Nostalgic group vocals from the big band era
Joe Sixpack -- Slipcue.com | ...in Middle America | 12/21/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"A delightful collection of vocal tunes recorded between 1937-1948 by a gospel group gone pop, following very much in the footsteps of the Mills Brothers and Ink Spots. There's also a trace of hipster jive, ala Slim & Slam, on nonsense numbers such as "Calliope Jane," "The Mumble Song," and the hepcat novelty number, "Open, The Door Richard." The group excelled at slicked-up, sweetened versions of cover tunes, and had a big hit in 1940 with "So Long," one of many fine oldies included in this 24-song set, including '40s pop standards such as "We'll Meet Again," "I Got It Bad," and the like. It may take a while to settle in on this band's wavelength, which is closer to the corny sentiment of the sweet band era than to the postwar R&B scene which eventually displaced them. But for nostalgia fans, whether you like tricky harmonies or vocalese, or just dig the corniness of old-school showbiz, this is a really fun record. Recommended!"