Roseanne Cash "Retrospective" (Columbia)
The second compilation of Roseanne Cash's career, "Retrospective," contains material from 1982 to 1995, including tracks from her 1987 Nashville/pop crossover "King's Record Shop," her ambitious 1990 acoustic album "Interiors" (which chronicled the bust-up of her marriage to country star Rodney Crowell) and her 1993 woman-alone triumph "The Wheel."
But "Retrospective" also includes a generous selection (six out of 15 tracks) of outtakes and oddities, like "707," a killer ridin'-the-rails rocker left over from "King's Record Shop," and "A Lover is Forever," a 1991 live version of a wry Steve Goodman song. Besides possessing a beautifully rich and intimate voice, Cash has adventurous taste in covers; here, she offers 1995 versions of Elvis Costello's "Our Little Angel" and the Beatles' "I'm Only Sleeping."
For longtime Cash fans, the bonus thrill of "Retrospective" is hearing her slowly carving out her own identity. The Crowell-produced "It Hasn't Happened Yet," from 1982, adheres to Linda Ronstadt country-rock formula; Cash flirts with punk on 1985's "Pink Bedroom." When she finally emerges as a model of self-knowledge and independence on the tracks from "The Wheel," you may want to shout, "You go, girl!"
James Brown, "James Brown's Funky Christmas" (Polygram)
The hardest working Santa in showbiz chugs, churns and testifies his way through this compilation of seasonal tunes. All the tracks here were previously released over three Christmas seasons, from 1968 to 1970. And you may have seen this collection before under the name "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag," which Rhino Records distributed until the rights reverted back to Polygram last year.
Whatever the title, "Funky Christmas" is a modern holiday classic, with originals like "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" and "Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year" celebrating pride, community and faith despite a hard, hard world. Brown also tackles old faves like "The Christmas Song" and "Merry Christmas Baby" in his inimitable fashion ("Ow!"), while cookers like "Please Come Home for Christmas" and "It's Christmas Time (Part 1)" are hotter than a yule log and lots more fun. Forget Der Bingle and the Jingle Bell dogs and treat your Christmas party guests to this one. And may all your Christmases be Brown.
