Heartbeat, Its a Lovebeat

The DeFranco Family really had only one big hit which, of course, was "Heartbeat -- It's a Lovebeat," but they also reached the charts two additional times with the Top 20 "Save the Last Dance for Me" and the Top 40 "Abra-Ca-Dabra." That's still a meager base for an extensive collection like K-Tel's 22-track DeFranco Family: Featuring Tony DeFranco, which is certainly more than what most listeners will want to hear. And there aren't any hidden gems here -- just novelties like "Love Is Bigger Than Baseball" and oldie covers like "Save the Last Dance for Me." That means that most listeners will be satisfied with "Heartbeat -- It's a Love Beat" on a various-artists collection, but for the fanatics who love that sound, or have a weakness for early '70s AM pop, this has a bright, sugary sound that is sonically appealing; even if the songs don't deliver, the pop freaks might find it pleasing on the surface. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine