Larger Than Life

All of Sleepy LaBeef's most important records -- from his early singles for Starday to his latter-day sides for Sun -- are included on the mammoth, six-disc box set Larger Than Life. LaBeef recorded for a number of different labels during his career, and during that time, he explored a variety of roots music, from rockabilly and country to blues and soul. Spanning three full decades, Larger Than Life contains 158 tracks, including all of his recordings for Starday, Dixie, Columbia, and Sun. The box begins in the '50s and ends in the '70s, hitting all of LaBeef's best moments in the interim. A set of this size is designed for hardcore fans, and they are the ones who will treasure it -- for less-dedicated listeners, the music may become rather monotonous, since the sheer length of the box is overwhelming. However, Larger Than Life is a treasure for devoted followers, since it collects many rare items -- LaBeef's records have never been very easy to track down -- adding an excellent booklet and many demos and outtakes in the measure. For those fans, it's a necessary addition to their collection. ~ Thom Owens