TURN-ONS AND TURN-OFFS IN CURRENT HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASES : Excellent Good Fair Poor : COMPACT DISCS

“The Ultimate Bobby Darin.” Warner Special Products. AAD. Darin, one of the most underrated vocal stylists of the modern pop era, began his career in the ‘50s with rock novelties like “Splish Splash,” but soon moved to more sophisticated, Sinatra-influenced recordings such as “Beyond the Sea.” Then came quick visits into country, pop-folk and protest music. These career shifts were sometimes dismissed as opportunism, but Darin--who died in 1973--did richly appealing work in each area. These 17 tracks in this CD-only package are from his early (1958-61) works on the Atco label. Sound quality: fair. 1/2