There's been quite a bit of chatter across the site the last few days about compilation CDs, catching up with artists you'd never quite got found to listening to etc. As I was browsing iTunes this morning I came across, again, a series of 5-track downloadable EPs from the redoubtable Rhino label. I've bought a few in my time and was tempted by a few classic Dave Edmunds tracks when I thought "This might just fit the bill for those looking to have a quick skim through an artist's catalogue."

They are the Rhino Hi-Five series and are available on most of the download sites - here a link to the ones at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_5?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/rhino-hi-five-Downloads/s/qid=1265627436/ref=sr_shvl_1-all?ie=UTF8&rs=77197031&keywords=rhino%20hi-five&rh=n%3A77197031%2Cn%3A!77925031%2Ck%3Arhino%20hi-five%2Cp_n_format_browse-bin%3A78186031

It reckons that this gives you about 350+ results (1800+ tracks to choose from).

The samplers retail between about £2.29 and £2.99 and each have 5 (if not essential then at least pretty darned good) tracks drawn from the artist's back catalogue. There are genre themed ones too.

All sounds too good to be true but the choice of tracks seems really good on the whole - almost all proper album versions not ropey live cuts or studio floor sweepings. And the range of artists is pretty darned impressive and eclectic too... A-ha, Coolio, Barbara Lewis, Big Joe Turner, Ratt, The Dream Academy, Mose Allison, Aretha, Dionne, Black Oak Arkansas, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Yes, The Meters, The Ramones, Seals & Crofts, The Electric Prunes, Grover Washington Jr, Ice T, Ella, Love, Dokken, Atlantic Starr, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Andrew Gold...

Well worth a browse and a search on "Rhino Hi-Five" at your local MP3 emporium should give you more than enough browsing food for thought.