Boz Scaggs was subjected to a double-disc retrospective in 1997 with the excellent My Time: The Anthology (1969-1997). That was a lavish archival project, whereas 2013's Essential is part of Sony's ongoing one-size-fits-all series, but it's nevertheless the superior set, containing all but six of that 33-track collection's cuts in its 32 songs. Naturally, Essential covers more ground than My Time, going all the way up to 2013's fine Memphis LP, but it also digs slightly deeper into Boz's early years (it also helps that "Loan Me a Dime" is placed toward the front of the first disc instead of the back). This greater scope, combined with all the classic hits -- "Dinah Flo," "Slow Dancer," "What Can I Say," "Lowdown," "Lido Shuffle," "JoJo" -- makes this something close to a truly essential Boz Scaggs. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine