The Archies - Everything's Archie [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Archies | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: RKO / Unique
• ASIN: B00001XDO9
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,882 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Inside Out, Upside Down

2. Love Light

3. Feelin' So Good

4. Sugar, Sugar

5. Melody Hill

6. Rock & Roll Music

7. Kissin'

8. Don't Touch My Guitar

9. Hot Dog

10. You Little Angel You

11. Circle of Blue

12. Bicycles, Roller Skates and You

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 32 Years Later, Everything is Still Archie!, January 6, 2000

By 

Windsor Bear "-=WB=-" (Isle of Wight, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Archies - Everything's Archie (Audio CD)

I've been waiting a long time for this release. The classic second album from the Archies on CD; "Everything's Archie," and for the most part, I was not disappointed. Excellent digital remastering; vocals and instruments are strong and clear. Ron Dante's lead vocals sound better than ever. Only sound problem: pitch is a bit slow. This is more noticeable as the CD progresses; however will probably only be evident to someone that is very, very familiar with the original vinyl album. A few minor concerns with the cover and liner notes. First, this CD is cataloged as "Everything's Archie", named after its original vinyl counterpart from 1968. However, the title on the CD is simply "The Archies" which was the name of their first album. This could be a bit confusing to buyers. Also, the track listing on the back cover does not match the actual track sequence on the CD, and I've noticed this has caused some problems with online CD music stores as having the wrong sound bites playing against the track titles. The real sequence is the same as the original vinyl album, not the one on the back cover. As for liner notes... well... maybe I'm nit-picking but... it states that Archie debuted on TV in 1969. It was actually 1968. Don Kirshner's name was also mispelled (ooops! ) Finally, the notes talked about the group's numerous Top 40 hits making the CD sound like a greatest hits compilation instead of a reproduction of their second album. Like I said.. too nit-picky. In any case, anyone who purchases this CD will not be disappointed. Great care was obviously taken into the sound quality. I am eagerly awaiting RKO/Unique's next Archies release.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Open My Ears!, March 22, 2000

By 

TomAzon (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Archies - Everything's Archie (Audio CD)

Ron Dante, the man behind the microphone for The Archies finally garnered the rights to all The Archies masters and one of the results (with more to come) from RKO/Unique is "Everything's Archie". The sound quality is superb with just enough bass brought out to make the sound fuller than that on the vinyl. It's a great pleasure to finally hear what I've been missing. It's also about time we get to hear The Archies officially put on CD after all these years. Fans usually had to settle for mid-to-bad quality CDs with the notable exceptions from Sony and Cult Records but not any more...

Archies fans should be aware that RKO/Unique for some reason is giving the albums different names than the original recordings. "Everything's Archie" is called "The Archies". "Jingle-Jangle" is called "Archie's Party". Ron Dante promises more releases plus bonus tracks and previously unreleased material and I'm more than looking forward to it.

Update: The song "Hot Dog" was used in 2006 in a Hebrew National hot dog TV commercial.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Budget reissue of Archies second LP "Everything's Archie", July 8, 2006

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Archies - Everything's Archie (Audio CD)

This reissue from RKO Records faithfully reproduces the twelve tracks from the Archies second album, "Everything's Archie," originally issued on the Calendar label in 1969, reissued on Kirshner under the same title, and eventually reissued under the title of its most successful hit single, "Sugar, Sugar." With Don Kirshner pulling the strings (as he'd done with the Monkees before the group's actor/musicians staged a revolt), and ace songwriter Jeff Barry helming the musical productions, the Archies' repertoire on this second LP consisted of superbly crafted and slyly written bubblegum pop.

Behind the animation, the Archies music was performed by some of New York's best studio musicians, with lead vocals provided by Ron Dante and Toni Wine. The songs were cleverly constructed by Barry, Andy Kim and others, sugar-coating a variety of pop styles. The album's breakout single, "Sugar, Sugar," written by Barry and Kim is the textbook example of the project's craft: a relentlessly catchy melody and lyric wedded to a superlight soul sound that's eminently danceable. This is the national anthem of the bubblegum world, but not the only confectionary treasure to be heard here.

The opener, "Feelin' So Good," features lush sunshine harmonies and an organ tone borrowed from The Monkees "I'm a Believer." The one-at-a-time instrument call-outs of "Rock 'n' Roll Music" offered kids a less threatening version of Sly & The Family Stone's "Dance to the Music," and doo-wop provides the underpinnings of "You Little Angel You." Dante's vocals are just as fitting to the fifties-styled ballad "Circle of Blue" as the garage-inspired "Hot Dog," and the jump-blues inspired guitar leads of "Don't Touch My Guitar" gives a taste of the studio talent drawn to these recording sessions.

As great as the music remains, this budget reissue (apparently put out by Dante himself) is lacking. The album's original cover art (featuring dancing teens wearing Archies sweatshirts) has been replaced with a photo of Dante and his guitar, removing the charming conceit of the Archies as a fictional cartoon band. The tag line on the front cover contains a typo, and the CD's liner notes are a generic discussion of the Archies, with no insight into the album, songs, writers, or musicians, and no song or session credits. The tray card lists the wrong track order, and in two cases omits the full song titles (i.e., "Feelin' So Good" is missing its parenthetical subtitle "(S.K.O.O.B.Y.-D.O.O.)," and "Bicycles, Roller Skates" is actually titled "Bicycles, Roller Skates and You."). Worst of all, the music was remastered 3-4% too slow. Someone should do a serious reissue of this catalog, with fresh interviews, proper credits and more attention to mastering detail.

That said, "Circle of Blue" is exclusive to this reissue, and doesn't appear on easier-to-find Archies compilations. "Kissin'" and "Love Light" have turned up on a couple of compilations, but aren't as regularly anthologized. So budget reissue or not, this is a must-have for Archies fanatics. Currently out of print, you'll have to look to the secondary market to find a copy. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]