The Best Of The Mavericks

The Nashville foursome The Mavericks breezed into our lives with the unstoppably classy pop hit 'Dance The Night Away' which has gone on to become a permanent staple on our radio stations.

They've generally struggled to match that hit's success, but their jolly mix of delta blues, Latino rhythms, Texas swing, urban country and salsa, allied to the pure pop of Roy Orbison that vocalist Raul Malo brings to the party, has scored them countless awards and million-selling records.

'A World Without Love' is exactly how Orbison might have done the Peter and Gordon sixties hit, but 'Are You Lonesome Tonight' is appalling, its jaunty arrangement totally at odds with the lyric. If only they had given it the same sensitive treatment they bring to 'I Should have Been True'. The infectious feel familiar from 'Dance The Night Away' shines through on 'Think Of Me' and their take on The Tremeloes' hit, 'Here Comes My Baby', is first-rate.

'Pizziricco' is mere fluffy pop-Latino while 'I've Got This Feeling' has all the drama of a Gene Pitney ballad and a dynamite string-laden chorus. 'All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down', 'This Broken Heart' and 'There Goes My Heart' owe much to the band's Nashville roots and the moody 'Here Comes The Rain' could even do the job for Garth Brooks.

'What A Crying Shame' has a harder, more electric edge to it and deserves more attention than some of their more obvious offerings. The set ends with 'From Hell To Paradise' with its guitar and fiddle-driven lope through a track that's more alternative country than most of the stuff lumped under that banner.

The Best Of The Mavericks is a mixed bag, prime slices of pop brilliance marred by some eye-off-the-ball schmaltz from one of the world's best bar bands.