41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Definitely haven't hit the bottom of the barrel yet, August 7, 2000
This review is from: Doo Wop Box 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems (Audio CD)
I'm grateful to Rhino Records for extending their series of doo-wop box sets to a third volume. The first one is absolutely essential for anyone collecting doo wop on CD; the second is the next logical thing to buy after the first.
This time around, the compilers have mixed things up -- rather than just present a chronological set of doo wop songs, this box is split into four distinct parts: "The Hits", "The Should-Have-Been Hits", "The Celebrity Picks", and "Modern Doo Wop". With so many of the greats included on the earlier volumes, there are only a few really big hits here: "Image of a Girl", "Stranded in the Jungle", "(You've Got) The Magic Touch", "There Goes My Baby" (and that last is one I've never liked). But besides them, there are quite a few wonderful ballads ("The Way You Look Tonight", "Try the Impossible", "The Vow", "My Memories of You"), and a bunch of fun uptempo songs ("Zoop", "No No No", "Can't We Be Sweethearts").
The "Celebrity Picks" disc includes songs chosen by Robert Plant, Art & Aaron Neville, George Carlin, and others. It has a few classics ("Most of All") and some more obscure stuff that's pretty interesting. I was familiar with about a third of the songs on this box before it came out, and of the ones I didn't know, my two new favorites are both on this disc: the Clovers' "Stay Awhile" (good lyrics, great arrangement) and the Honey Bears' "One Bad Stud" (a raver).
The fourth disc, "Modern Doo Wop", surprised me by being better than I expected. I'm not a purist or a nostalgic (I wasn't even born when the songs on discs 1-3 were released), but I was afraid this disc wouldn't hold up. Mostly it does: I liked the songs by the Stray Cats, Linda Ronstadt, the Flying Pickets, the Darts, and several of the others -- and Paul Simon's "Quality" is GREAT. I could have done without the versions of "Whole Lotta Love", "Eye of the Tiger", and the national anthem: that's stuff that it's fun to know about, and to hear once, but I don't think it belongs on a "best of the genre" anthology. And how could they leave off Billy Joel's "For the Longest Time" (which is mentioned in the liner notes) -- it's the biggest doo wop hit of the past 30 years! I can only assume they couldn't license it.
The liner notes disappointed me somewhat this time: we find out very little about some of the songs and artists on discs 3 and 4. Also, to nitpick, the subtitle, "101 More Vocal Group Greats", is a bit mistaken: there are actually 102 songs here (though there are two versions of "Looking for an Echo" on disc 4), but three of the songs on disc 3 were included in one of the earlier boxes -- so there are only 99 MORE tracks here.
There are several songs on here I don't care for, even a couple on the "Hits" disc. But overall this is a good collection -- it doesn't match the first box, but how could it?
This series has introduced me to a lot of good music --I'm ready for Box No. 4 anytime.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
perfect? No....still great? Yes, March 24, 2003
This review is from: Doo Wop Box 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems (Audio CD)
Most people will compare this with the fabulous box sets I and II, unfortunately. This set doesn't have quite the sparkle of the first two, but is still great. I think Rhino should be complimented, but derided, for trying something a little different in this third offering. Regarding Disc 3 (entertainment figures' picks), the intriguing liner notes put their choices into good perspective. It seems Disc 4 ("modern" doo wop) offends a lot of people, but I think it's a fun disc. It clearly shows doo wop's pervasive influence on pop music. And it's obvious the modern groups are performing with love for the genre, and not in comic parody. A solid B+ , warranting any doo wop fan's purchase.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
disappointed!, August 20, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Doo Wop Box 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems (Audio CD)
I waited forty years for something like Doo-Wop Box Set and Box Set II. I bought both and was thrilled with both. Box Set III leaves something to be desired. They could've quit with discs 1 & 2, better luck next time with Box Set IV........keep it pure!
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