Critic's Review
Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
Collectables' 2005 Ronettes collection Silhouettes is made up of the five singles the Ronettes released for Colpix and May in 1961-1962 (and one they recorded for Dimension around that time that was never issued). Ronnie, Nedra, and Estelle had yet to fall under the guidance of Phil Spector,and while their raucous, nearly primitive girl group sound is fairly exciting, the songs and production aren't very compelling. The buying public felt the same way as the singles sank without a trace. Despite their flaws, the records are worth having just to hear Ronnie sing, and one or two of the songs ("He Did It," "I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead") could have been hits with the right push. The only problem with the Collectables' disc is that they inexplicably leave off one of the songs that Colpix included on the 1965 record that compiled all the group's early work called Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica. The song in question is "You Bet I Would," and you bet it should be here; leaving it off ruins what could have otherwise been a worthwhile release. If you are interested in this stage of the Ronettes career, look for Rhino's release called The Ronettes: The Early Years 1961-1962. It is currently out of print, but is well worth the search.
