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RHYTHM & BLUES, SOUL & DOO-WOP
The Radiants -> The Royals
| THE RADIANTS | Rack-O-Ribs 4544 | The Singles Collection, 1962-1970 | ● CD $15.98 |
| 27 tracks, highly recommended As far as I know, this is the 1st ever collection of this fine Chicago soul group who later became the duo Maurice & Mac. There were 3 distinct phases/influences here. The original group was a quintet including Maurice McAlister, Mac McLauren, & Wallace Sampson. The group was heavily influenced by early Motown - their 1st single, Father Knows Best, is kind of an answer to Shop Around. By '63 Mac was drafted & and soon after the group imploded, with McAlister & Sampson joined by Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston. Now more heavily influenced by the hometown Impressions, the trio scored with the only 2 tunes that seem to be reissued, both big hits - It Ain't No Big Thing & the classic Voice Your Choice. By '65, Caston left to become a producer for Chess & an important voice in Chicago soul. McAlister left to go solo, which is where we leave the Radiants, but we have his rare 45 I'd Rather Do It Myself/ Baby Hang On. In '67 Mac returned & as Maurice & Mac, the duo put out singles heavily influenced by Sam & Dave including the deep soul classic You Left The Water Running. (GM) THE RADIANTS: Baby Hang On/ Baby You're The One/ Baby You've Got It/ Father Knows Best/ Heartbreak Society/ I Gotta Dance To Keep My Baby/ I Want To Thank You/ I'd Rather Do It Myself/ I'm Afraid To Let You Know/ I'm In Love/ I've Got A Girl/ If I Only Had You/ It Ain't No Big Thing/ Lay It On Me/ Lean On Me/ Love Power/ Noble The Bargain Man/ Oh What A Time/ One Day I'll Show You/ Please Don't Leave Me/ Shy Guy/ Tomorrow/ Try Me/ Voice Your Choice/ What Am I Going To Do/ Whole Lot Of Woman/ You Left The Water Running |
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| THE RAINBOWS | Pilgrim 801 | Mary Lee | ● CD $18.98 |
| 23 track collection. |
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| RANDY & THE RAINBOWS | Trust 5059 | Better Than Ever | ● CD $18.98 |
| 30 tracks including tracks from the 60s and from the
reunited group in the 80s. THE DIALTONES: 'Till I Heard It From You/ Bohemian Daddy (demo)/ Johnny/ Johnny (demo)/ Til I Heard It From You (Demo)/ RANDY & THE RAINBOWS: Angel Face/ Bonnie's Part of Town/ Come Back/ Debbie/ Denise/ Denise '81/ Don't Worry, I'm Gonna Make It (Take It Like A Man)/ Dry Your Eyes/ Happy Teenager/ He's A Fugitive/ I'll Be Seeing You/ I'll Forget Her Tomorrow/ Joyride/ Little Hot Rod Suzie/ Little Star/ Lovely Lies/ No Love/ Oh To Get Away/ Quarter to Three/ Sharin'/ She's My Angel/ Strike It Rich/ Till I Heard It From You/ Try the Impossible/ Why Do Kids Grow Up |
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| THE RAVENS | Dipper 212 | Volume 1 - The Greatest Group Of Them All | ● CD $18.98 |
| Great collection of 22 tracks recorded between 1946 and 1950
by this wonderful and important group. Unfortunately, half the tracks here
were previously reissued by Indigo a few months ago. It includes their
1948 hits Write Me A Letter and Bye Bye Baby Blues plus Lullabye/
My Sugar Is So Refined/ Searching For Love/ Fool That I Am/ Until The Real
Thing Comes Alon/ September Song/ Once In A While/ I Don't Know Why I Love
You Like I Do, etc. |
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| THE RAVENS | Plaza 5800 | Rock Me All Night Long, The Years 1951-54 | ● CD $18.98 |
| 27 tracks, 77 min., highly recommended A great, maximum-length look at the 1951-1954 time period for this pioneering rhythm and blues vocal group, in its second major incarnation here, with most members having changed since the group's stay with the National label. Jimmy Ricks still handles the bass spot, but tenor/falsetto Maithe Marshall is gone, and Joe Van Loan is in his place. Program highlights here include Why Did You Leave Me, Begin the Beguine, Love Is the Thing, Too Soon, Don't Mention My Name, Without a Song, September Song, Going Home, The Lonesome Road, and She's Got to Go. Stellar music, no matter who handles lead chores, presented this time around with several vintage group photos, clear monaural sound, and thorough, informative liner notes. (DH) |
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| JAMES RAY | Collectables 5199 | Golden Classics - If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody | ● CD $11.98 |
| 12 cuts, including title cut/Itty Bitty Pieces/The Old
Man And The Mule/Lazy Bones/St. James Infirmary. |
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| THE RAYS | XYZ 5000 | Silhouettes | ● CD $18.98 |
| 27 tracks, 72 min., recommended This delightful import takes
a comprehensive look at the output of one of New York's seasoned vocal
groups. Formed when first Harold Miller and then Davey Jones left the Four
Fellows, the Rays put out smooth pop-rock ballads and jumps between the
mid-50's and the early 60's, but scored only one real hit with the song Silhouettes
in 1957. That track opens the program here, and is followed by Rags to
Riches, How Long Must I Wait, Souvenirs of Summertime, Tippity
Top, Magic Moon, Triangle, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Bright
Brown Eyes, Silver Starlight, Why Do You Look the Other Way,
and Tender Words of Love, all offered here with solid sound
quality, brief but informative notes, and a nice cover photo of the group.
(DH) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 80253 | Pain In My Heart | ● CD $11.98 |
| Reissue of Atco 33-161, collecting Otis' first hit singles -
the deep-soul senders These Arms Of Mine/ Pain In My Heart - and an
eclectic assortment of early 60's sides. The cover versions are sort of a
"hit and miss" proposition - Little Richard's Lucille,
Sam Cooke's You Send Me, plus The Dog/ Louie Louie/ Stand By My
et. al., but fortunately the set is rounded out by Redding's sharp
originals Security/ Something Is Worrying Me/ Hey Hey Baby. 12
total with session notes and original liner info. (MB) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 80254 | The Dock Of The Bay | ● CD $11.98 |
| Another fine reissue in the Atlantic Re-Masters Series, this
album was originally released in February of 1968, two months after
Redding's death at age 26. Ironically, it contains the country-flavored
song that became his biggest hit, (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay,
the song that brought him the attention and respect he deserved, albeit
posthumously, from the American public (he made the R&B charts no
fewer than 10 times after his death!). The album collects various singles
from 1965-67, including the great ballad I Love You More Than Words Can
Say, and the best thing he recorded with Carla Thomas, Tramp.
Other great moments include the then-unreleased Redding-penned Open the
Door, the rocking Don't Mess With Cupid, the soulful The
Glory Of Love, and absolutely everything else on the album. Did Otis
ever make a bad record? Don't think so. If you don't have this music, you
gotta-gotta-gotta get it. (JC) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 80270 | The Immortal Otis Redding | ● CD $12.98 |
| Reproduction of Atco LP 33-252, released in June 1968, and
drawn from many of the same sessions represented on Redding's other
posthumous LP's The Dock Of The Bay/ Love Man. Otis was a
definitive soul singer looking to extend his range on these 1967 sessions,
and on hits like I've Got Dreams To Remember/ Hard To Handle/ Amen/ The
Happy Song, as well as less-known songs like Nobody's Fault But
Mine/ Champagne Wine, he was pushing his form, and incorporating rock
and pop elements into the mix. These 11 selections suggest a performer and
writer about to come up with something new and unprecedented. And how can
you argue with an Otis Redding record produced by Steve Cropper? Highly
recommended.
(JG) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 80318 | Otis Blue/ Otis Redding Sings Soul | ● CD $11.98 |
| Reissue of Otis's second LP, Volt 412 featuring 11 wonderful
tunes from 1965, mostly uptempo. Includes only 3 Redding originals, all
hits - Respect/ Ole Man Trouble/ I've Been Loving You Too Long
(co-written with Jerry Butler). Covers include the obligatory
Sam Cooke
tunes Shake/ Wonderful World/ Change Is Gonna Come , his hit cover
of Satisfaction & such greats as You Don't Miss Your Water
, Solomon Burke's Down In The Valley , even Rock Me Baby. |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 90395 | Live In Europe | ● CD $11.98 |
| Reissue of Volt 416 from 1967 - 10 of Otis' biggest recorded
live, including Can't Turn You Loose/ I've Been Loving You Too Long/
These Arms Of Mine/ Shake/ Satisfaction/ Sad Song/ Try A Little Tenderness
etc. A classic soul show. |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 91705 | The Soul Album | ● CD $11.98 |
| This isn't Otis's best album by any means but there's still
some wonderful tunes here like the soulful ballad Cigarettes And Coffee
and the frantic 634-5789. There's too much of a reliance on
recognizable cover versions like Smokey Robinson's It's Growing and
Sam Cooke's Chain Gang for a soul giant like Otis. But maybe, like
me, you'll dig some of them just the same. Scratch My Back/ Treat Her
Right/ Good To Me/ Any Ole Way, etc. (AE) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Atco 91706 | The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads | ● CD $12.98 |
| Reissue of Volt 411 from 1965, Otis's first. It's full of
incredible ballads, both original - Chained & Bound/ Come To Me/
Your One & Only Man and covers - OV Wright's That's How Strong
My Love Is , Sam Cooke's Nothing Can Change This Love , Chuck
Willis' It's Too Late , The Impressions' For Your Precious Love
. Interestingly enough, the only uptempo song here, Mr. Pitiful ,
gave Otis his first ever pop hit. |
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| OTIS REDDING | Rhino 70380 | In Person At The Whiskey A Go Go | ● CD $11.98 |
| If you could own only one live Otis album, the nod would
clearly go to Live In Europe, one of the greatest live rock/ soul
releases ever. But since life is more than either/ or, this '66 Los
Angeles show is well worth picking up. Originally released (posthumously)
in 1968 as Atco 33-265, In Person finds Redding in front of a
10-piece band including 4 saxes, a pair of trumpets, and trombone. He
shouts his way through heart pounders like I Can't Turn You Loose/
Papa's Got A Brand New Bag. Respect/ Satisfaction/ Pain In My
Heart/ Just One More Day/ Mr. Pitiful/ I'm Depending On You/ Any Ole Way/
These Arms Of Mine are also on the play list. (JC) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Rhino 71147 | The Very Best Of | ● CD $12.98 |
| 16 tracks, 44 min., essential A one disc, greatest hits
collection, aimed, presumably, at those who found Atlantic's earlier
three-disc set a bit too much. Whichever set one buys, it's hard to
imagine any collection of 60's music or even just American popular music
that could be judged complete without at least these 16 examples of the
work of one of the great vocal performers of all time. Among the gems: These
Arms of Mine/ I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)/ I Can't Turn
You Loose/ My Lover's Prayer/ (Sittin' on) The Dock Of The Bay, and I've
Got Dreams to Remember. Excellent sound quality, fine notes, and
multiple photos. A winner in every way. (DH) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Stax 8572 | Remember Me | ● CD $12.98 |
| As Rob Bowman points out in his research-heavy notes, Otis
Redding was a dynamo in the studio, as he was onstage. He would jump in
with a song, rework it a bit, and then move on. His best ideas hit wax,
and then the top of the charts; other worthy efforts surfaced on the
Atlantic box, or languished in the vault until this fantastic collection
came out. 14 unreleased songs are issued here for the first time -
righteous covers (Cupid/ Send Me Some Lovin'/ There Goes My Baby),
unheard classics (Trick Or Treat/ You Got Good Lovin'/ Gone Again),
the deep soul shredders (Remember Me/ I'm Coming Home/ Little Ol' Me)
that he always did justice to, and some oddballs which are fully realized,
but didn't quite have the Redding sound. This is not bottom of the barrel
stuff; you might here a ragged passage here and there, but if anything
these have gotten better with age, and every single one adds to Otis' rich
legacy. Only slighty less essential (although soul fans will love them)
are unreleased alternate takes of Dock Of The Bay/ Respect/ Open The
Door/ I've Got Dreams To Remember/ Come To Me/ Try A Little Tenderness
and the rare Stay In School (did Bowman forget that this is also on
the Atlantic box?). It's easy to reach saturation with all the Stax/ Volt
reissues coming out lately, but if you get just one soul disc all year,
get this one. (MB) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Stax 8579 | Good To Me - Live At The Whisky A Go Go, Vol. 2 | ● CD $12.98 |
| 12 tracks, 43 min., recommended. One more time: Everything
Otis Redding recorded is recommended if not required listening. This is
Vol. 2 of the Whiskey A Go Go show from 1966 (originally released in '82
as Atlantic SD 19346), and yes one of the trumpet players is out of tune,
and no it doesn't make a damn bit of difference. The incendiary version of
I Can't Turn You Loose is enough to singe your eyebrows, and even
though Otis hasn't got the slightest idea what the words are to A Hard
Day's Night, he rocks it off the planet. The CD offers 4 bonus tracks
not originally available, including the excellent I'm Depending On You
and a version of These Arms Of Mine. Imperfection never sounded so
good. (JC) |
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| OTIS REDDING | Warner Bros. 27608 | The Ultimate Otis Redding | ● CD $12.98 |
| 20 Volt & Atco recordings with wonderful sound, so
brilliant that you can almost taste the horns! 55 minutes of gritty soul,
inc. booklet giving recording dates and tells what Lp each song originally
appeared on. Dock Of The Bay/ Respect/ Can't Turn You Loose/ Tramp/
Open The Door/ Try A Little Tenderness/ Pain In My Heart , etc. (GM) |
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| OTIS REDDING & CARLA THOMAS | Atlantic 82256 | King & Queen | ● CD $12.98 |
| 11 of the finest soul duets ever, including the hit version
of Lowell Fulsom's Tramp , plus Ooh Otis, Ooh Carla/ Tell It
Like It Is/ Bring It On Home To Me/ When Something Is Wrong With My Baby/
It Takes Two . The best part is the liner notes, a letter from Howard
Baker, then Senator from Tennessee, and later Reagan's Chief Of Staff.
After talking about Tennessee's contributions to music, from Tenn. Ernie
Ford to The Tennessee Waltz and Elvis, he talks about Stax-Volt and
how they're helping to ease the tensions of the Cold War! (GM) |
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| LULA REED | King 604 | Blue & Moody | ● CD $9.98 |
| This reissue of King 604 offers R & B
aficionados one
of the rarest and most important albums in the King catalog. Lula's
sultry, delicate and sometimes gospel-tinged vocals set her apart from
most others in the field. Gathered are some of her best sides culled from
singles covering the 1951 thrugh '56 period. Included are best known
efforts--Watch Dog, the original I'll Drown In My Own Tears /
Rock Loveand Bump On A Log along with the blue & moody Last
Night and Jealous Love, two lesser known but by no means less
important gems, all ably supported by the band of her husband Sonny
Thompson. Lula's best album. (OLN) |
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| THE REGENTS | Dee Jay Jamboree 55043 | AKA The Runarounds | ● CD $18.98 |
| 32 tracks, 73 min., recommended A particularly comprehensive view of the recording career of the various permutations of the group known first as the Desires, then the Regents, and finally as the Runarounds. In 1958, as the Desires, the group cut two sides for Seville, but the label didn't get around to releasing them until 1962. Later that year, as the Regents, group members used their own money to cut two new songs, one ballad and, at the last minute, a warm up song by the name of Barbara Ann. No company would buy the songs, so, before the year was over, the group broke up. Three years later the tiny Cousins label finally issued Barbara Ann. The song took off, was leased to Gee, and major efforts were made to reform the belatedly successful group. One form or another of this reformed group continued to record through the mid-60's. All of the selections referred to above are on this collection, plus Are You Looking for a Sweetheart, Let Them Talk, Liar, Summer is Thru, Send Her Back, Goddess of Love, You Lied, and Dream Girl. A major slice of latter day Italian-American doo-wop, offered here with fine sound quality, lots of photos, and a bewilderingly complex group history. (DH) |
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| THE RE-VELS | Grand Prix 10 | Midnight Stroll | ● CD $18.98 |
| 30 tracks from the late 50s and early 60s by Philadelphia
group who had hit with title song and recorded as The Re-Vels and The
Revels - Love My Baby/ Later, Later Baby/ Cha, Cha, Tonu/ It Happened
To Me/ False Alarm/ Two Little Monkeys/ Talking To My Heart/ Foo Man Choo/
Money/ The Greatness Of Love/ Down Town/ Do I Love You?/ Lonely
Weatherman/ Just A Penalty, etc. |
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| RICK & THE MASTERS | Teardrop 1001 | Masters Of Music | ● CD $17.98 |
| 30 tracks featuring early 60s vocal group from Philadelphia
including tracks accompanying Bobby Rydell, Little Anthony and others plus
some previously unissued acapella cuts from late 80s/ early 90s. |
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| TOMMY RIDGELY | Collectables 5182 | The Herald Recordings | ● CD $11.98 |
| Tommy Ridgely was certainly a heavy talent on the New
Orleans scene, but he never acheived the reputation he deserved, or even
had much of a hit besides the voodoo novelty Double Eyed Whammy.
These 17 tracks, cut for Herald Records in the late 50's, were just part
of a long saga of label-hopping. Fortunately for us fans, there is plenty
of first class rockin' here, especially the uptempo romps When I Meet
My Girl/ Baby Do Little/ Ding Dong School/ Wont'cha Gone. Alone But
Not Lonely is a great slice of loping N.O. rock, and just one of the
many unreleased cuts. Same story with the heart-pumping instrumental Real
Gone Jam. Get it! (MB) |
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| TOMMY RIDGLEY | Modern Blues Recordings MBCD 1203 | She Turns Me On | ● CD $16.98 |
| 12 tracks, 49 min., recommended Tommy Ridgley is an often overlooked New Orleans R&B singer with one amazing comeback record. Ridgley still sounds youthful and confident 30 years after his heyday, getting right down to business on imaginative renditions of For You, My Love and the classic Sick And Tired. The energetic reworking of his Double-Eyed Whammy is enough to make one forget the original. The same could be said for Stacked Deck/ Ooh Lordy My Baby/ I've Heard That Story Before and more of these vintage covers. His voice has just the right grit and drawl to recall Guitar Slim, and the veteran NOLA band burns through every measure. A sure-fire winner in vintage style. (MB) |
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| TOMMY RIDGLEY | Rounder 2079 | The New Orleans King Of The Stroll | ● CD $15.98 |
| 15 fine cuts from veteran singer, pianist and bandleader
Ridgley, whose soulful voice has graced vinyl since 1949 when he first
appeared in Dave Bartholomew's band. 13 of the cuts here were recorded
between 1960 and '62 for the Ric label with sidemen like Mac Rebennack,
Edgar Blanchard, Lee Allen, Harold Battiste and other Nawlins legends.
While best at heartfelt ballads like Should I Ever Love Again , I've
Heard That Story Before or Bullmoose's I Love You Yes I Do , he
also can pull off such novelties as Double Eyed Whammy or The
Girl From Kooka Monga . We get 2 rare 1964 cuts from Watch subsidiary
Johen produced by Wendell Quezergue, including the wicked soul number I
Want Some Money Baby (JM) |
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| THE RIVIERAS | Relic 7025 | Moonlight Cocktails | ● CD $14.98 |
| Recorded between 1958 and 1961 for Coed Records. The title
track here is one of my own personal favorites, but too many of the
remaining 17 cuts lack the interesting vocal interplay of good doo-wop and
instead aim for a more popish, latter-day Mills Brothers sound. And the
instrumentation is often uncomfortably violin-laden. The better tracks are
the title tune, El Dorado/ Count Every Star/ True Love is Hard to Find
and Moonlight Serenade. The Rivieras are a polished and classy group who
might well have produced more interesting music if they'd been signed by a
label like Vee Jay or Atlantic. Nonetheless, Relic has done an excellent
job of preserving their output here. Sound from the original session
tapes, some in stereo. Typical Relic-style notes. (DH) THE RIVIERAS: 11th Hour Melody/ Blessing Of Love/ Count Every Star/ Easy To Remember/ El Dorado/ Great Big Eyes/ Midnight Flyer/ Moonlight Cocktails/ Moonlight Serenade/ My Friend/ Mysilent Love/ Neither Rain Nor Snow/ Our Love/ Refrigerator/ Serenade In Blue/ Since I Made You Cry/ Stay In My Heart/ True Love Is Hard To Find |
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| THE RIVILEERS/ THE FIDELITIES | UGGH Records 502 | All Their Recordings | ● CD $17.98 |
| THE ROB ROYS/ THE QUINTONES | Canadian 242 | The Rob Roys Meet The Quintones | ● CD $18.98 |
| The complete recordings of two fine groups who formed while
at high school. There are 15 tracks (three acapalla) by Bronx group The
Rob Roys - one of the first interracial groups - featuring the striking
lead vocals of Norman Fox. There are 11 sides (including two demos) by the
Quintones, a mostly female group, best known for their only hit, the
beautiful Down The Aisle Of Love featuring the fine lead vocals of
Roberta Haymon. NORMAN FOX & THE ROB ROYS: Aggravation/ Audrey/ Dance Girl Dance/ Do Re Mi/ Dream Girl/ Dream Girl (acappella)/ Lonely Boy/ Lover Doll/ My Dearest One/ Pizza Pie/ Pizza Pie (acappella)/ Rainy Day Bells/ Rainy Day Bells (acappella)/ Tell Me Why/ That's Love/ THE QUINTONES: Ding Dong/ Down The Aisle Of Love/ I Try So Hard/ I Try So Hard (demo)/ I Watch The Stars/ Oh Heavenly Father/ Oh My Love/ Please Dear/ Please Dear (demo)/ The Quintones/ There'll Be No Sorrow/ What Am I To Do |
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| ROBERT AND JOHNNY | Collectables 6068 | The Very Best Of - We Belong Together | ● CD $13.98 |
| 25 tracks, 62 min., recommended If you missed the Ace reissue of this duo's recordings (Ace 384 - now deleted) than you might want to check out this new U.S. issue - it's a bit cheaper but has two less tracks. The soulful Bronx duo of Robert Carr and Johnny Mitchell recorded for the Old Town label between 1956-61 and had only one hit, We Belong Together. And that's probably all they deserved. They have a lot of nice songs, but too many are interchangeable mid-tempo ballads of teen love with doo wop sensibilities and banal lyrics. A glance at the titles is revealing: You're Mine/ Dream Girl/ Eternity With You/ Wear This Ring/ Gosh Oh Gee. Only thing is, I kind of like this stuff. All by itself, just about any song will please, but after an hour, R&J's limitations poke through. Not a bad argument for the existence of 45s. Anyhow, fans please note that 2 songs,I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance/ God Knows, were not originally issued. (JC) |
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| THE ROBINS | Famous Groove 971020 | Cherry Lips | ● CD $18.98 |
| 28 tracks from the period 1956 to 1958 by this fine long
lived West Coast group after Carl Gardner and Bobby Nunn had left the
group to join the Coasters. INcludes Cherry Lips/ Merry Go Rock/ A Fool
In Love/ Ev'ry Night/ In My Dreams/ Blues In The Night/ It's Never Too
Late/ Mary Lou Does The Hoochie Koo/ Whole Lot Of Imagination/ Live Wire
Suzie, etc. |
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| THE ROBINS | GNP 9034 | The Best Of The Robins | ● CD $15.98 |
| In 1955, The Robins split into 2 groups when Leiber &
Stoller turned them into a comedy group - Carl Gardner & Bobby Nunn
stayed & became The Coasters, while the rest went to Whippet as The
Robins, add ing future soul-producer H.B.Barnum - this LP has 12 of their
best Whippet sides including hit Cherry Lips + A Fool In Love/
Snowball/ Since I First Met You, etc. |
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| THE ROBINS | Spark 8000 | The Best Of The Robins | ● CD $18.98 |
| 28 tracks, 76 min., highly recommended A reasonably comprehensive look at the output of this influential West Coast group during the first half of the 1950's, beginning with their early bluesy and often bass-led sides and ending with their innovative comic playlets. Selections include A Fool Such As I, All Night Baby, Ten Days in Jail, Get It Off Your Mind, I Made a Vow, All I Do Is Rock, Riot in Cell Block #9, If Teardrops Were Kisses, Just Like a Fool, and Smokey Joe's Cafe. Great music, offered here with solid sound quality, a nice cover photo of the group, and even informative liner notes, complete with minimal discographical information. Not one to miss. (DH) THE ROBINS: A Fool Such As I/ All I Do Is Rock I'll Do It/ All Nite Baby/ Don't Stop Now/ Double Crossin' Baby/ Empty Bottles/ Framed/ Get It Off Your Mind/ How Would You Know/ I Love Paris/ I Made A Vow/ I Must Be Dreaming/ If Teardrops Were Kisses/ Just Like A Fool/ Key To My Heart/ Let's Go To The Dance/ Loop De Loop Mambo/ My Baby Done Told Me/ My Heart's The Biggest Fool/ Oh Why?/ One Kiss/ Riot In Cell Block #9/ Smokey Joe's Cafe/ Ten Days In Jail/ The Hatchet Man/ Whadya Want?/ Wrap It Up |
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| THE ROBINS | Titanic TRC 6007 | Rockin' | ● CD $18.98 |
| 26 tracks, 70 min., highly recommended A generous look at some of the earliest tracks laid down by this important early West Coast vocal group. Most are from the very early 50's, and many feature the fine bass lead of Bobby Nunn. Program highlights include You Sure Look Good to Me, Around About Midnight, Our Romance is Gone, There's Rain in My Eyes, I'm Through, Gonna Have a Merry Christmas, That's What the Good Book Says, Found Me a Sugar Daddy, Don't Like the Way You're Doing, and When Gabriel Blows his Horn with Maggie Hathaway. Splendid bluesy music, offered here with humble graphics, a none-too-focused cover photo, and solid sound quality. Not one to miss. (DH) |
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| BILL ROBINSON & THE QUAILS | Q&A 1001 | Meet The Aladdins | ● CD $18.98 |
| 28 tracks featuring 16 songs by Robinson & The Quails, 8
by The Aladdins and 4 by Eddie Williams (lead singer of the Aladdins) with
a group. |
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| RONNIE & THE HI-LITES & LITTLE JOEY & THE FLIPS | UGGH Records 703 | All their Recordings | ● CD $17.98 |
| 15 tracks by Ronnie & The Hi-Lights and 8 by Little Joe
& The Flips. LITTLE JOEY & THE FLIPS: Beach Comber/ Bongo Gully/ Bongo Stomp/ Fool, Fool, Fool/ Hot Rod/ It Was Like Heaven/ Lost Love/ Mystery Of The Night/ RONNIE & THE HI-LITES: A Slow Dance/ Be Kind/ For Lovers/ High School Romance/ I Wish That We Were Married/ I Wouldn't Give A Nickel/ Send My Love (Special Delivery)/ The Fact Of The Matter/ Too Young/ Twistin' & Kissin'/ Uptown Downtown/ Valarie/ What A Pretty Bride You'll Be/ What The Next Day Will Bring/ You Keep Me Guessing |
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| THE ROOMMATES | Morval 68924 | Also Starring Kathy Jean - Complete Original Recordings | ● CD $18.98 |
| 23 sides by this white New York vocal group recorded in the
early 60s plus 9 tracks where they back up vocalist Cathy Jean. THE ROOMMATES: A Lovely Way to Spend An Evening/ Answer Me, My Love/ Band of Gold/ Believe Me/ Canadian Sunset/ Come Go With Me/ Gee/ Glory of Love/ I Only Want You/ I Want A Little Girl/ Just For Tonight/ Make Me Smile Again/ Making Believe/ My Foolish Heart/ My Heart/ My Heart Belongs To Only You/ My Kisses For Your Thoughts/ O Baby Love/ One Love/ One Summer Night/ Please Don't Cheat On Me/ Please Love Me Forever/ Song of the Dreamer/ Sugar Cake/ Sunday Kind of Love/ The Nearness of You/ The Only Girl For Me/ There Goes My Heart/ To The Aisle/ Turn Me Loose/ Yes My Love |
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| ROSIE & THE ORIGINALS | Gold Dust 950 | Lonely Blue Nights With Rosie | ● CD $18.98 |
| 24 tracks, 63 min., recommended A delightful import featuring the complete early 60's output of this Oregon-born female balladeer, Rosalie Hamlin. The program opens with the six sides she laid down with San Diego's Originals - including Angel Baby and Lonely Blue Nights - on one of which she does not sing. Then it moves on to her two tracks with Ron Holden, Bring Me Happiness and So Dearly, followed by her solo numbers and several outtakes of the numbers cut with the Originals. The solos, in stereo, include Read the Story of Love, My Darling Forever, We'll Have a Chance, Angel from Above, Maybe I'm Dreaming, and Cloud Nine. Vintage stuff to be sure, and really sung by a woman, not by a man sucking helium as rumored at the time. Sound quality here is decent, and there are no notes of any real consequence. (DH) |
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| THE ROYAL COUNTS | Relic 7071 | Acapella Soul, Vol 1 | ● CD $14.98 |
| THE ROYAL COUNTS | Relic 7111 | Acapella Soul | ● CD $13.98 |
| 17 tracks, 42 min., recommended A reissue of Catamount LP 904, featuring material recorded in 1966 (as did Volume 1, Relic CD 7071), and, as the title indicates, another exploration of the a cappella sound. Combining elements of doo-wop and soul, the Royal Counts were produced by Stan Krause, as were his later discovery, the Persuasions, and the sound of the two groups is similar. Both have a rich full sound, unlike many other a cappella ensembles. The first four tracks here - Hey There Lonely Boy, Tell Him, That's How I Feel, and Over the Rainbow - feature a female lead, and they are all particularly solid. The male-lead tracks, which are also good, include The Way You Do the Things You Do, For All We Know, Got to Get a Little Closer, and Isn't She Pretty. (DH) |
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| THE ROYAL JESTERS/ THE LYRICS | Famous Groove 971022 | Rare Texas Vocal Groups, Vol. 1 | ● CD $18.98 |
| Features 16 tracks by The Royal Jesters ( I Want To Be
Loved/ Love Me/ My Angel Of Love/ Is That Good Enough For You/ Pleased
Say You Want Me, etc and 12 by The Lyrics (the Girl I Love/ I Want
To Know/ I'm Allright, etc) |
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| THE ROYALS/ THE MIDNIGHTERS | Collectables 2828 | The Very Best Of .. | ● CD $15.98 |
| Before they were Hank Ballard & The Midnighters they
were just The Midnighters and, before that, The Royals. This set features
25 tracks recorded between 1952 and 1959 including two from their first
session before Ballard joined them including the original recording of Every
Beat Of My Heart which was a big hit for Gladys Knight & The Pips
nine years later. Includes hits like Get It/ Work With Me Annie/
Annie's Aunt Fannie/ It's Love Baby as well as fine lesser known
tracks like Moonrise/ I Feel That-A-Way/ Ring A-Ling-A-Ling/ Rock &
Roll Wedding/ Open Up The Back Door and others. THE MIDNIGHTERS: Annie Had A Baby/ Annie's Aunt Fannie/ Come On And Get It/ Daddy's Little Baby/ Henry's Got Flat Feet (can't Dance No More)/ In The Doorway Crying/ It's Love Baby (24 Hours A Day)/ Let 'em Roll/ Open Up The Back Door/ Ring A-ling A-ling/ Rock And Roll Wedding/ Rock, Granny Roll/ Sexy Ways/ Stay By My Side/ Sweet Mama Do Right/ That House On The Hill/ Tore Up Over You/ What Made You Change Your Mind/ Work With Me Annie/ THE ROYALS: Every Beat Of My Heart/ Fifth Street Blues/ Get It/ I Feel That-a-way/ Moonrise/ Starting From Tonight |
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| THE ROYALS | Famous Groove 971006 | Every Beat Of My Heart | ● CD $18.98 |
| All 20 songs recorded by the group that were later to become
The Midnighters plus 8 rare Midnighters sides. |
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