Search - Jan & Dean :: Gotta Take That One Last Ride

Great slice of Americana....and yes, they're still together

Mike Frazer | Sydney, NSW Australia | 04/03/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, a compilation that discards the '50s doo-wop stuff and concentrates on the music that made Jan and Dean famous. Also some interesting sidelines (the cover of Brain Wilsons' 'Vegetables' and 'Schlock Rod' pts I & II which sounds like Beavis and Butthead (I'm serious....)) that show up J&Ds' limitations just a bit....but everything you ever need to hear by Jan and Dean is here and the whole thing ends with a roaring live version of 'I Get Around'."

Jan & Dean Spell FUN!

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/11/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With the exception of the Beach Boys, for a brief moment in the mid-sixties Jan & Dean were the most popular proponents of the California sound of surf, sand and sun. While the duo began their career as a doo-wop influenced vocal group with hits like "Baby Talk" and "Heart and Soul" (from 1959 and 1961 respectively), this set covers their peak period of 1963 to 1966.Although they never matched the artistic development of the Beach Boys, they were just as much fun. In fact, Brian Wilson and the rest of the Beach Boys often worked closely with Jan & Dean. [It's Dean Torrence's lead vocal heard on the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann"] Brian Wilson worked with Jan Berry on their first No. 1--"Surf City"--and the Beach Boys provide backing vocals. Since United Artists is now the owner of Liberty , these are the original recordings. Most of the hits are here. Only three of their hits are not included: "The New Girl in School" (which was the Beach Boys' "Gonna Hustle You" with new lyrics by Jan Berry and that song IS included--go figure!), the ballad "You Really Know How to Hurt a Guy" (which Dean hated so much he refused to sing on it), and the quasi-psychedelic "I Found a Girl." Album tracks include a number of Beach Boy covers: "Surfin," "Surfin' Safari," "Vegetables," "Little Deuce Coupe" and "I Get Around." [Even their hit "Sidewalk Surfin'" is the Beach Boys' "Catch a Wave" with new lyrics.] Also included is "Bucket T," which the Who(!) faithfully covered on one of their albums. Following the initial break-up of the duo, in the wake of Jan Berry's near-fatal car crash in 1966, Dean recorded one solo album and launched Kittyhawk Graphics. [Dean designed the album.] These are all terrific songs of a bygone era and it's a joy to revisit them. While some may view Jan & Dean as little more than Beach Boys Lite, these are infectious songs. As Dean Torrence says in the liner notes: "These recordings are for fun and dancing only and not for the purpose of competing musically or artistically with any other recording artist's recordings." I think he's being modest. RECOMMENDED"