** Leo Sayer’s “The Show Must Go On: The Anthology,” Rhino.

When he arrived on the English pop scene in the mid-’70s with so many enticing songs that the Who’s Roger Daltrey recorded a whole album of them, Leo Sayer seemed for a fleeting moment to be a second Elton John.

As if Sayer’s impressive mix of pop accessibility and rock character wasn’t enough to lead to the comparison, he and early songwriting partner David Courtney actually found each other through a magazine ad--just like John and partner Bernie Taupin. Sayer, too, was a flamboyant performer, at one point appearing onstage in clown’s makeup.

He did come up with a few hits, including back-to-back No. 1’s with “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing,” which he co-wrote with Vini Poncia, and “When I Need You,” written by Carole Bayer Sager and Albert Hammond. But eventually he lost creative energy as a songwriter and, ultimately, his identity as a vocalist. This two-disc set reminds you of the early promise and quality--and of the loss of momentum.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).