In February of 2002,
Warner
/
Rhino
offered up two
Travis Tritt
compilations, one spotlighting his "Rockin' Side," the other his "Lovin' Side." Titles don't come much clearer than that, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that both compilations deliver on their promise without straying from their template. Because they stick to a theme, neither has all of his hits, but that's not a problem since the selected hits -- in this case, tunes like
"T-R-O-U-B-L-E"
and
"Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof"
-- are surrounded by sharp selections from his albums, giving each compilation a surprisingly well-rounded feel. Of the two,
The Rockin' Side
is superior because
Tritt
sounds livelier, freer, truer in this setting than he does crooning
ballads
, and the material is also far more consistent. Note that this really does take "rockin'" seriously, meaning that
honky tonk
numbers (and big hits) like
"Country Club"
"Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)"
are entirely absent, but those looking for either the "Rockin' Side" or "Lovin' Side" of
will find either volume satisfying. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine