Just a one-disc sampling of Bacharach's definitive three-CD box The Look of Love, this collection nonetheless captures some of the most essential of his writing collaborations with lyricist Hal David. Among them are a half-dozen of the greatest singles the two conjured for Dionne Warwick in the '60s; from the sorrowful "Anyone Who Had a Heart" to the bittersweet "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and the savvy "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," they're among the best examples of postwar pop. The A-1 quality only flags on the final three lugubrious tracks. The Very Best is a mostly appealing selection, but it's hard not to feel that the title should instead appear on a full platter of Warwick classics. --Rickey Wright