Various Artists - Where The Girls Are Vol. 3

Artist:

Various Artists

UPC:

029667174527

Description:

Performers include: Jan Bradley, Mary & The Desirables, Four Jewels, Andrea Davis, The Gems, Lovettes, Tammy Montgomery, Jackie Ross, The Impalas, Mitty Collier, Yvonne Baker & The Sensations, The Starlets, Honey & The Bees, Etta James, Sugar Pie DeSanto, The Lockets, The Kittens, Geraldine Hunt, Carol Vega, Joann Garrett, Barbara Carr, Timiko, The Clickettes, The Kolettes, Jean Dushon, Margaret & Carol, Fontella Bass, Tawney Williams.
Contains 28 tracks.
Starting in the 1990s, a cluster of CD reissues have served to remind us that Chess was not just a blues label, in fact recording a great deal of worthwhile (and often successful) soul in the 1960s. Where the Girls Are, Vol. 3 is not the best of these, but it puts an interesting spin on the concept by focusing exclusively on women pop-soul-girl-group singers who recorded for Chess during the decade. There are a few name artists here -- Etta James, Sugar Pie de Santo, Tammy Montgomery (soon to be renamed Tammi Terrell), and (to a lesser degree) Jackie Ross, Mitty Collier, Jan Bradley, and a teenaged Minnie Riperton (as part of the Gems and under the pseudonym Andrea Davis) -- though most of these are only known to those fanatical, often British, soul collectors. The same comments that you could direct toward Chess` `60s soul in general apply to this anthology in particular: while well produced, it sometimes came off as derivative of both Motown and other Chicago soul competitors, without as much standout material as the best competition. That makes this 26-song CD second-division, but certainly not second-rate. For one thing, there is a certain consistency of sound that makes it more listenable than many other similar archive CDs are. There are also some pretty good songs amidst the so-so ones. Geraldine Hunt`s 1962 single "I Let Myself Go" is an incredibly blatant yet enjoyable and accurate Mary Wells imitation; Timiko`s "Is It a Sin?," which is just marginally less Wells-like, has some fetching hooks; while the Clickettes` "I Just Can`t Help It" is cool and catchy soul-tinged girl-group pop. Everything else wilts, however, besides Etta James` compelling "Pushover," an actual 1963 Top 30 hit that was one of her poppiest, yet gutsiest, and best singles. ~ Richie Unterberger

Track Listing:

DISC 1

1. Your Kind of Lovin`
2. You`re Changing
3. That`s What They Put Erasers on Pencils For
4. You Gave Me Soul
5. He Makes Me Feel So Good
6. Love of Mine, A
7. This Time Tomorrow
8. You Really Know How to Hurt a Girl
9. For the Love of Mike
10. Help Me
11. Party Across the Hall
12. My Baby`s Real
13. Jing Jing a Ling
14. Pushover
15. She`s Got Everything
16. Don`t Cha Know
17. How Long
18. Let Myself Go
19. One Little Thing
20. Whole New Plan, A
21. My Mama Told Me
22. Is It a Sin
23. I Just Can`t Help It
24. Just How Much
25. As I Watch You Walk Away
26. He`s My Guy
27. Safe & Sound
28. Pretty Little Words

Album Information

Release Date:

07/11/2000

Type:

Collection

Genre:

R&B

Subgenre:

Chicago Soul

Label:

Ace

Catalog Number:

745

Original Release Year:

2000

# of Discs:

1

Studio/Live:

Studio

Mono/Stereo:

Mixed

Portions copyright 2005 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.

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