The Dionne Warwick Collection: Her All-Time Greatest Hits by Dionne Warwick

THE DIONNE WARWICK COLLECTION was released a few years before the pop world at large gave the music of Burt Bacharach and Hal David a long-overdue reappraisal. Decades of Muzak versions of "Alfie" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" had largely hidden the sublime and complex pleasures of the originals. This 24-track CD is as much a retrospective of Bacharach and David's best work as it is a showcase for Warwick's stunning versatility. The singer quickly became the duo's foremost interpreter, with an instinctive gift for wrapping herself around David's wordy, often ironic lyrics and Bacharach's marriage of challenging melodies and surprising time changes. Her takes on "Walk on By" and the aforementioned songs are their definitive versions. This compilation, packaged and remastered with Rhino's usual exquisite care, is a must-own for any halfway-serious fan of sophisticated pop.