Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters

This CD assembles 23 of the 25 songs that Clyde McPhatter recorded during his time with the Drifters on what is, essentially, a reshuffled and expanded version of the 1958 LP Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters. In addition to a dozen songs off that album, the CD includes hot early numbers that didn't make the cut the first time, such as "Lucille," "Let the Boogie Woogie Roll," "Bip Bam," and "Gone." Some of these are amazingly fine rock & roll numbers and, astonishingly, some didn't make it out until the group's work started getting recompiled in the 1970s. Even more than the original album, this CD is a tribute to Clyde McPhatter, the unifying force here amid several early versions of the Drifters. "Gone," from the session that produced "Money Honey" and featuring a transitional early group, is a case in point: the backup singing is almost inadequate for studio work on a slow ballad of this type, but McPhatter's lead is so intense and focused that the track passes muster. "Let the Boogie Woogie Roll," from the same session, shows off the type of song on which that second incarnation of the Drifters excelled -- as if one couldn't guess this from "Money Honey" -- hard-rocking rhythm numbers (with Walter Adams' guitar adding an extra edge). The sound is excellent although slightly variable; the later cuts from 1954 have sharper textures than some of the 1953-vintage tracks. However, this is the most complete assembly of McPhatter's pre-solo work, and each track is about as good as it has sounded in many years, making this is an essential addition to any R&B collection. ~ Bruce Eder|