Customer Reviews

Best Of Dennis Yost & The Classics IV (Legendary Masters Series)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Prior to this, the Classics IV have only had a couple of low budget, mediocre sounding compilations. This Legendary Masters Series CD finally does justice to the Classics IV. There are informative liner notes, the sound quality is outstanding, and there are a generous 27 tracks, clocking in around 70 minutes. The Classics IV started out sounding like the Four Seasons and, on one song, the Righteous Brothers. With the song "Spooky" they found their sound: Dennis Yost's soulful singing, a catchy melody and a memorable sax solo. The quality of the songs, the outstanding singing, and the excellent musicianship are maintained throughout all of the songs on this compilation. The biggest surprise was hearing their version of "Cherryhill Park" which, in my opinion, surpassed the original version done by Billy Joe Royal. I highly recommend this CD compilation to all Classics IV fans.

I'm sure they could have put a few more tunes on, or a promo or 2 could have been the icing on the cake. Nonetheless, it took a STUPIDLY long time to get this collection out. I bought the budget releases, and Atmospherics, and the sound quality on this release is by far superior. Classics IV material could still use a good remixing to give it some low end thump, but all the common hiss & harsh sound of other collections is gone from this one. Gotta give 'em 5 for doing this!

If you are a baby boomer that remembers.....and liked, Dennis Yost And The Classics IV, and your music taste hasn't changed; you will love this CD and I will tell you why.
In a review about a CD I typed up prior to this one being, Come A Little Bit Closer: The Best Of Jay And The Americans, I spoke very highly of the sound quality on that Disc and I am saying the same thing about this, Dennis Yost And The Classics IV, CD. Both are, Legendary Masters Series, and both sound Phenomenal! I purchased these two CDs together from Amazon a few months ago ( May; I believe ) and to me the sound quality on these two discs are about as close to perfect as it can be. To tell you the truth, I never ever thought I would hear 60s music sound so clear again but here it is !.
Like, Bread, and, Lobo; The Classics IV had that soft rock sound on several of their songs and they are somewhat forgotten today but not by me. I guess I could call them Balladeers that had a great lead vocalist being Dennis. He had a very soulful voice and the band had several radio friendly tunes from that era that are here and some of them are, Soul Train, the romantic, Every Day With You Girl, the beautiful ballad, Change Of Heart, and the huge smash called, Spooky, but the main reason I purchased this CD was for the then very popular and still very beautiful classic ballad called, Traces. Being another radio friendly tune; it charted in February 1969 and peaked at # 2 and with good reason. Each to their own opinion; but for me, Traces, is THE ballad and/or THE song on this compilation. Turn the lights down low. Turn the volume up and listen to Dennis sing that Ballad!.....Now THAT is what I call a gifted voice!
Two other excellent songs on here are the very pleasant, Something I'll Remember, and, Waves, and although it's been awhile; I know I have heard both of them on the Radio too and as you listen to this disc you will hear, The Classics IV, play a few songs that resemble both, The Four Seasons, and, The Righteous Brothers, and they sound pretty darn good too.
Overall; there are a lot of good memories here for anyone even close to my age that are familiar with and like this band. I guess I could say "literally now" that the songs on this CD are, Traces Of Long Long Ago, and I don't believe they have ever sounded better !.....Highly Recommended !

In my review of the other Classics IV "Best of" package, I complained about the lousy sound quality and wondered why there wasn't a Legendary Masters Series edition of this great group. Well, HERE IT IS! This is everything a Classics IV fan could ask for. A terrific remastering job and rare cuts long out of print. The sound quality is excellent. Don't waste your money on the other EMI "Very Best of" CD with the awful sound quality; spend a few extra dollars and hear the Classics IV as they deserve to be heard. You won't be disappointed.

I went to the record shop to browse through the oldies and when I saw this one, I could hardly believe my eyes. Other volumes in the EMI Legendary Masters series first appeared long ago. Classics IV was a glaring omission. In reviewing the two greatest hits packages that have been in print, I complained about there being only 10 songs on each disc, with a total of 14 songs available. This disc about doubles that total. ALL of the great songs from their glory days are here. Included are the hits and memorable songs from later in their Liberty career. A real treat is the inclusion of their early material on Capitol (some of it previously unreleased), when they were known simply as The Classics. The group started out being a Four Seasons clone, and believe it or not, Dennis Yost does a pretty mean version of Frankie Valli! However, it is for the best that Dennis found his natural voice, which ranges from a deep, mournful baritone to a slightly nasal, almost country-fied tenor. I have to mention that the sound quality is pristine. It's almost like hearing it all again, but for the first time. The liner notes are very informative. All in all, this is the collection that fans of the Classics IV have been waiting for, and should have had all along. The other new Classics IV release (Atmospherics) is an import from Australia, and includes material from their MGM/South years, from both the group and from Dennis Yost solo.

This set by Dennis Yost and the Classics IV is nearly complete. It includes both the A and B-sides of their two Capital releases as well as two songs recorded for Capital but never released until now. Of course all their hits for Imperial-Liberty-UA are here, but their final efforts for MGM are not included. Buy this CD plus the "Atmospherics" CD and you'll have a pretty complete collection. There are enough differences in the two CD's that the duplicates don't really dominate. Buy it!!

Dennis Yost has an excellent voice. Listening to these songs from the sixties is a strange experience. Here we have a group of songs that made it to the top forty in the sixties that are timeless. They are not time pieces. They are every bit as contemporary today as they were when they were recorded over 30 years ago. They didn't age. You don't hear a "60's sound" here. This isn't nostalgia. This is warm cozy fireside jazz, with Dennis Yost and his intimate smokey vocals, and the band with their air-tight smooth arrangements. Every song an original. Every song a winner. And a lead singer with a voice mature beyond his years.

One reviewer said this collection was overdue. "About time" is right!

Everyone once in a while I'll search my CD collection for the perfect disk- one that will complement any mood or situation. I always wind up frustrated. Not anymore. Dennis Yost, thank you for a perfect CD.

This is a must have CD for those who "began dating" in the
late 60's. Great hits...great memories.

Like other reviewers of this CD, I too have waited a long time for a comprehensive collection from this under-rated group. All my favorites are here, though, so I guess it was worth the wait...The Top 40 hits are all great, of course, along with particular favorites like "Strange Changes," "24 Hours of Loneliness," "Mary, Mary, Row Your Boat" and "Soul Train." "Poor People" is a new treat, and while I still prefer Billy Joe Royal's hit version of "Cherryhill Park," the Classics IV do a nice take on it as well...Some of the early Four Seasons/Righteous Brothers sound-alike stuff is interesting, but I don't need to hear it every time I play the CD. Still, overall, an excellent career overview and a much-appreciated edition to my collection. Highly recommended.

This cd spans the classics iv music career. If you grew up in the 60's and still enjoy listening to the music from that era this cd is well worth the price.