Sound Off

Vonda Sheppard

The Best Of Ally McBeal: The Songs Of Vonda Sheppard

(Legacy)

To coincide with the recent release of all five seasons of the quirky TV sitcom "Ally McBeal," a collection of music by Vonda Shepard has been released. Fans of the show will remember Shepard not only as the composer and singer of the show's theme, but also as a recurring character on the show, most often seen playing the piano in the bar where the show's characters congregated after work.

There was never anything terribly bad about Shepard's work on the show, although her material does sit squarely in adult-contemporary territory. The CD collection features "Searchin' My Soul," which served as the show's theme, as well as plenty of Shepard originals and a few covers.

The covers include "Hooked On a Feeling," "I Only Want to Be With You," "Tell Him," and "It's In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)."

Among the better Shepard originals are "The Wildest Times of the World" and "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow," which Shepard sings with Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls.

For fans of the show, this collection might be of some interest, but like the show might seem now, the material here seems a bit dated.

Download These: "Searchin' My Soul," "I Only Want to Be With You," "The Wildest Times of the World."

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Speed Of Life

(Sugar Hill)

When you get right down to it, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are the fathers of the modern alt-country music movement. In 1972, the California-based band enlisted the help of country music's old guard, folks such as Roy Acuff, Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson, to record the landmark album "Will The Circle Be Unbroken."

While that album will undoubtedly be the work for which the group will be remembered, the band has released plenty of quality music since then.

The latest effort, "Speed of Life," shows perfectly why the band has endured. The songs on the album are mainstream enough to be played on contemporary country music radio stations, but not so modern as to sacrifice the classic country music sound.

Kicking off with the catchy "Tulsa Sounds Like Trouble To Me," which was co-written by Shawn Camp, the album plugs along nicely throughout with agreeable songs recorded live in the studio. What is probably the album's best song, "Jimmy Martin," is a catchy tribute to the Bluegrass king. Longtime Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fans will love this, and folks new to the band's work will hopefully become curious enough to look back to earlier work.

Download These: "Tulsa Sounds Like Trouble To Me," "Jimmy Martin."

Dolly Parton

Dolly

(RCA/Legacy)

To call Dolly Parton a legend is all but belittling the definition of that word. From her first recorded hit, 1967's "Dumb Blonde," Parton has made it a point to do things her way.

Apparently, Dolly's way works, because today, she is one of country music's wealthiest artist, with nearly two dozen No. 1 hits. Parton is one of the few artists to have at least one No. 1 hit in every decade from the '70s to the present. Aside from music, Parton also has found time to conquer both film and television, as well as run the popular Dollywood theme park near her birthplace in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

There have been box sets of Parton's work released in the past, but the new "Dolly" puts those to shame, collecting 21 No. 1 hits and a slew of rare or unreleased tracks.

Diehard Dolly fans will appreciate the inclusion of "Puppy Love," one of Parton's earliest recordings, as well as the previously unreleased "I've Known You All My Life" from 1965.

The hits are all there, including "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," "I Will Always Love You," "9 to 5" and "Islands in the Stream," her hit duet with Kenny Rogers.

Also included is a 60-page booklet with liner notes, rare photos and memorabilia.

Download These: "Puppy Love," "I've Known You All My Life," "Jolene."