There have been Reparata & the Delrons compilations before this 2005 release with the bootleg Magical Musical History Tour being the most thorough. This 30-track anthology, however, has the considerable advantage of being an authorized production with correspondingly superior fidelity, as well as... [+] Expand

There have been Reparata & the Delrons compilations before this 2005 release with the bootleg Magical Musical History Tour being the most thorough. This 30-track anthology, however, has the considerable advantage of being an authorized production with correspondingly superior fidelity, as well as a 16-page booklet of historical liner notes with rare photos and comments from Reparata herself. As with every artist where you can't fit everything onto a single CD, there's room for argument on the track selection; one of their better cuts ("Summer Laughter") is missing, and there are a few unimaginative covers of girl group tunes that were hits for other acts. Still, it does include the songs everyone would agree need to be on a best-of ("Whenever a Teenager Cries," "Captain of Your Ship," "I'm Nobody's Baby Now"), as well as a few rarities credited to Reparata alone (and one to the Delrons alone). It still doesn't make an argument for them being among the best girl groups; the material's not always that strong, and the style's often derivative, whether of the Dixie Cups, the Shangri-Las, or other artists and trends. If nothing else, however, it's an impressive feat of cross-licensing, drawing from more than a half-dozen labels. And it does include some tracks that are definitely above average girl group goodies, like the Phil Spector-esque production of Jeff Barry's "I'm Nobody's Baby Now" and the moody, slightly psychedelic-influenced late-'60s obscurities "Saturday Night Didn't Happen" and "Weather Forecast." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

• songs
• similar
• videos
• eyeviews
• reviews
• download directory