Consumer Guide Album

George Strait: Greatest Hits, Volume Two [MCA, 1987]
The lackluster professionalism seems like the fulfillment of his always modest gifts and ambitions, with Something Special a blip. Not counting "The Chair," which is on both records, there are five songs on that album that top anything besides "All My Ex's Live in Texas" on this one. "You're Something Special to Me," which is also on both records, isn't among them. Instead it exemplifies the factory-certified hookiness of his current singles strategy, though its plain sentimentality is a little extreme--better the mild overstatement of "Ocean Front Property" or even the mild whoop-de-do of "The Fireman." No tuneouts, that's the ticket. Just blandouts. B