilation is absolutely magnificent for the casual fan or someone who'd like to be more than a casual fan but is just starting out. If you're looking for something more comprehensive,

will serve you fairly well. If you're looking for a reasonably priced lightweight compilation of hits and lesser-known tracks, this compilation is fantastic, but make sure to shop around stores for it instead of paying Amazon's price for it. Now I'm not trying to turn you all off Amazon perion, as Amazon's prices are usually very reasonable and around the same as any big chain store. This is just a rare exception.