Search - Vogues :: Best of

Terrific collection of the group's first chart run

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 12/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The mid-60s brought a glorious resurgence of the sort of vocal harmonies that had dominated doo-wop in the '50s. In addition to British acts like The Rockin' Berries, Fortunes, Ivy League and Tremeloes, American groups like The Tokens, Happenings and The Vogues all found their way onto the upper reaches of the charts. The Pennsylvania-based Vogues actually came together in the doo-wop era, and recorded a few non-charting singles as the Val-Aires before finding commercial success.



Sticking together into the middle-60s, the group found success with a Petula Clark song that hadn't been released as a U.S. single. Their 1965 rendition of "You're the One," recorded for the indie Blue Star label, and redistributed nationally by Co & Ce, hit #4 on the Billboard chart and gained the top spot in many local markets. The arrangement opens with a light rock intro before surging perfectly into the wailing vocal chorus. The follow-up single "Five O'Clock World" is even more memorable, with folk-rock guitars complemented by powerful vocal yelps and yodels. The story of a working man's daily grind is in league with Brill Building classics like "Up on the Roof," and still resonates today.



The Vogues continued to find chart action in 1966 with the Brill Building's own Barry Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil via their big city "Magic Town" (oddly, initially issued as a B-side) and the wishful "The Land of Milk and Honey." The former is sung with more traditional harmony backing while the latter includes another great round of percussive and wailing vocalizations. By the end of the year the group's singles, including the romantic "Please Mr. Sun" and the bubblegum-soul "That's the Tune" were charting lower and lower. 1967's cover of The Fortunes "Lovers of the World Unite," though a good match for the group's harmonies, failed to chart at all.



The Vogues staged a comeback in 1968 with their million-selling "Turn Around, Look at Me," but its release on Reprise was unfortunately not licensed for this collection; so too the group's later hits, "My Special Angel," "Till," and "No, Not Much" are omitted. Instead, Varese's included seven unissued-at-the-time sides, including the group's pre-Turtles rendition of Sloan and Barri's "You Baby," and their terrific mid-tempo love song, "Autumn." Petula Clark's "Where Did We Go Wrong" is sung as soulful doo-wop, and the group's version of the Addrisi Brothers' "How Wonderful is Our Love" borrows its vocal style quite liberally from another Addrisi client, The Association.



The extras are terrific, as is the true stereo on tracks 4, 7-11, and 15-16. Fans of the group's sparkling harmonies will definitely want to pick this up for the unreleased-at-the-time material and Dawn Eden's detailed liner notes. Collectors who already purchased Varese's 1996 "You're The One: The Co & Ce Sessions" should note that this is a straight-up reissue with a new title and cover art. [©2006 hyperbolium dot com]"

The Best of the Vogues CD

Christine L. Foust | Watsontown, PA | 06/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow!! It is a fabulous CD of love songs - Listened to it over and over - Great CD to connect with and listen to with the one you are in love with"