Search - Harpers Bizarre :: Feelin Groovy: Best of Featuring 59th St Bridge So

Careless presentation of of underrated 60s pop group

James M. Shertzer | Winston-Salem, NC USA | 07/06/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Warners screwed this one. The scraps assembled from the four Harper's Bizarre albums don't represent the group at its best and will likely infuriate the group's fans. There was plenty of room on the disc for ALL of the first and second LPs -- "Feelin' Groovy" and "Anything Goes" --and highlights from the lesser third and fourth sets. Instead we get a too brief, 37-minute run-through of their Top 40 hits --their amiable cover of Paul Simon's "59th Street Bridge Song," their brilliantly arranged, just-this-side-of-too-too-much versions of "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" -- plus a smattering of this and that. A rare coming-together of talents (among them folks prominent in the camps of Brian Wilson and Phil Spector), this was one of the most inventive, sophisticated and wittily produced pop groups of its time and recorded the earliest work of some of L.A.'s most intriguing young songwriters, among them Randy Newman and Van Dyke Parks. Other major talents included arrangers Leon Russell (yes, THAT Leon Russell) and Perry Botkin Jr. and, of course, flaxen-haired lead singer Ted Templeman, who went on to produce the Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Van Halen and others. The liner notes and photos are nicely done, I'll say that. And I'm thankful that a couple of tunes not available anywhere else on CD, like Newman's wistful "The Debutante's Ball" and droll "The Biggest Night of Her Life" and Parks' "Come to the Sunshine" and "High Coin," are included. But it's sad SO much was pointlessly left in the vault. And it's especially disheartening to see Templeman and the great Lenny Waronker, who produced all the original LPs, listed as co-producers of this set. The heritage of well-crafted pop they left us with those nifty Harper's albums deserves a lot better. (NOTE: An equally disappointing import is available with four bonus tracks, at least three of which are lesser numbers from the third and fourth Harper's albums.)"

Excerpts from concept albums are missing the mark.

James M. Shertzer | 09/06/1998

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album would have been better if it had been released as a multi-album set. Many of the songs are excerpts from concept albums and this compilation is a fragmented group of tunes that go nowhere. The band was excellent for its time with "Anything Goes" recapturing the nostalgia craze at the time. A later album, "The Secret Life..." was excellent musically and lyrically, yet not one song appears on the compilation album from "The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre". My copies of these albums are worn out now and I have to seek out imported disks from Japan & Germany to get albums. Warner released their full catalogue in both countries but will not release thhem here. This music is a fine example of Van Dyke Parks early work, before he joined Brian Wilson for the "Smile" sessions. Warner Brothers should release these CD's in America, as there were many genuine fans of the group even after they broke up. As for the Harpers Bizarre CD earlier mentioned, if you are a genuine fan of some excellent harmonies, tight orchestral pieces and are nostalgic about 1920's "pop" music, then buy it, but at the same time you don't know what your missing!"

Feelin' Groovy: The Best Of Harpers Bizarre

Gary E. Rivest, Sr. | USA | 05/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It brings back the best of memories. The mix of instruments, topped by the best harmonies, what a heavenly delight. Just close your eyes, sit back, and enjoy! There will never be this kind of magic, ever again. I also am trying to find the album or cd " Anything Goes". I can sing every song on that one. What I miss on the "Best Of", is the prelude to Anything Goes, where the tune of Anything Goes is being sung like Rudey Valley, and some lyrics like, Instead of landing on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock would land on them. For all the youngsters out there, Try it, you'll like it!"