The Wondrous World of Sonny & Cher

Listening to Sonny & Cher's second album, it's difficult to conceive of how they could have been called rebellious, or even categorized as folk-rock. It's pleasant Spectorian mid-'60s pop-rock (heavy on the bells and glockenspiel especially), overburdened by the surfeit of cover versions that are the telltale sign of a rush job. At any rate, their taste in cover material was eclectic and for the most part good: the Exciters' "Tell Him," and the Zombies obscurity "Leave Me Be," the minor Kinks hit "Set Me Free," and "Bring It On Home to Me," along with more MOR items like "What Now My Love" and "Summertime." Sonny Bono's sole solo hit, the Dylanesque "Laugh At Me," is here, as are a couple of other throwaway originals. The CD reissue on Sundazed has three bonus cuts, including another ersatz solo Bono folk-rock number ("The Revolution Kind"), the single "Have I Stayed Too Long," and the previously unreleased cover of Buck Owens' "Crying Time." ~ Richie Unterberger