Combining the bulks of three early-’60s Topic albums — Talking Woody Guthrie, Muleskinner, and Roll on Buddy (which in turn were reissues of the rare late-’50s records Woody Guthrie’s Blues, The Rambling Boys, and Jack Takes the Floor) — this is a terrific collection of Elliott’s first recordings. In fact, this is the only way for fans to enjoy the muscular records that made Elliott a legend on two continents at the beginning of the folk revival. Mixing a perfect amount of chatter in with the songs, it gives a near-perfect summary of Elliott’s art at the time. – Jim Smith