"Nothing But Good: 1952-1962" by HANK BALLARD and THE MIDNIGHTERS – Thirteen Albums Worth on Federal and King Records, Single-Only and EP Sides, Collaborations with Little Willie John and Seventeen Exclusive Previously Unreleased Tracks (January 2009 GERMAN Bear Family 5CD Remastered 150-Track LP-Sized Box Set with Hardback Book of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"MANNISH BOY" 

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, DOO WOP, ROOTS

RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD 

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Thousands of E-Pages

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

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"...Finger Poppin' Time..."

Bear Family Records of Germany owns a reputation most reissue labels would probably nobble baby-seal-loving Aunty Flo of the Peace Corps with a lump mallet to obtain. But every now and then, and even by their lofty standards, they stomp on that sucker so damn good that you're left reeling. 

For sure "Nothing But Good: 1952-1962" by Hank Ballard and The Midnighters isn't cheap (nor should it be) and it's not for the faint-hearted or lowly of wallet. But this LP-Sized Box Set and its sumptuous Hardback Book is the total Rhythm and Blues business (with occasional Doo Wops, Twists and Soul Shuffles thrown into the genre mix). 

Across five jam-packed CDs (check out those eye-watering total playing times) you get 150 tracks offering the listener a huge 13 US albums in full and of course all those Federal and King US 45s, Extended Play EPs and even some straggler tracks on a Little Willie John LP. And I count as many as Seventeen Previously Unissued Tracks making their digital debut here. There is much to discuss, fuss and muss over, so in the words of the great twisting entertainer himself - "Let's go, let's go, let's go..."

Released 20 January 2009 in Germany - "Nothing But Good - 1952-1962" by HANK BALLARD and THE MIDNIGHTERS on Bear Family BCD 16795 EK (Barcode 4000127167958) is a 5CD Remastered 150-Track LP-Sized Box Set (Seventeen Tracks Previously Unissued) with a Hardback Book that plays out as follows: 

CD1 (81:49 minutes, 32 Tracks)

CD2 (72:25 minutes, 27 Tracks)

CD3 (78:28 minutes, 30 Tracks) 

CD4 (81:49 minutes, 30 Tracks)

CD5 (81:06 minutes, 31 Tracks)

Bear Family have used the usual crew of R&B good-people DOUG POMEROY did the Disc Transfers, Bear Family's RICHARD WEIZE Produced the Box Set and did Tape Research alongside Tape Comparisons by DAVE BOOTH and BILL DAHL with Mastering by the mighty JURGEN CRASSER – the man who did the mucho-praised "Blowing The Fuse" 1945 to 1960 year-by-year CD series. The 86-page LP-Sized Hardback Book is likely to make even the most die-hard fan gasp – beautiful full-colour plates of Hank in-between album cover shoots, pages of all those King and Federal US 45s, the colour covers of so many LPs peppering the BILL DAHL and RICHARD WEIZE Discography. It’s stunning both visually and audibly. 

This box Set will also allow fans to sequence all of the albums, Extended Plays and Singles from the period (plus subsequent compilations) as follows:

THE MIDNIGHTERS Albums (all MONO):

1. "Their Greatest Hits" (1954 US 8-Track 10" LP on Federal 295-90)

2. "Their Greatest Hits" (1956 US 12-Track 12" LP on Federal 541 - further reissued twice as Hank Ballard and The Midnighters - see list below)

3. "Volume Two" (1958 US 12-Track 12" LP on King 581) - Lady reclining smoking a cigarette sleeve - see below

HANK BALLARD and THE MIDNIGHTERS Albums (all MONO): 

1. "Their Greatest Juke Box Hits" (1956 US 12-Track LP on King 541, 1st Reissue with HB by Jukebox Sleeve)

2. "Greatest Juke Box Hits" (1962 US 12-Track LP on King 541, 2nd Reissue with HB Holding Titles In His Hands)

3. "Singin' And Swingin'" (1959 US 14-Track LP on King 618)

4. "Volume Two" (1960s US 12-Track LP on King 581) - Hank Ballard and The Midnighters 'Vivid Sound' sleeve

5. "The One And Only" (1960 US 12-Track LP on King 674)

6. "Mr. Rhythm & Blues" (1960 US 12-Track LP on King 700 - Reissued in 1975 in the USA as "Finger Poppin' Time" on Power Pak PO-276)

7. "Spotlight On Hank Ballard" (1961 US 12-Track LP on King 740) 

8. "Let's Go Again" (1961 US 12-Track LP on King 748)

9. "Dance Along" (1961 US 12-Track LP on King 759) 

10. "The Twistin' Fools" (1962 US 12-Track LP on King 781)

11. "Jumpin" (1962 US 12-Track LP on King 793)

12. "Hank Ballard's Biggest Hits" (1963 US 12-Track LP on King 867)

13. "Glad, Sad, Shout, Sweet Fast, Slow, New and Blue Songs" (1965 US 12-Track LP on King 927)

Beginning with 1952's "Get It" when he began his career in the Vocal Group The Royals (charted in January 1953) on Federal Records – both as The Midnighters and then Hank Ballard and The Midnighters – Detroit, Michigan's finest placed a further twenty singles on the American Billboard R&B Charts – three of which went all the way to No. 1 - "Work With Me Annie" on Federal 12169 and "Annie Had A Baby" on Federal 12195 (both in 1954) and "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" in 1960. 

He and his band of R&B pirates were (along with Chubby Checker) also heavily involved in one of the dance crazes of the 60s – The Twist (that 45-single went to No. 6 on King 5171 in 1960). His last big chart showing in 1961 would be the title of this box set "Nothing But Good" on King 6196, which made No. 15. Ballard would trouble the R&B charts for the last time with The Dapps in 1968, but that's outside the purview of this Box Set. They are all here though - "The Switch-A-Roo", "The Hoochi Coochi Coo", "Finger Poppin' Time" and loads more to bop too. I also love those vocal group moments in the early years like "Tell Them" from 1954. 

A simple Best Of would suffice for most, and with regard to stretching further, I've reviewed the excellent October 2000 UK CD compilation by Ace Records called "Dancin' And Twistin'" that covers the full gamut from 1955 to 1969 – tapping into 45s on Federal and King that didn't chart as well. 

But this is the Rolls Royce of treatments and his fun-music legacy deserved nothing less. Ballard issued a US 45 in October 1953 on Federal 12150, the A-side being called "Hello Miss Fine". Well, if you can afford "Nothing But Good: 1952-1962", say hello to 'Mister Excellence' and then some...