Mountain Music: The Best Of Alabama (2009)

"Emerging in the late '70s, the band Alabama had roots in both country and rock. However, there is no denying that Alabama is a country band -- the bandmembers' pop instincts may come from rock, but their harmonies, songwriting, and approach are indebted to country, particularly the Bakersfield sound of Merle Haggard, bluegrass, and the sound of Nashville pop. With an impressive run of hits in the '80s -- thanks to a country sound washed in a sleek, pop sheen and with enough rock dynamics to put it all over -- Alabama built an early template for how to be a country group in the 21st century. They had chart hits in three different decades, a pretty impressive lesson in longevity in a business that hardly encourages it. This well-sequenced set features some of the groups most enduring songs, including Im in a Hurry (And Dont Know Why), Song of the South, and Mountain Music, among others, and makes it easy to hear why Alabama was so ubiquitous in the genre." (S.T. Erlewine / Steve Leggett, Allmusic)