Greatest Hits: The Road Less Travelled

Personnel: Melissa Etheridge.

Recording information: 1988 - 2005.

As one of the most prominent women in rock, Melissa Etheridge has blazed a striking path through the genre with her soulful, gritty voice and formidable guitar playing. In 1993, Etheridge took the bold step of coming out as a lesbian, and, in 2004, she showed even more tenacity by successfully battling breast cancer. This (mostly) chronologically ordered 17-track compilation presents highlights from Etheridge's remarkable career, and features five new tracks, including her fierce take on Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart."

Another excellent cover tune, a stirring 2005 rendition of Tom Petty's "Refugee," begins GREATEST HITS, which swiftly switches gears to Etheridge's early work, including the restless "Bring Me Some Water" and the road-trip narrative "You Can Sleep While I Drive." The disc also touches on the singer/songwriter's most successful singles (the rollicking "I'm the Only One" and the anthemic "Come to My Window"), before settling into Etheridge's triumphant post-cancer tracks, most notably the aforementioned Joplin song and the determined "I Run for Life." A concise overview of Etheridge's catalog with plenty of previously unreleased material, THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED is sure to please longtime fans, and it serves as an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with the performer's potent brand of rock.