Farewells & Fantasies

The ballad of Phil Ochs — one man's slide from '60s optimist to disillusioned '70s suicide victim — is a sad one. But his music rarely was, as this three-disc set, Farewells & Fantasies, demonstrates. Nearly three decades later, the sound of Ochs and his guitar taking on Vietnam, brutal cops, smug liberals, pop culture, and his own oncoming depression still rings out clearly. Though a bit short on rarities, as a whole this box vividly chronicles a time and a place and Ochs' reactions to it all — politically correct, in the best way. A