Best of Bowie

Never mind the on-sale, single-disc version of this new compilation of some of David Bowie’s greatest songs, grab the mostly fantastic double-disc rendition while it’s available. The extra 75-plus minutes of the latter afford a much more thorough overview of this eclectic star’s career. The single disc is simply Changes One Bowie with a few extra cuts. The double set, however, is basically Ryko’s original double-disc compilation plus a bunch more recent stuff.

Highlights: “The Man Who Sold the World,” “Cat People (Putting out Fire)” (although I swear there’s a far superior version of this in the vaults somewhere), “Under the God” with Tin Machine, “Absolute Beginners,” and the somewhat difficult-to-find duet with Queen “Under Pressure.” Weakest track? Mick Jagger and Bowie’s rendition of Martha and the Vandella’s “Dancing in the Street,” recorded and videoed especially for 1985’s Live-Aid benefit. A track or two from Pin Ups would have been more welcome. But that’s pretty much the drawback of compilations, n’est pas?