VA - Bob Crew Presents - The DynoVoice Story (1965-1968) @ 320

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Review by Greg Adams

Bob Crewe -- label owner, performing artist, songwriter, and producer -- ranks with Phil Spector among the great Svengalis of '60s pop. The two-disc set Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story takes an extended look at his DynoVox, DynoVoice, and New Voice labels. Subtitled "The Label That Had to Happen!" and bearing a photo of Crewe's smiling face on the cover (looking a bit like Robert Redford), the collection rounds up 56 recordings by two dozen or so artists, including a number of hits (the Toys' "A Lover's Concerto," Eddie Rambeau's "Concrete and Clay," the Bob Crewe Generation's "Music to Watch Girls By") and many, many rarities. In fact, rarities tend to be the focus since some of the artists are not represented by their hits. Crewe and his fellow Four Seasons, Bob Gaudio and Charles Calello, are all over these productions. Girl group sides tend to arouse particular interest among collectors, and there are a number of such recordings here, from actual groups (the Toys, the Hi-Fashions, the Beach Girls aka the Rag Dolls) and soloists who worked in a faux-girl group style (Diane Renay, Jessica James, Jeanne Thomas). The girl group sound dominates the first disc while the late-'60s rock of Mitch Ryder and the Chicago Loop reigns on the second disc. The collection features lengthy notes and mastering from the original tapes wherever possible, and is a superlative retrospective. Unfortunately, shortly after its release, Crewe raised objections to the use of his name and photo on the cover and Westside withdrew the compilation, creating an instant collector's item.

VA - Bob Crew Presents - The DynoVoice Story (1965-1968)

CD1

 01. The Toys - A Lovers Concerto 

 02. The Toys - This Night 

 03. The Beach Girls - Ski-ing In The Snow 

 04. Eddie Rambeau - Concrete And Clay 

 05. Maggie Thrett - Soupy 

 06. The Invitations - Hallelujah 

 07. The Invitations - Written On The Wall 

 08. Eddie Rambeau - Look For The Rainbow 

 09. The Invitations - What's Wrong With Me Baby! 

 10. The Invitations - Why Did My Baby Turn Bad? 

 11. Eddie Rambeau - The Train 

 12. The Hi-Fashions - Billy Knows 

 13. Jessica James & The Outlaws - Give Her Up (Baby) 

 14. Jessica James & The Outlaws - Come Closer 

 15. The Toys - Attack 

 16. The Toys - See How They Run 

 17. The Toys - Baby's Gone 

 18. Diane Renay - The Company You Keep 

 19. Diane Renay - Words 

 20. Diane Renay - Happy Birthday Broken Heart 

 21. Jean Thomas (2) - Life Of The Party 

 22. Jean Thomas (2) - Too Good To Be Bad 

 23. Charlotte & Emily - Please Stay With Me 

 24. Norma Tanega - Walkin' My Cat Named Dog 

 25. The Invitations - Ski-ing In The Snow 

 26. The Toys - May My Heart Be Cast Into Stone 

 27. The Toys - On Backstreet 

 28. The Toys - Can't Get Enough Of You Baby 

 29. The Toys - Silver Spoon 

 30. The Toys - Baby Toys 

CD2 

 01. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Jenny Take A Ride! 

 02. The Motivations - The Slow Fizz 

 03. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Little Latin Lupe Lu 

 04. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - I Hope 

 05. Jessica James & The Outlaws - We'll Be Makin' Out 

 06. Eddie Rambeau - Thinkin' About You Baby 

 07. Billie Dearborn - Down 

 08. The Sky - I'm Not A Fool 

 09. The Chicago Loop - (When She Needs Good Lovin') My Baby Comes To Me 

 10. George McCannon, III - Love, Love My Friend 

 11. The Bob Crewe Generation - Music To Watch Girls By 

 12. Lainie Hill - Time Marches On 

 13. Kenny Wells - Isn't It Just A Shame 

 14. Norma Tanega - Bread 

 15. Duff Thurmond - If You Loved Me Baby 

 16. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Medley: Devil With A Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly 

 17. Peter Antell - Warm Smoke 

 18. George 'N' Sonny Sands - Down By The Ocean 

 19. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - Sock It To Me-Baby! 

 20. Norma Tanega - Run, On The Run 

 21. Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels - One Grain Of Sand 

 22. Mitch Ryder - What Now My Love (El Maintenant) 

 23. Mitch Ryder - Blessing In Diguise 

 24. The Little Bits (2) Featuring Karyl Mann - The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) 

 25. The Little Bits - [Hidden Track] 

 26. Jimmy Williams - Mushroom City 

 27. The Glitterhouse - Barbarella 

***