"Yesterday Has Gone: The Songs Of Tony Randazzo" by VARIOUS (September 2019 Ace Records CD Compilation – Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Gonna Take A Miracle..."

(TONY RANDAZZO is part of Ace Record's Singer Songwriter Series)

I've had Ace CDs that went the extra Country Mile in the Audio department before - but this little British issued doozy goes a few 60ts furlongs further.

This is a truly fantastic sounding CD containing Melodrama Pop, 60ts Soul, Girl Group heartache and young boys going out of their heads whilst pining for miracles (and not just the Smokey kind). Most of the music centres around late 1965 and into 1966 (primo 45-singles time) and at 71:43 minutes - "Yesterday Has Gone..." is a generous slab of quality misery into the bargain that collectors will lick their lips over.

For sure Randazzo's overblown Phil Spector-ish I'm-gonna-die pleading same-song-structure every time can grate after a while - and there are some truly yucky saccharine moments with The Vogues and The Kane Triplets that will test punters patience worse than EU Brexit negotiations. But make no mistake, with the likes of Little Anthony & The Imperials, Timi Yuro, The Royalettes and Derek Martin on board – musically there is also so much here to adore (twelve are in glorious Stereo too). Let's move from the outside and start looking in...

UK released Friday, 27 September 2019 (4 October 2019 in the USA) - "Yesterday Has Gone: The Songs Of Teddy Randazzo" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDTOP 1556 (Barcode 029667096027) is a 25-Track CD compilation of Remasters in their Singer-Songwriter Series that plays out as follows (71:43 minutes):

1. I'm On The Outside (Looking In) - LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS (August 1964 US 7" single on DCP Records DCP 1104, A-side)

2. Can't Stop Running Away - TIM YURO (May 1965 US 7" single on Mercury 72431, A-side)

3. Baby Are You Puttin' Me On - THE ROYALETTES (from the 1966 US LP "The Elegant Sound Of The Royalettes" on MGM Records SE-4366 in Stereo)

4. You Don't Need A Heart - TONY RANDAZZO (March 1965 US 7" single on DCP Records DCP 1134, A-side)

5. Think Before You Act - TONY ORLANDO (September 1965 US 7" single on Atco 45-6375, A-side)

6. You Better Go - DEREK MARTIN (June 1965 US 7" single on Roulette R-4631, A-side)

7. It's Gonna Take A Miracle - THE ROYALETTES (June 1965 US 7"single on MGM K 13366, A-side)

8. Rain In My Heart - FRANK SINATRA (December 1968 US 7" single on Reprise 0798, A-side)

9. We're On Our Way - THE VOGUES (May 1971 US 7"single on Bell 991, B-side of "Love Song")

10. Buttercup Days - THE KANE TRIPLETS (October 1968 US 7" single on United Artists UA 50466, A-side)

11. Let Me Dream - GEORGIA GIBBS (December 1965 US 7" single on Bell 635, A-side)

12. Let Me Know When It's Over - ESTHER PHILLIPS (September 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2304, A-side)

13. Lonely Girl - ANNABELLE FOX (May 1966 US 7" single on Satin S-402, A-side)

14. Better Off Without You - RITCHIE ADAMS (November 1966 US 7" single on MGM K 13629, B-side of "You Were Mine")

15. I'm Lost Without You - BILLY FURY (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F. 12048, A-side)

16. Or Not At All - JIMMY RICE (April 1965 US 7" single on Red Bird Records RB 10-027, A-side)

17. Good For A Lifetime - AL HIBBLER (January 1966 US 7" single on Satin S-401, A-side)

18. Goin' Out Of My Head - DIONNE WARWICK (from the 1970 US LP "Very Dionne" on Scepter SPS 587 in Stereo, produced by Bacharach & David)

19. Better Use Your Head - MEL TORME (from the 1966 US LP "Right Now!" on Columbia CS 9335 in Stereo)

20. I Watched You Slowly Slip Away - HOWARD GUYTON (February 1966 US 7" single on Verve VK-10386, A-side)

21. Yesterday Has Gone - ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS (May 1968 US 7" single on Veep V-1285, A-side)

22. Think Twice Before You Walk Away - PORGY And THE MONARCHS (December 1966 US 7" single on Musicor MU 1221, B-side of "My Heart Cries For You")

23. Hurt So Bad - THE DELFONICS (from the 1968 US LP "La La Means I Love You" on Philly Groove PG 1150)

24. Love At First Sight - THE STYLISTICS (January 1979 US 7" single on Mercury 74042, A-side)

25. A Million To One - THE MANHATTANS (October 1971 US 7" single on DeLuxe 45-137, B-side to "Cry If You Wanna Cry")

Tracks 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24 and 25 are in STEREO

Tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,20 and 22 are in MONO

The 24-page colour booklet is the usual classy affair from Ace Records of the UK - each artist and song given promo photos, those rare US labels repro'd and of course photos of our elegant songwriting hero - Brooklyn's Tony Randazzo. Soul and R&B Music aficionados IAN CHAPMAN and MICK PATRICK both do a bang-up job of filling in the 60ts details - Patrick quite rightly pointing out that Randazzo's co-writers Bobby Weinstein, Victoria Pike, Lou Stallman, Bobby Hart and Roger Joyce all deserve to be spoken of in the same voice of respect that is afforded the affable Randazzo. You might argue that TR is so closely associated with the orbit and success of Little Anthony & The Imperials (that's him sat in the control booth with the boys around him on the front cover of the booklet) - that more of their classic output should have been featured here - but Little Anthony's catalogue on End, DCP and Veep Records has been done extensively elsewhere.  For sure by the time you reach The Stylistics in 1979, the end of the CD is putting up mediocrity instead of magic - but the rest is fabulous 60ts melodrama and I suspect collectors will accept the rough with the smooth that comes with all-encompassing compilations like this. Besides NICK ROBBINS - long-time Audio Engineer at Ace Records and a guy who’s transferred literally hundreds of full-length compilations from every conceivable type of master-tape box - has excelled himself. The Audio is properly gorgeous.

"Yesterday Has Gone" opens with a killer one-two - a magisterial Stereo cut of Little Anthony & The Imperial's masterpiece "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)" followed by the Mono beauty of Timi Yuro with "Can't Stop Running Away" (a tune she apparently also recorded in Italian for the Euro market). The Royalettes two slices of 60ts Soul live up the word elegant in their US LP title (they are given a beautiful full-page black and white publicity photo on Page 13 of the booklet) – while the Derek Martin smoocher and one-time Fireflies vocalist Ritchie Adams are me discoveries of the month. I can honestly live without the Sinatra workmanlike rendition of "Rain In My Heart" and the aforementioned syrup-overloads of The Vogues and The Kane Triplets (no matter how gorgeous their blond hair looks on Page 17) – stuff like the Jimmy Rice cut and the Howard Guyton slowly slipping away melodrama (recorded with The Five Pearls in 1954) are the business.

Not all genius for damn sure, but this is a CD compilation that for many has been a long time coming. I suspect collectors everywhere are going top be well pleased – and frankly – yet another feather in the cap of Ace Records – a cap that after 40 years of quality reissues must weigh a few tons by now...

"The Hi Records Singles A's & B's" by ANN PEEBLES - 47 x US Single Sides From 1969 to 1981 on Hi Records (June 2002 UK Demon/Hi Records 2CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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70ts Soul, R 'n' B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
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"…Love Power…"

Forty-seven Soul killers across 2CDs and hardly a duffer amongst them - not a bad track record by any reckoning for a decade long slew of hits. Ann Peebles knew how to milk a groove. Here are the 'give me some' credits...

UK released June 2002 - "The Hi Records Singles A's & B's" by ANN PEEBLES on Demon/Hi Records HEXD 54 (Barcode 740155205423) is a 2CD Compilation that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (67:47 minutes):

1. Walk Away

2. I Can't Let You Go (1969, tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B of Hi 2157, B-side non album)

3. Give Me Some Credit

4. Solid Foundation (1969, tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B of Hi 2165)

5. I'll Get Along

6. Generation Gap Between Us (1970, tracks 5 and 6 are the A&B of Hi 2173)

7. Part Time Love

8. I Still Love You (1970, tracks 7 and 8 are the A&B of Hi 2178)

9. I Pity The Fool

10. Heartaches Heartaches (1971, tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B of Hi 2186, B-side non-album)

11. Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love

12. 99 Lbs (1971, tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B of Hi 2198)

13. Breaking Up Somebody's Home

14. Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness (1971, tracks 13 and 14 are the A&B of Hi 2205)

15. Somebody's On Your Case

16. I've Been There Before (1972, tracks 15 and 16 are the A&B of Hi 2219)

17. I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down

18. One Way Street (1973, tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B of Hi 2232)

19. I Can't Stand The Rain (1973, track 19 is the A of Hi 2248, B-side was "I've Been There Before" (see 16))

20. (You Keep Me) Hangin' On (1974, track 20 is the A-side of Hi 2265, US B-side was "I Pity The Fool" (see 9))

21. Run, Run, Run (1974, track 21 is the B-side of "(You Keep Me) Hangin' On" in the UK on London HLU 10468)

22. Do I Need You

23. A Love Vibration (1974, tracks 22 and 23 are the A&B of Hi 2271)

24. Put Yourself In My Place

25. Until You Came Into My Life (1974, tracks 24 and 25 are the A&B of Hi 2278)

Disc 2 (72:38 minutes):

1. Beware

2. You Got To Feed The Fire (1975, tracks 1 and 2 are the A&B of Hi 2284)

3. Come To Mama

4. I'm Leavin' You (1975, tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B of Hi 2294, B-side non- album)

5. Dr. Love Power (1975, track 5 is the A-side of Hi 2302, the B-side was "I Still Love You" (track 8 on Disc 1))

6. I Don't Lend My Mind

7. I Needed Somebody (1975, tracks 6 and 7 are the A&B of Hi 2309)

8. Fill This World With Love

9. It Was Jealousy (1976, tracks 8 and 9 are the A&B of Hi 2320)

10. If This Is Heaven

11. When I'm In Your Arms (1977, tracks 10 and 11 are the A&B of Hi 77502)

12. Old Man With Young Ideas

13. A Good Day For Lovin' (1978, tracks 12 and 13 are the A&B of Hi 78509)

14. I Didn't Take Your Man

15. Being Here With You (1978, tracks 14 and 15 are the A&B of Hi 78518)

16. If You Got The Time (I Got The Love)

17. Let Your Lovelight Shine (1979, tracks 16 and 17 are the A&B of Hi 79528, A-side non-album)

18. Heartaches

19. I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love (1980, tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B of Hi 80533 - Single-only release)

20. Be For Me (Alternate B-side for "Heartaches" - track 19)

21. Mon Belle - Amour

22. Waiting (1981, tracks 21 and 22 are the A&B of Hi 81534, Single-only release, both sides feature DONALD BRYANT)

The 12-page booklet features track-by-track writer credits, catalogue numbers and chart placing. Well-written Mick Patrick & Malcolm Baumgart liner notes give a detailed history of her stay at Hi Records with Producer Willie Mitchell - and the excellent mastering has been done by PETER RYNSTON at Tall Order in the UK.

Along with Al Green, Syl Johnson, O.V. Wright and Otis Clay (her label mates at Hi) - Peebles had an extraordinary 7" singles career on the American Billboard R&B charts - eight in the top fifty ("Pity The Fool" and "I Can't Stand The Rain" hitting No. 7 and No. 6 respectively) with the rest inside the Top 100 of the Billboard charts. The Missouri Gospel singer struck a chord with buyers when her gritty Soul songs filled the airwaves - "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" and "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" having since been covered by numerous artists (many in the Rock sphere).

Tunes like Clay Hammond's "Part Time Love" and George Jackson's "Slipped, Tripped And Fell In Love" are typical of her groove - the Ann Peebles sound - gutsy vocals, real world lyrics about heartache, lust and cheating backed up by tight guitars and complimentary brass. But what's so cool about this compilation is getting to hear those 'just as good' B-sides like the aching "I Still Love You" and Don Bryant's "99 Lbs". And then there's those low end chart songs you've forgotten about like Earl Randie's "Somebody's On Your Case" and her superb Soulful take on the Gosdin Brothers country classic "(You Keep Me) Hangin' On".

Like Al Green - the sides Ann Peebles did at Hi Records never seem to date - but only get better as the decades pass as more and more Soul searchers stumble on her musical legacy. Start tearing your playhouse down right here...

"LOU ADLER: A Musical History" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (February 2014 Ace Records CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Flowers In His Hair..."

25-Tracks from the career of Producer, Songwriter and Ode Records founder LOU ADLER stretching from 1958 to 1974 – "A Musical History" is a brilliant and eclectic mix of styles, songs and genres that cleverly maps the emergence of the "California Sound" - including huge names like Sam Cooke, The Mama's & The Papa's and Carole King. 

Here are the Eve Of Destruction details...

UK released February 2014 – "LOU ADLER: A Musical History" on Ace Records CDCHD 1384 (Barcode 029667057523) is a 25-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that pans out as follows (71:40 minutes):

1. Wonderful World – SAM COOKE (1960 USA 7” single on Keen 82112, A)

2. Deana Baby – JOHNNY “GUITAR” WATSON (1958 USA 7” single on Keen 3-4023, A)

3. Bim Bam – SAM BUTERA & THE WITNESSES (1958 USA 7” single on Capitol F 4014, A)

4. Baby Talk – JAN & DEAN (1959 USA 7” single on Dore 522, A)

5. All Of My Life – SAM COOKE (1958 USA 7” single on Keen 3-2005, A)

6. Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight – THE UNTOUCHABLES (1960 USA 7” single on Madison M134, A)

7. Alley-Oop – DANTE & THE EVERGREENS (1960 USA 7” single on Madison M130, A)

8. Honolulu Lulu – JAN & DEAN (1963 USA 7” single on Liberty 55613, A)

9. Crying In The Rain – THE EVERLY BROTHERS (1961 USA 7” single on Warner Brothers 5250, A)

10. Eve Of Destruction – BARRY McGUIRE (1965 USA 7” single on Dunhill 45-D-4009, A)

11. Go Where You Wanna Go – THE MAMA’S & THE PAPA’S (1965 USA 7” single on Dunhill 45-D-4018, A)

12. California Dreamin’ - THE MAMA’S & THE PAPA’S (1965 USA 7” single on Dunhill 45-D-4018, A)

13. San Francisco “Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair” – SCOTT McKENZIE (1967 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7-103, A)

14. Stoney End – THE BLOSSOMS (1967 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7-106, B-side to “Wonderful”)

15. Wonderful – THE BLOSSOMS (1967 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7-106, A)

16. Snow Queen – THE CITY [featuring Carole King and Danny Kortchmar] (1968 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7 113, A)

17. Wear You Love Like Heaven – PEGGY LIPTON (1970 USA 7” single on Ode OD-66001, A)

18. The Times They Are A-Changin’ – THE BROTHERS & SISTERS OF LOS ANGELES (1969 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7-123, A)

19. Oh No, Not My Baby – MERRY CLAYTON (1972 USA 7” single on Ode ODE-66030, A)

20. It’s Too Late – CAROLE KING (1971 USA 7” single on Ode ODE-66015, A)

21. It’s Going To Take Some Time – CAROLE KING (from her 1971 album “Music” on A&M/Ode Records SP 77013)

22. Gimme Shelter – MERRY CLAYTON (May 1970 USA 7” single on Ode ODE-66003, A)

23. I Got A Line On You – SPIRIT (1969 USA 7” single on Ode ZS7 115, A)

24. Earache My Eye – CHEECH & CHONG (1974 USA 7” single on Ode ODE-66102-S, A)

25. Sweet Transvestite – TIM CURRY & THE ORIGINAL ROXY CAST featuring Alice Bowie (1974 USA 7” single on Ode ODE-66103, A)

Notes: Tracks 1 to 7, 14, 15 and 17 are MONO – all others are STEREO

The 28-page booklet is properly gorgeous – affectionate and wonderfully informative liner notes by noted Music Writer MICK PATRICK. The artist-by-artist assessments are peppered with repros of almost every American 45 on labels like Madison, Ode, Keen, Dore, Liberty, Dunhill and more. There’s are US picture sleeves for The Everly Brothers, Jan & Dean, The Mama’s & The Papa’s and Peggy Lipton with In Studio black and whites publicity shots of Lou Adler with Jan and Dean and Herb Alpert, Billboard and Cashbox adverts, sheet music and so on... At 28-pages it really stretches out and looks the part. And once again NICK ROBBINS does a bang up job of remastering – each track sounding special in their own way.

It opens with Sam Cooke’s gorgeous “Wonderful World” –a three-way co-write with Cooke, Adler and his songwriting buddy Herb Alpert. Sam Butera & The Witnesses were pretty much the backing band for the wonderful Louis Prima and Keely Smith – so his best-loved R&B hit “Bim Bam” is a really welcome choice – complimenting the wicked same beat found on Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s “Deana Baby” (a genius inclusion). I’ve never been a fan of the Surfing Jan & Dean sound and the vocal group take by The Untouchables of “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight” just sounds out of place somehow.

By the time we get to Track 10 the whole “California Dreamin’” hippy vibe starts to kick in – a mixture of rage at War and Weapons proliferation (“Eve Of Destruction”) sat perfectly alongside the Sixties newfound joy for life (“San Francisco “Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair”). The Blossoms featuring Darlene Love, Jean King and Fanita James do a girl-group cover of Laura Nyro’s “Stoney End” layering on the strings – the flipside to the melodrama of ‘Wonderful”. A truly fantastic discovery for many will be Carole King’s group The City (before she went solo) – the gorgeous melodies and layered vocals in “Snow Queen” are a genuine standout here.

Bizarre cover goes to Peggy Lipton for her version of Donovan’s “Wear Your Love Like Heaven” which segues into something more righteous and far better – the Gospel/Church cover of Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’” by The Brothers & Sisters Of Los Angeles fronted by Merry Clayton at her powerhouse best. Two tracks from her trio of albums on Ode provide genuine highlights – her tender take on the Maxine Brown classic “Oh No, Not My Baby” (written by Goffin & King) and her storming cover of the song that made Clayton famous – The Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”. Things then go stratospheric with King’s sublime "It's Too Late" – a US Number 1 and a Grammy winner from her stunning "Tapestry" album of 1971 followed by a track from her "Music" album.

Wicked inclusion number 109 goes to Spirit's "I Got A Line On You" - a sort of Blood, Sweat & Tears meets The Spencer Davis Group piece of fast-paced upbeat dancing Sixties pop (written by Randy California). Then quickly back to bizarre. It seems amazing now to think that the Frank Zappa Rock/Comedy Kiss excess that is Cheech & Chong’s pisstake on Rock stars “Earache My Eye” went Top 10 in 1974 (“...As long as I can have my limo and orange hair...I’m so rich! Ha1 Ha!”) The compilation ends on the equally rocktastic and anarchic “Sweet Transvestite” – a Richard O’Brien boogie from “The Rocky Horror Show” which sounds like David Bowie meets Lou Reed - with both having fun about high-heeled boots and gender-bending.

So there you have it – Bubblegum Pop, Sweet Soul, Surfin’ Safari, Harry Hippy, Girl Group, Seventies Singer Songwriter, Comedy and Men Dressed Up As Women – Lou Adler produced them all - and from the sounds of this compilation - with real style (along with Herb Alpert he also penned tracks 1, 2, 3 and 5 and had a hand in 8). There’s so much to enjoy on here - even if you do own those overplayed Mama’s & Papa’s, Scott McKenzie and Carole King tracks. Dig in and enjoy - and Ace Records have done it again folks...another winner... 

"Sweet Things From The Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry Songbook" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2015 Ace Records CD – Duncan Cowell Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...He Smiled At Me And The Music Started Playing..."

Volume 3 of 3 for American Brill Building songwriters ELLIE GREENWICH and JEFF BARRY gives us a wad of Girl Group bubblegum symphonies about explosive kissing and falling headlong for dodgy Leaders of the Pack on unreliable motorbikes.

Volume 1 in the superbly annotated series is called "Doo-Wah-Diddy: Words And Music..." and came out September 2008 on Ace CDHD 1203 - while Volume 2 "Da Do Ron Ron: More From..." on Ace CDCHD 1340 hit the shelves in April 2012. 

This latest 24-track compilation (2015) stretches from 1963 to 1978 (almost all from the 60's) and includes two tracks recorded in the mid-Sixties but not released until 1976 and 1987. Unfortunately the overall listen is not all sweetness and light. Time to whisper sweet things (and some details) in your ear...

UK released 27 April 2015 (May 2015 in the USA) - "Sweet Things From The Ellie Greenwich And Jeff Barry Songbook" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1434 (Barcode 029667070621) breaks down as follows (66:07 minutes):

1. Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart? - BOB B. SOXX & THE BLUE JEANS (USA 7" single on Philles 110, A)

2. He's Got The Power - THE EXCITERS (USA 7" single on United Artists UA 572, A)

3. Friday - JAY & THE AMERICANS (1964 USA 7" single on United Artists UA 693, A)

4. (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry - DARLENE LOVE (USA 7" single on Philles 111, A)

5. Then He Kissed Me - THE CRYSTALS (1963 USA 7" single on Philles 115, A)

6. Dance Marie - VIC DONNA (1964 USA 7" single on Tiger TI 106, A)

7. Another Boy Like Mine - THE RAINDROPS (1964 USA 7" single on Jubilee 45-5487, A)

8. Little Bell - THE DIXIE CUPS (1964 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-017, A)

9. Whisper Sweet Things - THE JELLY BEANS (a 1964 Red Bird Recording that first appeared on the UK 2LP set "The Red Bird Story Vol.2" in 1987 on Charly CDX 19)

10. Leader Of The Pack  (1964 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-014, A)

11. Gee Baby Gee (1964 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-016, A)

12. What's A Girl Supposed To Do - LESLEY GORE (on the 1965 USA LP "My Town, My Guy & Me" on Mercury SR 61042)

13. Heaven Only Knows - THE SHANGRI-LAS (1965 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-030, A)

14. You Don't Know - ELLIE GREENWICH (1965 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-034, A)

15. Our Love Can Still Be Saved - JEFF BARRY (1965 USA 7" single on Red Bird RB 10-026, A)

16. I'm Nobody's Baby Now - REPARTA & THE DELRONS (1966 USA 7" single on RCA Victor 47-8820, A)

17. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine - THE RONETTES (a 1966 Philles Recording first issued in 1976 on in the UK on the album "Rare Masters 2" on Phil Spector International 2307 009)

18. Spring Fever - TONY PASS (1966 USA 7" single on Atco 45-6421, A)

19. Honey Do - THE STRANGELOVES (1968 USA 7" single on Sire 4102, A)

20. Am I Grooving You - FREDDIE SCOTT (1967 USA 7" single on Shout 212, A)

21. Sugar, Sugar - WILSON PICKETT (1970 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2722, A)

22. What Good Is Love To You - DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (1971 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2722, A)

23. Be My Baby - ANDY KIM (1970 USA 7" single on Steed 729, A)

24. Baby, Let's Stick Together - THE PALEY BROTHERS (1978 Sire Recording first released in 2013 on the US CD "The Complete Recordings" on Real Gone Music RGM-0182)

The 20-page booklet is jammed with label repro's, album sleeves, publicity photos - the usual superlative presentation from Ace with very upbeat liner notes on each song and artist by noted writer MICK PATRICK. Longstanding Engineer DUNCAN POWELL has done the masters and given the notorious density of the Phil Spector Productions - Cowell does well to give them oomph. The others vary from great to really good.

The music for me is a very mixed bag. Tracks 1 to 17 are pure Girl Group melodrama with classics like "Then he Kissed Me" and "Leader Of The Pack" which still pack a wallop - but after a while subpar crud like "Dance With Me" by Vic Donna and all that silly Sixties angst starts to grate real fast. The upbeat pure Sixties Pop of "Spring Fever" by Tony Pass and "Honey Do" by The Strangeloves are completely at odds with the Girl Group stuff that dominated for 17 tracks before. Then we get the CD's really odd moment (but what a welcome change) - the Funky Soul groove of "Am I Grooving You" by Freddie Scott where he comes on like's just drunk a pink glass of Wilson Pickett DNA. Speaking of Pickett - his cover of the Archie's smash "Sugar Sugar" is saccharine Soul at best (even if it did chart well) and probably not his greatest moment. Worse comes in the shape of Andy Kim's cruddy version of "Be My Baby" and the awful pop of The Paley Brothers ends the disc on a bit of a downer. The Dusty track is lovely though.

Not the greatest CD in Ace's cannon and that's for sure - and for collector's who already own Red Bird stuff and any Phil Spector compilations - a waste of their money. But if you've a penchant for Girl Groups and some Sixties Spector-like melodrama - and given the great sound and presentation - then investigate further...