Atlantic Vocal Groups (1951-1963) (4CD)
£34.99
Description:
Rhino Handmade's celebration of Atlantic Records' 60th anniversary will have you in clover with ATLANTIC VOCAL GROUPS, a limited edition, four-disc boxed set bursting with song. Produced by Billy Vera-who also penned historical liner notes-the compilation spans 1951-1963, spotlighting eighty-two harmonic gems, doo wop classics, jumping rockers and more. Among the bounty are hits and lesser known sides alike, all chronicling Atlantic's enduring legacy with respect to the vocal group art form.
The box's four discs are individually titled and distinctive in the ground they cover:
Disc 1 - "Jumpin' & Bluesy" opens with three tracks from The Clovers. Brought to Atlantic by a friend of Ahmet Ertegun's they became the label's first successful vocal group, repeatedly hitting the charts. It closes with Atlantic's answer to the "bird group" craze as The Cardinals deliver a rare uptempo track on a cover of The Wrens' "Come Back My Love." In between are treasures including several sides from The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter as well as vintage grooves from The Chords, The Regals and The Playboys.
Disc 2 - "Slow & Dreamy" also opens with The Clovers, playing up their smooth, balladeering side with "Skylark" and "Needless. Other highlights include "The Way I Feel," the sublime flip side of the first Atlantic release from The Drifters featuring Clyde McPhatter as well as soulful numbers from The Diamonds, The Chordcats, The Sensations featuring Tommy Wicks and other great groups.
Disc 3 - "The Rock 'n' Roll Era" rockets in with The Drifters' "Ruby Baby"-with Johnny Moore on lead vocals-and later features a solo Clyde McPhatter serving up a righteous cover of "Long Lonely Nights." Stand-outs also include "Brazil," a rare cut from The Coasters, the hit "Mr. Lee" from East Harlem female doo wop outfit The Bobettes, "Hey Baby Baby" from Philly's The Castelles and The Penguins' "Pledge Of Love."
Disc 4 - "Group Revival" features an assortment of later tracks from groups including The Vibraharps and The Versatones-both Philly-based-The Skyliners, The Crescendos and The Coasters. Also spotlighted are several Phil Spector-produced sides by former Valiants lead singer Billy Storm that capitalized on the circa-'61 oldies craze.
The influence and popularity of vocal groups waned as the '60s music scene was revolutionized in myriad ways, but it remains a cornerstone of 20th century popular music. ATLANTIC VOCAL GROUPS both salutes the phenomenon and continues a series of limited edition Rhino Handmade boxes honoring Atlantic's 60th anniversary. In 2007, Atlantic Blues (1949-1970) and Atlantic Soul (1959-1975) were released. As with each previous box, ATLANTIC VOCAL GROUPS is presented in a collectible sepia-toned 12'' x 12'' display box including an expansive booklet packed with rare archival photos. Production is limited to 3,000 individually numbered boxes available exclusively through www.rhino.co.uk