Happy Together: The Very Best of White Whale Records
Review by Richie Unterberger.
White Whale was one of the better independent Los Angeles rock labels of the mid- to late '60s. Its only consistent hitmakers were the Turtles, and most of its releases were also in a good-time rock vein, although some got a little weirder, and some delved into bubblegum. This is a pretty fair 21-song compilation of hit and miss White Whale singles from 1965-1970, less interesting for the three Turtle smashes included than for the rarities. The Matthew Moore Plus Four's 1965 single "Codyne" [sic], for instance, is probably the first rock version of Buffy Sainte-Marie's oft-covered "Codeine." Warren Zevon was in the male-female folk-rock duo Lyme & Cybelle, represented not just by the small hit "Follow Me," but also the much rarer cover of Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now." To the left of these folk-rockers was the off-the-wall mod-psychedelia of John's Children's "Smashed! Blocked!," and the 1968 single by the Rockets, who would soon become Crazy Horse. Efforts by the Clique, the Committee, and others are far more lightweight; the Latino easy listening of René & René's "Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero," though a big hit, is a pretty ill fit on this disc. The easygoing pop of Liz Damon's Orient Express' 1970 Top 40 single "1900 Yesterday" and Nino Tempo & April Stevens' Phil Spector-soundalike hit "All Strung Out" are more stylistic variations to round out the compilation. Interesting stuff more often than not, but because of its emphasis exclusively on singles, this misses the most interesting White Whale rarity of all: J.K. & Co.'s mysterious album Suddenly One Summer, a cross between All Things Must Pass-era George Harrison and Donovan.
Tracklist:
01. Turtles - It Ain't Me Babe
02. Matthew Moore Plus Four - Codyne (She's Real)
03. Lyme & Cybelle - Follow Me
04. Everpresent Fullness - Wild About My Lovin'
05. Nino Tempo & April Stevens - All Strung Out
06. Lyme & Cybelle - If You Gotta Go, Go Now
07. John's Children - Smashed! Blocked!
08. Smokestack Lightnin' - Nadine
09. Turtles - Happy Together
10. Committee - California My Way
11. Rockets - Hole In My Pocket
12. Professor Morrison's Lollipop - You Got The Love
13. Turtles - Elenore
14. Rene & Rene - Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero (The More I
Love You)
15. Clique - Sugar On Sunday
16. Malibu's - A Broken Man
17. Clique - I'll Hold Out My Hand
18. Steel Wool - No Sugar Tonight
19. Feather - Friends
20. Reivers - Constantly
21. Liz Damon's Orient Express - 1900 Yesterday
Thanks -- looks interesting!
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias.
ReplyDeleteSaludos.
Cheers!
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