Notes

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Randomly selected — "Matrimony" is a pretty great song, but it ain't an opener — PM's The Very Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan covers most of the songs you'd want in a Gilbert O'Sullivan collection, but not better than Rhino's similar title. Some cuts here aren't over there, but they're relatively minor, and given the utter lack of liner notes — the cover is just a flimsy insert — and indifferent mastering, this probably isn't worth seeking out for anyone other than completists and those on a budget that allows a budget-priced import collection (which will likely be more expensive than a more expensive domestic collection).

Gilbert O'Sullivan's lengthy but erratic career is nicely summarized on this well-assembled 20-track retrospective. Best remembered in the U.S. for the coy, McCartney-esque pop of hits like "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Clair," O'Sullivan was actually a major star in his native Britain, notching a series of smashes which also included "Nothing Rhymed," "Underneath the Blanket Go" and "What's in a Kiss"; although at times his material can be insufferably cute, at its peak the music also possesses an undeniable charm as well as a playfulness that makes even the most saccharine moments tough to actively dislike.