Search - Whispers :: Early Gold & New Spins

Where It All Started From...

David Wayne | Santee, CA United States | 02/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a re-release of their early material from Dore records. If you have never heard "I Was Born When You Kissed Me" "Doctor Love" or "You've Got A Man On Your Hands," you're in for a treat. Even way back in the early 60s, when these tracks were recorded, The Whispers had the vocal goods. What they didn't have was a major record deal, something that wouldn't happen to them until 1975, when they pacted with RCA-distributed Soul Train Records, which would soon become the famous Solar label. There are other fine performances on this album ("The Dip"; "Needle In A Haystack"), but the real classic aboard is "As I Sit Here," a doo-wop standard that has reached legendary status in The Whispers' native Los Angeles. You can still hear the song being played on Art Laboe's radio show! I did not enjoy the bonus tracks on this album. The hip-hop beats added to a couple of songs tended to obscure the vocals. The original cuts are far superior. This album was a modest beginning for the group (none of the songs charted), but even the greatest acts start off from somewhere. And for The Whispers, this is where it all started from."