Tommy Bolin has been the subject of countless releases over the years (especially after the formation of the Tommy Bolin Archives label in the late '90s), much of which were either rarity- or live-based. With the 1989 double-disc box set The Ultimate, long out of print, new fans who were looking for a comprehensive collection of
Bolin's career highlights were out of luck. That was until the release of the 1999 single-disc
Come Taste the Man. With a title that's a play on words of the one and only release
Bolin appeared on with
Deep Purple (1975's underrated Come Taste the Band), the 15-track collection is a fine introduction to the oft-overlooked guitarist -- compiling the crème de la crème of previous
Tommy Bolin Archives releases. Mixing standout tracks with several vintage interview segments, highlights include
Bolin's best-known song from his solo years, "Teaser" (which was later covered by
Mötley Crüe), as well as the mood-shifting "San Francisco River," the jam fest "Post Toastee" (which eerily sees
Bolin singing about an autobiographical out-of-control drug habit), as well as "Meaning of Love," which shows that
Bolin had an underrated singing voice, to boot. If you're looking for a single-disc sampler of
Bolin, then
Come Taste the Man is just what you're looking for. ~ Greg Prato