The Limited Series (Capitol, 1998)

Six new, generally worthy songs adorn Garth Brooks six-CD box set. Some were recorded recently and others at the time the original albums were made. Brooks fortunately goes for a softer, more country approach than his recent rock-leaning meanderings on the new releases.

Brooks retains a western feel on the lead-off "Uptown Down Home Good Ol Boy," with an easy going vocal style. Staying away from an overblown direction which gets him into trouble on more recent discs, Brooks maintains just the right vocal intonation. He honky tonks it up on the bouncy "Something With a Ring To It," featuring lots of fiddle and clarinet. Brooks gets a bit too tender on "This Ain't Tennessee," more of a singer/songwriter song and not too interesting at that.

But he is stronger on Bob Dylan's "Which One of Them" and particularly the piano-laden closer "To Make You Feel My Love." It's a case of whether listeners want to spend their bucks for six songs on albums they may already have.