VA - The Super K Kollection

The Super K Kollection - Reviews by Donald A. Guarisco

Vol. 1

This compilation collects a number of obscure singles produced by bubblegum kings Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz. Although they were known for sweet and catchy hits like "Goody Goody Gumdrops" and "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy," very little bubblegum-style material pops up on this compilation. Instead, the singles presented on The Super K Kollection, Vol. 1 focus primarily on psychedelia and garage rock. In the psychedelia department, the most memorable tracks are "Elevator Man," a slightly overlong but atmospheric British Road Runners track with a sound reminiscent of late-'60s era Hollies, and "The Clock," a late-period 1910 Fruitgum Company track built on churchy organ and a naggingly catchy singalong hook. In the garage rock area, the strongest tracks include "Hard Core Groovin'," a Nuggets-style track from the Music Explosion that highlights a gritty vocal over a strong combination of organ and fuzz guitar, and "Take a Big Hit on the Jug," an Ohio Ltd. cut that punctuates its power-chord attack with an a cappella singalong chorus driven home by percussion. Interspersed between these cuts is the occasional bit of bubblegum like Bobby Bloom's "When," a tasty song that perks up its organ-driven pop melody with soulful horns. Unfortunately, the listener has to sift through some dull dross to get to the aforementioned highlights: the JCW Ratfinks' "I Feel a Fever Coming On" is garage rock at its most faceless and the Charles E. Funk Rebellion version of "House of the Rising Sun" won't make anyone forget the far superior Animals version. Ultimately, The Super K Kollection, Vol. 1 offers up enough nuggets to make it worthwhile for pop fanatics, but is too uneven and unfocused for the casual listener.

Vol. 2

This second volume of obscure singles from bubblegum mavens Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz proves that this producing duo had ambitions beyond just bubblegum pop. Like its predecessor, The Super K Kollection, Vol. 2 downplays straight bubblegum tracks in favor of songs with a strong psychedelic or garage rock feel to them. The strongest tracks in the garage rock vein are "My Fire Department Needs a Fireman," a fiery track from the Shadows of Knight that marries a vicious guitar/organ attack to a catchy singalong chorus, and "The Gung Gung Song," a novelty-styled nonsense word singalong by the Carnaby Street Runners that layers swirling organ leads over a tight, soulful groove from the rhythm section. The most memorable psychedelic tracks are "Go Out in the Rain," a 1910 Fruitgum Company track that contrasts folk-styled acoustic guitar with a soul music bassline before sneaking in a surprising xylophone hook, and "Itchy, Itchy," a track from Professor Morrison's Lollipop that layers a spacy, effects-laden vocal over some rollicking piano riffs. Unfortunately, there are a lot of lesser tracks to sit through between the aforementioned highlights: "Bingo Bingo" is a tired bubblegum track from the 1910 Fruitgum Company that is overly cutesy even by bubblegum standards, and "You Hurt Me Girl" is a maudlin ballad from ex-British Invasion hitmakers Freddie & the Dreamers. Overall, none of the material presented here is as catchy or inspired as the classic Kasenetz-Katz hits. Because of this second-rate level of quality, The Super K Kollection, Vol. 2 can only be recommended to the most devoted fans of pop obscurities.

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