The Best of Trick Pony

Although Trick Pony definitely fit into the pop-inflected contemporary country scheme, the trio always seemed to be an obvious extension of 1970s outlaw country, and thanks to the gritty singing and tough-as-nails stance of California-born singer, guitarist, and harmonica player Heidi Newfield, they managed to play it both ways. This short set picks the best tracks from Trick Pony's two Warner Bros. albums, 2001's self-titled Trick Pony and 2002's On a Mission (nothing from the band's third album, R.I.D.E., released by Curb Records in 2005, is included here), which means the hits "Pour Me," "On a Night Like This," "Just What I Do," and the infectious "A Boy Like You" are heavily featured. Newfield left the group for a solo career late in 2006, and while her replacement, Aubrey Collins, who came on board in 2007, is a more than capable singer, Newfield's sassy spirit was a big part of Trick Pony's appeal. What's here is fine, but it's only part of the story.