Today, Tomorrow & Forever (Collectables)

Today, Tomorrow and Forever is easily one of the most popular titles in Patsy Cline's catalog -- and, in this case, the word "title" refers to the name of the record, not the record itself. This title has been recycled numerous times since her tragic death, presumably because it offers a fitting tribute to her legacy. Each collection that sports the name is considerably different, usually sharing only the title track, but sometimes more than one. Sony Music Special Products -- who licensed all of the material from Masters International -- turns out one of the better Today, Tomorrow and Forever albums with their ten-track disc. Apart from "Walkin' After Midnight," there aren't too many crossover hits here, but each track is very good, with the quality often -- in the case of "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray," "Stop the World (And Let Me Off)," and "Walking Dream" -- verging on the excellent. True, most collectors will have these songs on better, more coherent compilations, but this isn't a bad choice for listeners on a budget. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine