Merseybeat (The Story Of The 60s Liverpool Sound)

Mersey Beat is one of the better collections of its kind to come directly from EMI, encompassing obvious high points in that company's mid-'60s history (though not the Beatles, who cannot be compiled without their permission), along with some too-little-regarded tracks from the vaults. Thus, alongside "How Do You Do It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" by Gerry & the Pacemakers, "A Little Loving" and a soaring rendition of "The In Crowd" by the Fourmost, "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Hippy Hippy Shake" by the Swinging Blue Jeans, and "Do You Want to Know a Secret" from Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, listeners get "I Know" and "Am I Dreaming" by Tiffany; "Tears on My Pillow" and "You Don't Have to Whisper" by her backing band, the Dimensions; the thumping harmony-highlighted rocker "I Really Do" by Earl Royce & the Olympics; and the frantic-paced "Rip It Up" by the Valkyries. This is all entertaining stuff, plus there are three genuine lost classics, the devastating "Break-A-Way" by Beryl Marsden; the pounding, smooth Kinks-like hard rocker "I Gotta Woman" from the Black Knights; and "Magic Potion" by the Koobas, done at a tempo half as fast as the version by the Searchers. Much of this material (though not all) is available elsewhere, though not mastered as cleanly or brightly as it is here. The annotation is minimal, but the sound quality and the combination of sounds are so compelling that even this reviewer, who has a shelf full of this kind of material, had to buy this as soon as he saw it. And the Koobas cut will be a real revelation for anyone only familiar with their later stuff. ~ Bruce Eder|