Peter Allen - 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best Of Peter Allen (2001)

Peter Allen recorded for A&M Records between 1974 and 1980, a frustrating period in his career as he tried to position himself as a pop performer and recording artist after having taken more of a sensitive singer/songwriter approach on his early solo albums for Metromedia in the early '70s, and before he broke through as a flamboyant stage performer and adult contemporary star on Arista in the early '80s. Thus, though A&M has the bulk of his catalog in its archives, it doesn't really possess "the best of Peter Allen." This discount-priced compilation might have made up for some of the early lack at least by including the live take of "Tenterfield Saddler," Allen's best early song, and "I Still Call Australia Home," one of his better late ones, even if it didn't have access to "You and Me (We Wanted It All)" or the Academy Award-winning "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)." Instead, this is a collection of his versions of the hits he wrote for others ("Don't Cry Out Loud," "I Honestly Love You," "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love"), his sole pop singles chart entry ("Fly Away"), and such favorites as "I Go to Rio" and the Judy Garland tribute "Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage." It's not bad, but it's hardly "the best of Peter Allen."~William Ruhlmann