Few if any other record labels have been as steadfastly dedicated to the propagation of American roots music as , the Oakland, CA based company launched in 1983 by and . Emerging during a period when was just taking hold, and when radio and clubs concentrated on flashy, synthetic, and dance music, 's founders shrugged, ignored the trends, and went about signing up one great artist after another. The label couldn't have gotten off to a better start: 's was a colossal achievement that almost single-handedly served notice that the was back in town (not that it had ever left), only under new management. Following its success, subsequently diversified, unleashing not only superb albums of modern but also no-nonsense , , and numerous subgenres thereof -- all of it, essentially, non-trendy, organic music created by both established and young upstarts. This four-CD/one-DVD collection is 's well-deserved pat on its own back. The audio portion is sectioned into the four umbrellas of / , under which a wildly diverse array of artists is showcased. Not all of the names here boast star quality while others do, but what they all share is a naturalness and directness -- not to mention honest-to-goodness songwriting, playing, and singing talent -- not often reflected in the sales charts or mainstream media. hero , legendary folkie (heard here with singing ), (rightly placed in the section) and may not, on the surface, seem to have much in common. Nor would god , or (who is represented on the discs). But they do: they've all recorded for . The DVD gathers up music videos from the likes of , and several others. ~ Jeff Tamarkin