might be a slight overstatement in regards to ' late-'60s return to . He did not quite tear up the charts but he did have a considerable comeback, especially in terms of quality, creating music that arguably surpassed his recordings in depth and range, even if it didn't produce any songs as iconic as or This resurgence -- partially fueled by having been 's wingman -- on and his subsequent short stint at is documented on 's four-disc box set , its title a play on the name of his 1969 album , which peaked at 42. All his master recordings from until 1973's excellent are here -- including his -supported 1970 set -- along with a disc that's billed as demos, but these aren't stripped-down guitar-and-voice things from ; they're full-fledged band records, raw and vigorous, not so much an addendum to the rest of this box but a complete unreleased album that helps illustrate how was flourishing during this time. music during these five years built upon his rockabilly, taking him further into country -- both honky tonk and melodic pop -- touching on folk and blues, plus a little bit of gospel and lots of lean rock & roll. Not surprisingly given his affiliation with the Man in Black, it's not far removed from 's records from this time, but ' music is looser and not as hokey as some of 's LPs from this period -- there aren't any kitschy Americana albums or songs for children -- and there's something charming about ' casual, almost off-hand delivery. The wiry rockabilly cat is long gone, he's easing into his middle age, his voice getting a little rounder and warmer, which suits the rich tapestry of American music he plays here. He continually revisited his songs, which may have been part of a contractual obligation, but these versions weren't tossed-off rip-offs of the originals, or self-conscious reworkings: they were full-blooded revisions representing where was at then, whether it's how turned into a rowdy honky tonk shuffle or how he turned turned into something a little funky with the assistance of . These new versions -- fuller than the bare-bones classics -- give a good indication of how rich this period was for , and they fit nicely between his own versions of his originals like covers of country hits like and plenty of other country, folk, and rock & roll gems, plus a lot of terrific finger-picking from this peerless guitarist. All in all, it's as convincing an argument for ' greatness as any of his other sets, possibly more so as it captures him at the peak of his artistic maturity. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine