Choir Practice

The Choir, Choir | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 26, 1994)
• Original Release Date: January 18, 1994
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B000003H0K
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #275,605 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I'd Rather You Leave Me

2. It's Cold Outside

3. When You Were With Me

4. Don't Change Your Mind

5. Dream Of One's Life

6. In Love's Shadow

7. I'm Slippin'

8. Leave Me Be

9. I'd Rather You Leave Me

10. Treeberry

11. Smile

12. A To F (I Don't Want Nobody)

13. I Only Did It 'Cause I Felt So Lonely

14. Don't Change Your Mind

15. Anyway I Can

16. Boris' Lament

17. David Watts

18. If These Are Men

Editorial Reviews

It took a conspiracy of record company dunces working overtime to keep the Choir from the fame they so richly deserved. Pop-masters extraordinaire, the Choir's excellence would've outdated eventually, but never told so well nor sounding so great, Sundazed is proud to have made it all possible! This 1994 collection features tracks from 1966-1969 and features 4 bonus tracks 'Leave Me Be', 'I'd Rather You Leave Me', 'A to F' & 'Don't Change Your Mind'.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Generally good, and worth it for one fantastic song, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Choir Practice (Audio CD)

I've discovered The Choir through the Nuggets box set, which was featuring their only local hit "It's cold outside", a great little, innocent pop song. This CD features this hit and a collection of rarities (not always in hi-fi sound) by the band, whose line-up changed a lot during 1965 and 1970 (not a single band member in common between these two dates). For me the best time was 1966-1967, when the band featured Wally Bryson as lead guitarist and main composer. And the first song on this CD, "I'd Rather You Leave Me", only released before on a posthumous and out-of print EP, is the PERFECT 60'S POP SONG. An untold masterpiece. A Byrds-like intro on 12-strings guitar, a beautiful and innocent melody, high-register backing vocals, a solid beat... 2'06 of pure happiness. Even if the rest of the record was lousy (which is not the case), it would be worth it just for this song. All the other songs from 1967 ("I only did it cause I felt so lonely", "Don't change your mind"...) are very nice too. But listen to "I'd Rather You Leave Me" now !

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid compilation from overlooked 60s pop band, June 8, 2000

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Choir Practice (Audio CD)

The Choir's "It's Cold Outside" has been anthologized many times, most notably on the original Pebbles LPs, and again on the reissue Nuggets box. It's always stood out as a tremendous bit of jangly mid-60s pop, mixing chiming guitars, tamourine and the sort of swooning harmonies made famous by the Beatles, Beach Boys and others. Though it's always sounded like it dated from '65 or '66, it's actually from 1967.

And while few other of the Choir's tracks reach the extreme heights of "It's Cold Outside," this compilation, based on tracks spanning 1966 through 1969, shows that they did have more to offer. A good deal of this follows in the footsteps of The Beau Brummels, with complex harmonies matched by a rock 'n' roll backbeat. Shades of the Nightcrawlers, Left Banke, Hollies and others can also be heard.

Most of this is previously unreleased material, including a host of demos. The sound quality is good throughout, though its clear that the compilers had to go to a lot of effort to make it all presentable.

Though the mid-60s were filled with competent garage bands, few had the yearning pop touch of The Choir, as this disc so ably demonstrates.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a great CD, October 2, 2006

By 

S. Ritter "georgiegirl" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Choir Practice (Audio CD)

I own this CD and I think it's great. I was lucky enough to live in the area where these guys played locally and have followed them as a group, through all the changes, and individually. I think they are all talented, nice guys. David Smalley, Wally Bryson, Jim Bonfonti, went on to become The Raspberries along with Eric Carmen. It was Dan Klawon who penned It's Cold Outside. Dan and Ken Margolis were also in the Choir at one time. Ken was also in Cyrus Erie along with Eric Carmen. Later Dan and Ken formed The Sittin Ducks. A lovely group of talented musicians!