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Title: She Hasn't Worn That Well
Review: It's difficult to fault Peter Asher's management of her career, but, with hindsight, he did her no favors as a producer -- at least during her R&B;/rock period. When you listen to her back catalog now, the thing you most notice -- as many others have pointed out over the years -- is far too many covers, performed by a voice that is a beautiful instrument but with arrangements and a delivery that are blah in the extreme. At best, they leave you wondering why she and Asher bothered, if they weren't going to do something fresh with the songs; at worst, they leave you yearning for the originals.Her most realized albums from that period are those that introduced new material and/or reintroduced little-known gems -- "Hasten Down the Wind" and half of "Heart Like a Wheel." "The Very Best of..." only highlights the fact that the very best of Linda Ronstadt is not nearly as good as it should have been.
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