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While I cannot argue factually with anything in the other review here, any prospective buyer of this product should bear in mind that the apparent goal of Sony Legacy's Original Album Classics series is VALUE.
Sure...if you are an Eddie Money connoisseur/completist, there are other offerings for you to explore, as noted. Or, if you are one who believes that any new release of old material MUST necessarily be accompanied by expanded liner notes, and packaged in some super-deluxe-limited-edition-whatever for an exorbitant price, then this product is not for you.
If you are like me, however, and you are simply a fan of the music, a fan of the artist, and appreciate the availability of the original recordings bundled in one place for a very reasonable price (the desire for such need not necessarily equate to "casual" interest) then this product is definitely for you.
Yes, there are arguments to be made about the absence of liner notes (including the fact that a couple of the back sleeve covers appear to be poor/low-res scans of the original tray art), whether 'Playing For Keeps' or 'Nothing To Lose' might have been better inclusions (though, as noted elsewhere, you will not find an original pressing of 'Where's The Party?' for a reasonable price anywhere else, which renders this set well worth the package price on its own), and the arguable "remastering" issue, of course. For my part, however, I appreciate that the set is what it purports to be: ORIGINAL ALBUMS, conveniently packaged for a fair price, not ravaged by the current "remastering" craze. I can count on one hand the number of "remasters" over the last 15 years or so the results of which actually sounded like they were worth the effort, never mind the inflated price. As it seems that too often, "remastering" nowdays consists of little more than blowing out the gain on the master tracks to unacceptable levels and completely ruining the dynamic integrity of the original material, I actually PREFER the "same old issues" if it means that some knob jockey didn't ruin the recording so that the label can justify another price hike for a substandard product.
Not so here. You get a great selection of Eddie Money's best music as it has always sounded. By what rationale is that suddenly a disappointment? In today's ever-shifting iCulture, we're lucky to get even this, if you ask me.
While it would behoove Sony to make the investment into a PROPER remastering of Money's catalogue, what this set offers is a new pressing of the original material with minimal packaging at a value price. All things considered, while that might not warrant a full five stars (given so here on principle), it sure as heck is better than three.
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