Long before Prince, there was Little Richard. Born Richard Pennington, Little Richard became a star thanks to his hits "Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Keep A-Knockin'." His wild-man and flamboyant on-stage antics were nothing close to Jerry Lee Lewis' piano abuse, but Richard sure got the audience excited. On this 25-track CD, Little Richard's career is laid out for fans and historians. The closing track is a concert medley of "Ain't That a Shame," "I Got a Woman" and "Tutti Frutti," which gives the listener a sonic peek at what his live shows were all about. — S.I.

MAROON 5; "Call & Response: the Remix Album" (A&M/Octone ** 1/2

Maroon 5 always has had good, groovy music. And the hits "If I Never See Your Face Again," "This Love," "Harder to Breathe," "Goodnight Goodnight" and "Wake Up Call," to name a few, are great examples of the band's soulful hits. These songs and more have been given the remix by mixmasters such as Pharrell Williams, Questlove, DJ Quick, David Banner, Tiesto, DJ Pemier and Paul Oakenfold. — S.I.

SARAH McLACHLAN; "Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan" (Tyde Music/Nettwerk) *** 1/2

The nice thing about "The Best of Sarah McLachlan" is the fact that the singer/songwriter herself picked each track. "Vox," "Hold On," "Into the Fire" and "That of Thorns (Terms)" are among her personal favorites. And it only seems natural that her charting hits "I Will Remember You," "Good Enough," "Building a Mystery," "Sweet Surrender, "Adia" and "Angel" make up the bulk of the CD. Her later hits "Fallen," "Stupid" and "World on Fire" also get "best-of" nods. The main draw for McLachlan fans, who undoubtedly have all these other songs, is the inclusion of two new tunes — "Don't Give Up on Us" and "U Want Me 2." Both have that trademark McLachlan yearning, but there is a maturity in the composition and delivery. — S.I.

NEAL McCOY; "The Very Best of Neal McCoy," (Atlantic/Warner Bros./Rhino) *** His contagious smile and exciting concerts put Neal McCoy on the country-music map. He emerged in 1991 with his debut "At This Moment" and found himself on the charts throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s. "The Very Best of Neal McCoy" features a new song, "Rednecktified," and a load of older, off-the-cuff style tunes and a few ballads. "WInk," "The City Put the Country Back in Me," "They're Playing Our Song," "The Shake," "Billy Got His Beer Goggles On" and "I Was" are just a few of the McCoy singles featured. — S.I.