Review

There are eight volumes in the various-artist Best of Mountain Stage series produced by the Nashville label Blue Plate, and all offer rare live tracks that feature "sublime moments of serendipitous musical brilliance." Volume six is among the shortest in the series and includes "World Leader Pretend" by R.E.M., "What a Good Boy" by Barenaked Ladies, and "Outbound Plane" by Nanci Griffith, as well as tracks by Cracker, Bruce Hornsby, and Iris Dement. A solid, eclectic live compilation, volume six is not the strongest of the series. Always an essential addition for collectors of these artists. All eight compilations (as well as 18 artist-specific live releases) are available through the web: http://www.blueplatemusic.com.