The 50th Anniversary Anthology

Herman's Hermits were never taken seriously, not when they were having hits in the '60s and not in the decades since. This indifference makes Bear Family's decision to release a celebratory 50th Anniversary Anthology all the more surprising: not only is it a rare dip into the British Invasion for the American roots-besotted label, but the act seems too frivolous for their tastes. Sometimes, the double-disc The Best of Herman's Hermits: The 50th Anniversary Anthology does feel a little light, particularly on the earliest recordings when the group is mincing through "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," but the set -- produced and compiled by Ron Furmanek, who presents all takes in true stereo for the first time (there are eight exceptions to this rule), and annotated by Andrew Sandoval -- is smartly assembled, so it gains momentum as it proceeds headlong through its 66 tracks. Strictly speaking, it's not sequenced chronologically -- the two discs are mirrors of each other, opening with cuts from 1964 and 1965, then concluding with fuzz-drenched, paisley-bespackled pop from 1969 and 1970 -- and that's actually a benefit, as each CD has its own momentum, plus the fizzier early recordings are easier to digest when they're cleaved in two. Also, this sequencing winds up emphasizing the music Herman's Hermits made from 1965 and beyond, which tends to be their best due to both sharper song selections and candied, Swinging London production. While there's no denying 66 tracks is a whole lot of Herman's Hermits -- a hurdle that some listeners will never be able to clear -- it's also true that this 50th Anniversary Anthology, like no other compilation in their catalog, makes a convincing case for the quintet as pleasing purveyors of pure pop, so it may convert doubters. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine