Customer Reviews

1st Album

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After finding himself ousted as The Monkees' music supervisor, Don Kirshner put together the ultimate Svengali's group. This faceless collection of writers, producers and studio musicians were publicly fronted by a televised cartoon series, and neither the musicians nor the cartoons were prone to demanding artistic freedom. The result is among the purest expressions of Kirshner's bubblegum ethos (ultra-catchy songs with simple stories aimed at pre-rock pre-teens), while also some of the best pure-pop crafted in the late-60s and early-70s.

The musical mastermind behind the material was Brill Building (and Spector-cohort) Jeff Barry, who'd written landmark hits for The Ronettes ("Be My Baby"), Crystals ("Da Doo Ron Ron"), Shangri-Las ("Leader of the Pack"), Ike & Tina Turner ("River Deep Mountain High") and dozens more. The voice-behind-the-cartoon, Ron Dante, was a great front-man for Barry's songs, with a voice that was sugar-sweet without turning to treacle. Dante was backed by all-star vocliasts, which variously included Barry, his former wife and songwriting partner Ellie Greenwich, Toni Wine, Ray Stevens, Bobby Bloom and Andy Kim. The studio musicians assembled for the sessions were equally talented, churning out tight pop productions with a soulful edge.

This 1968 debut LP included the TV show's theme song ("Everything's Archie"), the group's first-single, "Bang Shang-A-Lang," and it's B-side "Truck Driver." Kirshner and Barry's music stood in stark contrast to the heavy psychedelic rock of the era, capitalizing instead on the sort of material Kirshner had charted with the Monkees in '66 and '67. The Archies weren't the first bubblegum artists ("Incense and Peppermints" hit #1 the previous year, for example), but the deep musical talent made them among the best. Beneath the ear-candy, Barry and his co-writers drew upon lengthy roots in pop and rock music, allowing them to mix-and-match doo-wop harmonies with flower-power anthems, and introduce funky beats to the most whitebread songs. The lyrics were often nonsensical, but Dante sang everyone with conviction, and the melodies will still stick in your head all day.

In many ways this was a warm-up for the Archies next LP (confusingly titled "Everything's Archie," and reissued on CD by RKO as "The Archies"). Andy Kim's addition as co-writer for the sophomore LP led to stronger material, including the genre's national anthem "Sugar Sugar." Still, Archies fans will want to pick up this debut as it's the only place you can find "Boys and Girls," "La Dee Doo Down Down," "Catchin' Up on Fun," "I'm in Love," "Ride Ride Ride," and "Hide and Seek." Also included on this reissue are the original mono versions of "Bang Shang-A-Lang" and "Truck Driver." A fold-out insert includes detailed liner notes and a larger reproduction of the cover.

Audio quality here is good, though a tiny bit frazzled at the high-end. Unlike the 3%-too-slow remastering on RKO's reissue of "Everything's Archie," this one is fine. The track list reorders the original LP by moving the album take of "Bang Shang-A-Lang" to the two-spot, apparently to avoid having it back-to-back with the mono bonus version. Now all we need is the rest of the catalog properly remastered and with all the mono singles tacked on! [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]

I remember the true excitement that "The Archie Show" and this album generated back in 1968. The Archies were hip and fun... we couldn't wait to grow up to be teenagers! Needless to say, the highlight of "The Archie Show" was the musical number each week. We thought that the synchronized animation of the band playing was just the coolest...especially Betty bumping her tambourine and Veronica pedaling the organ. Of course, part of the allure was never knowing who actually was the singing voice of Archie.

Now, some 40 years later, this terrific recording is back in print, sounding better than ever. Ron Dante's vocals are simply fantastic...he can do it all, from uptempo dance songs to ballads to hard-driving pop numbers such as "Hide and Seek." For me, the entire album is epitomized by "Catchin' Up on Fun," an irresistible pop confection with a little sonic guitar thrown in for hipness. (This little-known song was later covered by The Love Generation. Their version is pleasant, but can't compare.) A second favorite is "Time for Love," which is one of those rare songs so perfectly written and executed as to seem effortless.

At some point, didn't each of us long to be one of The Archies? (For me, it was Betty, but being a young boy in 1968, I didn't tell Mom and Dad!) If you know this album...pick up a copy and rediscover it. And if you haven't heard it...happiness awaits!

A special thanks to Ron Dante for making these recordings available again. Let's hope that The Archies' other albums see the light of day, too!

The Archies first album released in 1968 has finally seen the light of day on CD with this album. The artwork is from the original front and back covers and there's a poster that folds out to show The Archies on one side and some well-written liner notes by John Tracy on the inside.

The sound of all the songs is superb. Just as good as any other official release of Archies music. My one and only problem is that the very start - just half a syllable- of "Catchin' Up On Fun" is cut-off. That was the one song of theirs I was dying to hear on CD for years. There's also a tiny glitch in the first minute of "Hide & Seek". I hope future pressings will have these problems corrected.

The bonus tracks are the mono versions of "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" and "Truck Driver" that appeared on their first single which explains why they moved the stereo version of "Bang-Shang-A-Lang" to track 2.

Now for "Sunshine" and "This Is Love", a greatest hits collection and all the unreleased songs.

I have been waiting for this album to come out on CD for years. It reminds me of the days when I went to a little 2 room school and my mother was the cook there. Ron Dante is a great singer and the Archies have been one of my favorite groups since I was about 6 years old. I would recommend that anyone who loves anything that Ron Dante does to buy this CD. You will enjoy it as much as I have. It has 12 great songs and they all have some kind of meaning behind them. You don't see or hear that much in music now days Thanks.

It was long ago when I was first introduced to the Archies by my brother's wife. She had the records and let me have a listen. From that moment on I was hooked. It's now been about 25 years later and I STILL enjoy the music of the Archies. To find this CD made me very happy.

The CD is slightly different than the original album, in that the songs are mixed around and has a couple bonus tracks, which is nice. Upon further scrutiny, I noticed that original master was a LP record as well, meaning the original tapes must have been unworthy of duplication. Still the CD sounds very clean and even better than when I first heard it. :)

I would dock a star for the abovementioned, but in the case of this CD I will not. If you are an Archies fan, or just want to hear music from the good ole days, I highly recommend this happy cheery music. It comes in handy when I am feeling blue. :)

This album still holds up almost 4 decades later.It was the first LP I ever had. The were my Beatles at age 4.Songs are great when driving around in my convertble.I can sing at the top of my lungs.From Everythings ARchie to the last song.Funny I still know the words.

Today, I just discovered that the Archies' first album was released CD...last year! What a pleasant surprise. I have every one of the Archies' albums, and may I say this one was my favorite. Why it took so long to release it on CD is a mystery to me. If you remember anything about the Archies and their contribution to rock and roll, you have to get this CD before it goes out of stock.

Now I'm waiting for the Archies' "Sunshine" LP to be released on CD. Bring it on!

This is good mindless, pop music. Who knew the ARCHIES could rock as hard as they do on I'm In Love or Hide and Seek, or be a bluesy as on Truck Driver. I am in my mid 40's and this is the music of my childhood, so it holds a special place in my heart. The packaging is awesome as well. There is more to the Archies than Sugar Sugar, and this CD proves it. Yeah, I know the Archies are a lame, cartoon based group, but you can't argue, the music is good. Not ground breaking of course, just good!

Many thanks to Ron Dante for helping to get the Archies on CD! This is one of my all time favorite LPs growing up. I had converted my worned out record to CD; but now with the crisp clear non scratchy CD out, all of us Archies fans can truly enjoy the voice of Ron Dante, Toni Wine and others!!! Hope all of the Archies songs will be released on CD, including the ones never released on record!!! Hear Ye Hear Ye!!!