The double-disc collection
Neil Sedaka Sings the Hits is a comprehensive chronicle of
Sedaka's hit-making stint at RCA, from his first hit in 1958 ("The Diary") to his last recordings for the label in the late '60s. That means it's not quite definitive, since it bypasses his '70s comeback on Rocket Records, but this is about as exhaustive as an RCA compilation can get, containing all of his hits (including the big ones "Oh! Carol," "Stairway to Heaven," "Calendar Girl," "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," and "Next Door to an Angel") plus a bunch of lesser-known singles and album tracks. It may be too much for casual listeners -- 34 tracks on two discs is a whole lotta
Sedaka -- but it's well done and entertaining, and easily the best compilation yet assembled on this era. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine