Search - Standells :: Best of

One-Hit Wonders...But What a Hit!

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It was one hit and out for this Los Angeles-based quartet--but what a hit! Written by producer Ed Cobb, "Dirty Water" is all snarl, attitude and a great guitar riff with a pounding backbeat and has become a garage band classic. [Historical note: "Dirty Water" was featured on the original double-LP Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era in 1972. Rolling Stone put this album on their list of 100 best albums. It is now available in its entirety plus three more CDs on the Rhino re-issue Nuggets Box. (It is essential garage rock listening, but I digress...)]"Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" maintains the swagger, but brings Larry Tamblyn's Farfisa to the forefront which lacked the bite of Tony Valentino's guitar."Why Pick On Me" sounds like they borrowed heavily from Cher's "Bang Bang." "Have You Ever Spent the Night in Jail" is a semi-comical song with a cowbell-driven beat. The horns on "Can't Help But Love You Baby" has the band reaching for R&B territory (and it doesn't work).Some of the songs approach the gritty sound of "Dirty Water": "Try It" and "Mr. Nobody" with its snarling lead guitar lines, "Barracuda" and its cocky vocal. "All Fall Down" with its backward guitar (a la "Rain")and a guitar feedback fadeout, and the sitar in "Animal Girl" illustrate the Beatles' influence on the band. The rest is fairly pedestrian. This CD contains some worthwhile music, but also shows why the Standells were unable to maintain their popularity. If "Dirty Water" isn't enough Standells for you, you can't go wrong with this Rhino collection. If it is enough, but you want to hear what other garage bands were doing in the mid-sixties get, Rhino's Nuggets box set."

The Standells - 'The Best Of The Standells' (Rhino)

Mike Reed | USA | 09/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always said that the Standells SHOULD'VE had more hits.Apparently,their short existence had come to a halt in late 1967.Something about you simply cannot encourage people to 'have a good time'.They mention it during their 1999 reunion on the 'Cavestomp' disc.I've listened to this disc MANY times as it compiles the several 'actual' lp's the band did release.After hearing 'The Best Of...',you'll fully understand as to where hard rock had originated.Starts off with their one big hit,"Dirty Water",but there are many other catchy tunes on here like "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White","Why Pick On Me",the gem "Barracuda"(bet no one remembers this rocker),"All Fall Down" and the beautiful "Animal Girl" with some great sitar.This CD has been out for eons,but is still very much available.Don't let it slip through your hands,it's a great disc to have."

A MUST HAVE for any fan of that classic sixties sound!!

chrismit@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu | Mt. Pleasant, MI | 08/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Standells are truly one of rock-n-roll's forgotten treasures. From the classic opening riff of "Dirty Water" through the moody sway of "Rari" then all the way to the heartfelt plea of "Don't Say Goodbye" this collection will leave you wondering why this group isn't as renown as The Animals or other such contemporaries. The Standells were masters of that quintessential 60's sound and are the Godfathers of garage rock."