Vanguard Visionaries
compiles previously released tracks taken from
Country Joe & the Fish
's stint with the label in the mid- to late '60s. The ten tracks were originally available on five albums,
C.J. Fish
,
Electric Music for the Mind and Body
, I Feel Like I'm Fixin to Die,
Together
and various compilation sets. Since most fans will no doubt already own this material, it appears
Vanguard
is marketing to a younger crowd as the sticker on the cover claims "their influence can be heard in artists like
Phish
String Cheese Incident
and
Michael Franti
." With that in mind, it would have been useful to include some liner notes chronicling the band's history. Since the original discs are easily obtainable, there's no reason to purchase this generic compilation even at a midline price. ~ Al Campbell