The United Artists Collection
This two-disc, 49-song collection combines Lightfoot's first  four albums into one specially priced package and offers a  comprehensive look at the Canadian singer-songwriter before he achieved  pop stardom. These late-1960s recordings are more pared down than his  better-known 1970s work, showing Lightfoot to be a thoughtful  songwriter who was equally comfortable with personal love songs and  more political fare. A much stronger folkie sensibility is on display  here, which may be a revelation to those only familiar to his glossier  folk-pop work, but a boon to his longtime followers.--Marc  Greilsamer