As perhaps should be expected from a double-disc collection bearing 30 tracks,
Just One Look: Classic Linda Ronstadt
does indeed cover most of
Ronstadt
's career, beginning with
the Stone Poneys
' "Different Drum" and running into the late '90s, when she wrapped up her time with
Elektra Records
. This doesn't mean each era gets equal weight, however.
Just One Look
emphasizes her latter-day adult contemporary material over her cracking early country-rock, a trade-off that will likely satisfy listeners familiar with
mainly through the radio. This does mean there are some terrific works left behind -- her big breakthrough "You're No Good" comes just six songs into this collection, so anything prior to that gets short shrift, but this settles into a good soft rock groove and should satisfy a listener who wants nothing but hits, and a lot of them at that. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine