A double-disc box set containing everything Robert Johnson ever recorded, The Complete Recordings is essential listening, but it is also slightly problematic. The problems aren't in the music itself, of course, which is stunning and the fidelity of the recordings is the best it ever has been or ever will be. Instead, it's in the track sequencing. As the title implies, The Complete Recordings contains all of Johnson's recorded material, including a generous selection of alternate takes. All of the alternates are sequenced directly after the master, which can make listening to the album a little intimidating and tedious for novices. Certainly, the alternates can be programmed out with a CD player or mp3 player, but the set would have been more palatable if the alternate takes were presented on a separate disc. Nevertheless, this is a minor complaint -- Johnson's music retains its power no matter what context it is presented in. He, without question, deserves this kind of deluxe box set treatment. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist 1 :
2 Kindhearted Woman Blues 2:30
Robert Johnson
3 I Believe I'll Dust My Broom 2:59
Robert Johnson
4 Sweet Home Chicago 2:58
Robert Johnson
5 Rambling on My Mind 2:52
Robert Johnson
6 Rambling on My Mind 2:23
Robert Johnson
7 When You Got a Good Friend 2:38
Robert Johnson / Traditional
8 When You Got a Good Friend 2:52
Robert Johnson / Traditional
9 Come on in My Kitchen 2:51
Robert Johnson
10 Come on in My Kitchen 2:44
Robert Johnson
11 Terraplane Blues 3:01
Robert Johnson
12 Phonograph Blues 2:40
Robert Johnson
13 Phonograph Blues 2:33
Robert Johnson
14 32-20 Blues 2:50
Robert Johnson
15 They're Red Hot 2:59
Robert Johnson
16 Dead Shrimp Blues 2:31
Robert Johnson
17 Cross Road Blues 2:40
Robert Johnson
18 Cross Road Blues 2:29
Robert Johnson
19 Walking Blues 2:30
Robert Johnson
20 Last Fair Deal Gone Down 2:37
Robert Johnson
Tracklist 2 :
1 Preaching Blues (Up Jumped the Devil) 2:51
Robert Johnson
2 If I Had Posession Over Judgment Day 2:35
Robert Johnson
3 Stones in My Passway 2:28
Robert Johnson
4 I'm a Steady Rollin' Man 2:37
Robert Johnson
5 From Four till Late 2:24
Robert Johnson
6 Hellhound on My Trail 2:36
Robert Johnson
7 Little Queen of Spades 2:13
Robert Johnson
8 Little Queen of Spades 2:18
Robert Johnson
9 Malted Milk 2:22
Robert Johnson
10 Drunken Hearted Man 2:28
Robert Johnson
11 Drunken Hearted Man 2:27
Robert Johnson
12 Me and the Devil Blues 2:35
Robert Johnson
13 Me and the Devil Blues 2:33
Robert Johnson
14 Stop Breakin' Down Blues 2:17
Robert Johnson
15 Stop Breakin' Down Blues 2:23
Robert Johnson
16 Traveling Riverside Blues 2:46
Robert Johnson
17 Honeymoon Blues 2:18
Robert Johnson
18 Love in Vain 2:25
Robert Johnson
19 Love in Vain 2:17
Robert Johnson
20 Milkcow's Calf Blues 2:17
Robert Johnson
21 Milkcow's Calf Blues 2:20
Robert Johnson
Tracklist 1 :
1 Kindhearted Woman Blues 2:52
Robert Johnson2 Kindhearted Woman Blues 2:30
Robert Johnson
3 I Believe I'll Dust My Broom 2:59
Robert Johnson
4 Sweet Home Chicago 2:58
Robert Johnson
5 Rambling on My Mind 2:52
Robert Johnson
6 Rambling on My Mind 2:23
Robert Johnson
7 When You Got a Good Friend 2:38
Robert Johnson / Traditional
8 When You Got a Good Friend 2:52
Robert Johnson / Traditional
9 Come on in My Kitchen 2:51
Robert Johnson
10 Come on in My Kitchen 2:44
Robert Johnson
11 Terraplane Blues 3:01
Robert Johnson
12 Phonograph Blues 2:40
Robert Johnson
13 Phonograph Blues 2:33
Robert Johnson
14 32-20 Blues 2:50
Robert Johnson
15 They're Red Hot 2:59
Robert Johnson
16 Dead Shrimp Blues 2:31
Robert Johnson
17 Cross Road Blues 2:40
Robert Johnson
18 Cross Road Blues 2:29
Robert Johnson
19 Walking Blues 2:30
Robert Johnson
20 Last Fair Deal Gone Down 2:37
Robert Johnson
Tracklist 2 :
1 Preaching Blues (Up Jumped the Devil) 2:51
Robert Johnson
2 If I Had Posession Over Judgment Day 2:35
Robert Johnson
3 Stones in My Passway 2:28
Robert Johnson
4 I'm a Steady Rollin' Man 2:37
Robert Johnson
5 From Four till Late 2:24
Robert Johnson
6 Hellhound on My Trail 2:36
Robert Johnson
7 Little Queen of Spades 2:13
Robert Johnson
8 Little Queen of Spades 2:18
Robert Johnson
9 Malted Milk 2:22
Robert Johnson
10 Drunken Hearted Man 2:28
Robert Johnson
11 Drunken Hearted Man 2:27
Robert Johnson
12 Me and the Devil Blues 2:35
Robert Johnson
13 Me and the Devil Blues 2:33
Robert Johnson
14 Stop Breakin' Down Blues 2:17
Robert Johnson
15 Stop Breakin' Down Blues 2:23
Robert Johnson
16 Traveling Riverside Blues 2:46
Robert Johnson
17 Honeymoon Blues 2:18
Robert Johnson
18 Love in Vain 2:25
Robert Johnson
19 Love in Vain 2:17
Robert Johnson
20 Milkcow's Calf Blues 2:17
Robert Johnson
21 Milkcow's Calf Blues 2:20
Robert Johnson