Let's Groove: The Archie Bell & The Drells Story: 50th Anniversary Collection

Unlike the Archie Bell & the Drells anthologies that preceded it, Let's Groove: The Archie Bell & the Drells Story covers the entirety of the group's '60s and '70s discography, from the number one soul and pop single "Tighten Up" through the undervalued, sophisticated disco-funk highlights of the full-length Strategy. This two-disc, 44-track package pulls from the group's recordings for Ovide, Atlantic, Glades, Philadelphia International subsidiary TSOP, and PIR proper. Those who know little beyond "Tighten Up," "I Can't Stop Dancing" (their only other Top Ten pop hit), "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown," and "Let's Groove" may be surprised by the depth of Bell and the Drells' material as it smoothly evolved across 13 years. In some cases, such as the sublime "Don't Let Love Get You Down" and "Where Will You Go When the Party's Over," the album cuts and non-charting singles outclassed much of what was aired on Top 40 radio. The O'Jays and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, two of the group's labelmates at Philadelphia International, might have been more prominent during the latter half of the '70s, but the Drells were just as adept at covering the same ground, including lush ballads, silky midtempo grooves, and storming disco. Put together by BBR, this is up to the label's high standard of presentation in terms of words, images, and release information. It easily surpasses all of the earlier legitimate compilations. ~ Andy Kellman