I bought this 1984 release in 1987 while I was living in the crappy roach infested apartments in Delaware. I bought it at the record store on Penny Hill about a half mile from my parent’s house. According to Discogs and the catalogue number and the WEA record label this is a New Zealand import. This was never released in the U.S. until much later on CD. These songs are from his first seven albums that were on the Asylum label. All but one were recorded in the 70’s. His singing and storytelling is in a kind of Beatnik or Lounge music style with sparse instrumentation, usually only a piano, upright bass or sax. Some of his singing and phrasing sounds like Springsteen , or does Springsteen sound like Tom Waits?. Springsteen did record his song “Jersey Girl”, the last single he recorded for Asylum Records, although that song is not on this compilation. Most of the best songs are on the first record of this two record set. “Ol’ 55” covered by the Eagles, “Rosie”, “Diamonds On My Windshield”, “(Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night”, “Small Change” and “Tom Traubert’s Blues” are all great songs. The second record of songs from the late 70’s, one I didn’t play as much, still has a couple songs I like “Step Right Up” and the comical “The Piano Has Been Drinking”. Another record that has some kind of residue on it, as I’ve noticed some others do, making it sound very rough in spots. Maybe it needs a good vacuum cleaning. In the early 80’s he signed with Island Records and I had four or five of those releases on cassette and one on CD. His style had changed a bit by then using unusual rhythms and percussion and employing more guitar.