The Allman Brothers Band: Dickey Betts (vocals, guitar); Gregg Allman (vocals, organ); Dan Toler, Duane Allman (guitar); David Goldflies, Lamar Williams, Berry Oakley (bass guitar); Jai Johanny Johanson, Butch Trucks (drums).

Personnel: Chuck Leavell (piano).

Recording information: Capricorn, Sound Studios, Macon, Georgia; Fillmore East, New York, New York; Criteria Studio, Miami, Florida; Atlantic Recording Studios, New York, New York (1969 - 1979).

At first glance, the two-disc GOLD collection may seem surprisingly similar to 2004's STAND BACK, with both chronologically arranged sets featuring many of the same Allman Brothers classics. Where GOLD differs from its predecessor, however, is in its focus; while STAND BACK draws from the years 1969 to 2002, GOLD hones in on the blues-rock group's '69-'79 heyday. Over that 10-year period, the band's surprisingly eclectic aesthetic would flow between the complex, jazz-tinged grooves of "Don't Want You No More" and the southern-soul vibe of "Midnight Rider." Although every record from this era garners at least one track, the first four Allman Brothers Band albums, including AT THE FILLMORE EAST, deservedly, get the majority of the running time. Fans looking for a focused, yet extensive compilation of the band at their peak can't go wrong with GOLD.