Search - Various Artists :: Doo Wop Box 3: 101 More Vocal Group Gems

Definitely haven't hit the bottom of the barrel yet

Stephen Raiteri | Beavercreek, OH United States | 08/08/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"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."

Disappointed!

Stephen Raiteri | 08/21/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"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!"

Rhino falls down on Doo Wop III

George B. Gibson | El Paso, TX United States | 09/17/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"One of the worse selections of Doo Wop I have purchased. The first two CDs are good and keeping with the high standards of Rhino. But the third and fourth CDs are just not there. The Celebrities (3rd CD) must not be listening to the same good Doo Wop that I enjoy. The fourth CD is nothing to rave about. Some of the artist come close...but most are not there! So much good Dop Wop music out there that could have been placed in this collection. A real disappointment!"