The late Roy Orbison was undeniably one of the great rock singers--his quavering yet full-bodied voice conveys romantic angst like no other. 20 GOLDEN HITS features the best of Orbison's best-known tunes, plus a few obscure gems.

"Oh Pretty Woman" and "Only the Lonely" are here of course, and Orbison makes the Platters' doo-wop "The Great Pretender" sound like it was written for him. The gently swaying mid-tempo "Good Night" should have been a hit, while the ancient "Beautiful Dreamer," sung with great delicacy and restraint, shimmers like an exquisite mirage. The sound quality here is excellent: crisp, sharp, and with enough depth to bring across the evocative gospel/pop/R&B-charged wall of sound that accompanied that voice.