Merle Haggard - Drinkin' (2001)

Following in the marketing footsteps of Columbia/Legacy's 2000 thematic Johnny Cash releases (Murder, Love, God), Capitol Records gave Merle Haggard's back catalog a similar treatment in 2001 with four separate installments: Hurtin', Drinkin', Prison, and Cheatin'. While it's impossible to narrow Haggard's Drinkin' songs down to ten, the compilers did an admiral job mixing a few of the obvious hits ("Swinging Doors," "I Threw Away the Rose," and "The Bottle Let Me Down") with similarly themed songs that fell through the cracks -- great tunes but not necessarily hits. The cover art could be a bit snazzier, but still, this is a decent mid-line set. In fact, all four discs are recommended, and as it states on the back cover, "Collect all four and enjoy the pain." © Al Campbell