The Essential Paul Revere & The Raiders

Trumping Raven’s 2005 Kicks! The Anthology by a full disc, Columbia/Legacy’s 2001 The Essential Paul Revere & the Raiders is a generous double-disc, 36-track collection that is nevertheless slightly shorter than the comparable 1990 collection The Legend of Paul Revere. Only the diligent hardcore will notice the missing songs as every major song is here, from the crunching rockers “Louie, Louie,” “Steppin’ Out,” and “Kicks” to the super-slick soft rock sensations of the early ‘70s “Indian Reservation” and “Country Wine.” For those who only want big hits — or only want the group’s earliest rock & roll — this is too much, but for those who like to dig deeper, this Essential proves that Paul Revere & the Raiders had plenty of pop treasures buried in their catalog. – Stephen Thomas Erlewine