For those who prefer to spin their music on vinyl, an eclectic and gorgeously packaged 14-track collection of girl group artefacts from the mid-60s.
Compiled and annotated by Mick Patrick, this vinyl-only collection is housed in an eye-grabbing sleeve containing an inner bag featuring scarce photos and a 3000-word track commentary chronicling the often convoluted histories of the featured artists.
Mary Saenz kicks off proceedings with the handclap-propelled title track from the catalogue of ‘Monster Mash’ producer Gary Paxton. This is followed by front cover stars the Ikettes’ magnificent dancer ‘(Never More) Lonely For You’, Paxton protégées the Fashionettes’ flute-driven ‘Earthquake’, Denita James’ simmering ‘I Have Feelings Too’, the Supremes-style ‘This Couldn’t Be Me’ by the Sweethearts and Tanya Marie’s Chiffons-like cover of Ann Kirk’s ‘It Kinda Picks Me Up’, another Paxton production. Doré Records’ trio the Puffs channel the Chantels on the dramatic closer ‘Moon Out There’.
Side Two begins with another Doré act, the Shades Of Jade, with the effortlessly cool ‘Why Does It Feel So Right (Doing Wrong)’ and the Charmaines with the 1966 revamp of their earlier regional hit ‘G.I. Joe’. The Bermudas’ ethereal hit ‘Donnie’ leads seamlessly into an entrancing version of Dylan’s ‘He Belongs To Me’ by Carol Connors, aka Annette Kleinbard of the Teddy Bears, the 2 Of Clubs’ dynamic cover of Garnet Mimms’ ‘Look Away’ and Pat Powdrill & the Powerdrills’ semi-psychedelic ‘They Are Lonely’. The album concludes in high style with a recently uncovered recording by the Blossoms of the otherworldly ‘Moon Walking’ featuring celebrated arranger/guitarist Billy Strange.
In conclusion, “Would She Do That For You?! Girl Group Sounds USA 1964-68” is a blast from start to finish. Dig it.
IAN JOHNSTON
