The four albums Dr. John recorded for Parlophone leading up to this compilation were very distinct projects…![Dr-John-Best-Of-The-Parlophone-Years-1.j]()
...The first, 1998's Anutha Zone, functioned as the New Orleans legend's return to trans-Atlantic critical respectability, thanks to a parade of British admirers (Paul Weller, J Spaceman of Spiritualized, and Gaz Coombes of Supergrass among others). One year later, he recorded a deliciously dripping tribute to Duke Ellington titled Duke Elegant, and he followed after the end of the millennium with an old-fashioned New Orleans R&B records (2001's Creole Moon) and a heavily collaborational record (N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'udda) including B.B. King, Randy Newman, and Willie Nelson. Best of the Parlophone Years recycles 15 tracks from those sessions and adds a pair of bonus tracks: the unreleased "Careless Love" featuring Willie Tee (circa N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'udda) and "Look Out" (added to a Japanese version of Anutha Zone). Grabbing tracks from such a tight time frame produces a very unified compilation, although Dr. John's syrupy growl and laid-back swing aren't flattered by the first half of this compilation, where the tempos rarely vary. - AllMusic Review by John Bush
...The first, 1998's Anutha Zone, functioned as the New Orleans legend's return to trans-Atlantic critical respectability, thanks to a parade of British admirers (Paul Weller, J Spaceman of Spiritualized, and Gaz Coombes of Supergrass among others). One year later, he recorded a deliciously dripping tribute to Duke Ellington titled Duke Elegant, and he followed after the end of the millennium with an old-fashioned New Orleans R&B records (2001's Creole Moon) and a heavily collaborational record (N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'udda) including B.B. King, Randy Newman, and Willie Nelson. Best of the Parlophone Years recycles 15 tracks from those sessions and adds a pair of bonus tracks: the unreleased "Careless Love" featuring Willie Tee (circa N'Awlinz: Dis Dat or d'udda) and "Look Out" (added to a Japanese version of Anutha Zone). Grabbing tracks from such a tight time frame produces a very unified compilation, although Dr. John's syrupy growl and laid-back swing aren't flattered by the first half of this compilation, where the tempos rarely vary. - AllMusic Review by John Bushtrax:
01 Zonata 02 I Like Ki Yoka 03 It Don't Mean A Thing 04 Voices In My Head 05 Marie Laveau 06 Party Hellfire 07 Now That You Got Me 08 Hen Layin' Rooster 09 I Ate Up The Apple Tree 10 I'm Gonna Go Fishing 11 Hello God 12 Food For Thot 13 I Don't Wanna Know 14 Lay My Burden Down 15 Sweet Home New Orleans 16 Careless Love 17 Look Out