Bobby Darin Story [Not Now]

A generous triple-disc set, Not Now's 2014 collection The Bobby Darin Story does not follow a strict chronological sequence. It opens up with a blast of the familiar -- "Mack the Knife," "Dream Lover," and "Beyond the Sea" are dispatched in quick fashion -- and then it hopscotches through the unpredictable Darin's career, sometimes making a quick switch between rock & roll and showbiz schmaltz. It would seem a story would have a clearer narrative but this is a good, affordable way to get a bunch of Darin's best at once. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine