Rodney Crowell's sharp songwriting, his flexible singing voice, his pop sense, and his love of country and roots music made him one of the brightest stars on the '80s country music scene, and if he was really too much of a maverick to stay in the hands of the major labels, he managed to record quite a few gems before going on his way. This set has some of those, including "She Loves the Jerk," "It's Such a Small World," and "Life Is Messy," and it's a pleasant listen, but it lacks quite a few Crowell staples like "I Ain't Living Long Like This," "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried," "She's Crazy for Leaving," "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight," and "Shame on the Moon," which makes this more an enticing teaser than a complete portrait.