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Orpheus, a tragic Greek character who travelled to the land of the dead to charm Hades with his music for the return of his true love. (Though he wins her back the story ends badly... but the music must've been damn GOOD!)

And this collection from these champions of the "Bosstown Sound" bears testament to that... Almost their entire eponymous first album (with the exception of the surprisingly omitted, "Lesley's World") is included on Disc One. It might have been nice to include the radio edit of their one hit, "Can't Find The Time To Tell You" on this collection, but, hey... it took 'em long enough just to make these selections available.

Spectacular production values for 1967! WOW! Great, imaginative arrangements contributing to an almost dreamlike wash of sound, these guys blew the doors off Mike Brown's "Left Banke" with the depth of their musings and the quality of their music. They chose unusual harmonies, Major 7th chords, were influenced by the French impressionists, Satie and Debussy, and by the more modern American sounds of Aaron Copland, in formats of sudden and unusual key changes and modulations, which demanded full orchestration.

It's too bad the double disc set meant that many gems could not be included, like Steve Martin's "Big Green Pearl" from the fourth album. Never-the-less, this double disc is a worthy addition for any collector of melodic pop!

Orpesus produced three albums. All sold out in days. The albums are impossible to come by. The gentle sound and meaningful words bring back a memories of a happier time in the listeners life. This group could've been huge, but kept the quality great and their principles intact. Everyone should enjoy their mellow, loving sound.

Easily one of the best bands to come out of the 60's East Coast music scene, Orpheus created a distinctive sound that influenced the likes of Steely Dan, Boston and more recently, Hootie & The Blowfish.

This 2CD set contains all the tracks from their first three MGM albums with the exception of the 1967 single "Lesley's World" and the song "Don't Be So Serious" from their second album "Orpheus Ascending". The compilation also contains two tracks from their self titled fourth album on the Bell label although it leaves out that album's single "Big Green Pearl".

As a bonus, the compilation contains a stripped down version of "Can't Find The Time", a 1968 radio interview with Bruce Arnold and Alan Lorber explaining the anatomy of the song "I've Never Seen Love Like This" and a version of "Just A Little Bit" by the pre-Orpheus group, The Villagers.

The "oldies" station I listen to features a daily "lost oldie", one that you don't hear very often. One day they played a scratchy version of "Can't Find The Time", and it brought back great memories. Back in the spring of 1969 Orpheus performed at my Senior Prom. I owned their first two albums, and really liked them a lot. Unfortunately, most people never heard of Orpheus.

Some of the material sounds dated but this set picks the cream of the crop, with heavy emphasis on the first two albums. It also includes a couple of rarities. I must admit that I found myself singing along just as I did thirty years ago.

If you remember Orpheus, you won't be disappointed. If you're looking for some history of the "Bosstown Sound" this is a good place to start.

The music that Orpheus spun during the late 60's and early 70's is long lost, but not forgotten. If you love (and who wouldn't?) beautiful melodies and rich harmonies, resonant voices,and perfect, mixed guitar full of major chords and delightful orchestrations, Orpheus' music is for you. Alan Lorber did all of us Orpheus fans a great service when he released the "Best of Orpheus" in 1995. Actually, we crave for more Orpheus music, and would snap it up in a second if it were available.

This album is just so listenable and enjoyable. Can't Find The Time, Just a Little Bit, Love Over Here, Music Machine, I'll Fly, and the list goes on and on. Great music, under-appreciated music. I for one never understood the criticism doled out to the Bosstown sound. Where are these critics coming from? Orpheus is great music, plain and simple. Maybe the lyrics were a little 60ish, and, granted, some of the songs don't make it, but by-and-large, Orpheus's Greatest Hits album is a brilliant compilation of this group's finest work. Well worth buying and listening to over and over again.

A piece of pop history that was unknown to me until very recently. Hootie & The Blowfish recently covered "Can't Find The Time To Tell You," and it appears on the "Me, Myself & Irene" soundtrack. I enjoyed that version (great melody and pure pop lyrics) so much that it emboldened me to find out more about Bruce Arnold and Orpheus. Incidentally, on KHJ in Los Angeles in '69, The Rose Colored Glass charted higher with ITS version of "Can't Find The Time" than Orpheus had! "Brown Arms In Houston," which also did better than "Can't Find...", was Orpheus' only other charting song in L.A.

In high school (Boston) I was a great fan of Orpheus. There first two albums I played until they were scratched beyond listening pleasure. I could could not believe it took so many years for there music do be released in CD. The Best of Orpheus is great. I only wish they would release their first album on CD.

the BossTown Sound was a chance for old folkies still hanging around Cambridge to try and make some money.... ironically, the Orpheus song that FIRST received air play in Boston, Lesley's World, was left off this CD collection. Wonder why?

Contrary to the track listing on Amazon.Com, this release contains 2 CDs with 34 tracks. The CD takes songs from the groups four LPs and gives us a musical history. Included is an "uncovered" mix of "Can't Find The Time To Tell You" w/o the rhythm/strings (just guitars and vocals). Liner notes were written by Alan Lorber, the producer of the original albums. While mixed in NYC in 1995, it's a shame we have to go to the UK to get a copy of these timeless recordings. Lastly, included are the groups biggest hits: Can't Find The Time To Tell You -- and -- Brown Arms In Houston. I'm surprised RHINO or VARESE SARABAND haven't scooped the singles up in their releases.

Previously I wrote a review of 'Orpheus Complete' (all 4 of their albums on 2 CDs), which is no longer available. My thoughts on that compilation (from Italy) also apply to the 'Best of'.

"The 1st Orpheus album sounds like Chicago (Transit Authority) several years before they made the scene. (Did CTA get the idea for their original name from the earlier San Francisco R+B band Pacific Gas & Electric - one was a public utility, the other public transit, both with rather long names.)

Despite the fact that Orpheus was from Boston, not Chicago - the Buckinghams, the Cryan Shames, New Colony Six are other Chicago bands of the time that come to mind. Lots of horns and/or electric pianos, rock and jazz organs, clean guitar, even orchestral strings, depending on the given song.

But Orpheus' lyrics were often an altogether different sort of animal.

It's as if Orpheus was in the business of refining and deepening, and, yes - giving an underground edge to the obvious pop ethos of the time. In New York, Circus Maximus (Bob Bruno, Jerry Jeff Walker and their amazing band mates) were also strenuously transforming our understanding of the styles of pop/rock during this period. Also working in relative obscurity, they were less mellow, more attacking - but just as otherworldly, often with an unbelievably intense allegorical edge. CM of course started out dabbling brilliantly in folk-rock and early punk, but traversed at least 7-8 styles by the time they were through - jazz-rock, soft rock, flower-power, visionary folk-pop, acid-rock, acid-punk - all this in the space of only two albums!

Orpheus was decidedly not a `rock' band, though fitting in the overall category of rock music, which hadn't yet splintered (in the public mind) into the plethora of genres and sub-genres. Like the band's namesake (Orpheus the hero/demigod of the Greek legends), they traveled into the underworld to seek their lost loves/souls, and eventually emerged still wearing the mantle of convention. But those clothes now had maps etched indelibly onto the surface of their fabrics - everyone who gave a careful listen could not help but being swept up in what was beginning to be trumpeted and/or breathed to/through them.

This was quietly, powerfully heralded (musically) only on the final cut of album #1; but becomes more and more obvious in the 2nd album.

On the 3rd album, many songs remind one stylistically of the Association's album cuts, but with good arrangers and engineers. The Association had it all on their singles, and almost nothing on their other songs. And it probably wasn't any of their fault - chalk it up to a nearsighted, baffled producer.

There's also a bit of the smoother edge of Motown running through the 3rd's veins, maybe even a glimmer of things like the Fifth Dimension. And don't forget Glen Campbell in his more philosophically-revealing moments.

The 4th album on the other hand turns musically very philosophical/psychological, even visionary/spiritual (the lyrics had been that way intermittently all along). Orpheus' new band member wrote almost all the songs on #4 and sang/projected them not too unlike Tim Buckley, but with a voice and intent that overtakes and draws you in rather than smashes/bleats/blares at you. Very steadying even while being charismatic and impregnating. Rather sparely arranged, with lots of acoustic guitar, hinting by turns at blues, folk and psychedelia but studiously keeping apart from any stock "sound of the times". As virile and deep as the whole movement, yet seemingly employing a tender, personal grasp of the listener's heart and mind.

Imagine someone in your small living room at twilight, strumming and singing just to you and for you. The effect is startlingly refreshing, engaging in an almost aboriginal manner, friendly to an extreme degree. There are hints/gleanings of some kind of incoming personal revelation. Your eyes begin to take on/in more light.