George Jones - The George Jones Collection (1999/2019)

George Jones moved to MCA Records in 1990, beginning the decade with the promising And Along Came Jones. As it turns out, a new label and a new band of collaborators and producers didn't necessarily mean artistic revitalization for Jones. He still could turn out some fine records, but he often fell prey to formula, particularly in how he always seemed to have a song about how he "don't need your rocking chair" or how country radio won't play veterans like him. Even if those sentiments may be true, they gave all the albums a homogenous feel, which in turn led to less airplay. So, when Jones left MCA for Elektra and it was time for a compilation of MCA material, there weren't many hits for a compilation. Then again, George Jones Collection isn't really a hits compilation, it's a portrait of the MCA years, which were scattershot in terms of quality and remarkably consistent in tone. Accordingly, the 11-track compilation is coherent but uneven, containing some great moments ("Walls Can Fall," "Wrong's What I Do Best," "You Couldn't Get the Picture") and a number of mediocrities. This may mean that it's an accurate portrait of this era, but it doesn't mean that it contains all the best moments from his MCA recordings, which will undoubtedly be frustrating for serious fans that want a definitive compilation of Jones' latter-day recordings.