Tim Easton - Before The Revolution: The Best Of 1998​-​2011 (2013)

Tim Easton has always been a road warrior, constantly touring, and he's also kept himself pretty busy in the studio throughout his career, and both of these things are good, because he's a pretty darn good songwriter, and he sings with a calm assurance that he's got a pretty darn good song to sing, all of which makes him something close to a modern Americana treasure. This generous 19-track set collects some of the key and signature tracks from the seven albums he's recorded for New West Records between 1998 and 2011, including such gems as "All the Pretty Girls Leave Town," the smoothly rolling "Carry Me," the ethereal "Black Dog," the jaunty and wise "Daily Life," and the marvelous "I Would Have Married You," which flows along like a lazy and inviting country river. Always interesting, with songs head and shoulders above what passes for alt-country or folk these days, and with a keen pop sense, Easton deserves to be much better known. This wonderful compilation shows why, and it's just the tip of the iceberg for this fine and prolific artist.