Search - Clyde Mcphatter :: Deep Sea Ball: The Best of Clyde Mcphatter

Nice overview of classic pop/R&B sides

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 02/07/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"McPhatter's transition from church music to secular pop infused a gospel energy into his R&B. Beginning with the Dominoes, and later as lead singer of the Drifters, and (as chronicled here) working solo for Atlantic, McPhatter invested himself in a song's lyrics, attaching his sparkling tenor to everything from romantic ballads to rock 'n' roll. The versatility displayed throughout his career is hugely impressive, and the wide range he covered in his years at Atlantic is well represented here.This 1991 collection, featuring 19 tracks from '55-'59, is an excellent introduction to McPhatter's Atlantic sides. Included is brilliant pop-gospel ("I Can't Stand Up Alone"), indelible torch ballads ("Treasure of Love"), romantic pop ("Just To Hold My Hand"), rock 'n' roll ("Deep Sea Ball") and the chart immortal "A Lover's Question." In between are numerous other hits and lesser-known (but no less noteworthy) singles. Nick Tosches essay and the accompanying photos are fine bonuses, leaving the lack of chronological track ordering as this collection's only major failing.For those who want a higher track count, Collectible's 26-track two-fer reissue combines the original Atlantic LP's "Love Ballads" and "Clyde," but misses a half-dozen sides here, including essentials like "Treasure of Love" "Without Love (There is Nothing)" and "Deep Sea Ball." The 32 label's double-disc "The Forgotten Angel" takes a broader approach, including earlier work from McPhatter's stint with the Drifters along with Atlantic classics and a handful of live recordings. The double disc drops seven of the tracks included here, including "I'm Lonely Tonight" and "Thirty Days."In the end it seems to be left to Germany's Bear Family label to provide an all-inclusive anthology of McPhatter's work. In the meantime, this is a terrific sampling."

It Was His Voice

Ken Rogers | Easley, SC USA | 03/03/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Clyde would have been a superstar if he had been around in the 80's. It was Clyde McPhatters voice that made the strange new stuff called rock'n roll start to happen as early as 1951 when he sang with Billy Ward & The Dominos. Clyde's songs on this collection are most of his best from the Atlantic archives. "Seven Days", "Without Love", "Since You've Been Gone" and "A Lovers Question" show this singers ability and range. If you love R&B from the 50's...This is one of the best to build your collection. Clyde was and will forever be a GREAT R&B SINGER."

Clyde crosses over

John van Maris | Rotterdam Netherlands | 07/13/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Starting, just like Sam Cooke, with gospel related work, which was very good, Clyde was one of the persons who transformed and built soulmusic as we know it"