She's All Right With Me! Girl Group Sounds USA 1961-1968 (Vinyl LP)

For those who prefer to own their music on vinyl, here is an eclectic and gorgeously packaged selection of American girl group artefacts from the 60s. The album opens with Whirlwind by producer Gary Paxton protégées the Rev-Lons, the trio’s final recording but also their best, and closes with He’s All Right With Me by the Mirettes (the Ikettes incognito). Other highlights include the Supremes-style Cupid’s Got A Hold On Me by the Belles; the Sweethearts’ recording of Beauty Is Just Skin Deep, a song originally intended for the Ikettes; and Summertime Is Surfin’ Time by the Surf Bunnies – three more terrific instances of the West Coast girl group sound. But not all the tracks here emanate from that part of the USA – Mr Everything by New York-based Little Eva Harris and little-heard examples from the Pets, Tren-Teens and Lovettes, all from New Jersey. Felice Taylor – here with her unissued-at-the-time Sing Me A Love Song – graces the eye-popping jacket, which houses a colourful inner sleeve featuring a 3,000-word track commentary and an array of illustrations. Compilation and notes by Mick Patrick.

Tracklist:

1. Whirlwind - the Rev-lons
2. Cupid’s Got a Hold on Me - the Belles
3. Too Bad He’s Bad - Beverly Williams
4. Sir Galahad - the Elites
5. Is It Better to Live or to Die - Mary Saxton
6. Beauty is Just Skin Deep - the Sweethearts
7. I Say Yeah - the Pets
8. Summertime is Surfin’ Time - the Surf Bunnies
9. First Love Baby - Lena Calhoun & the Emotions
10. Your Yah-yah is Gone - the Tren-teens
11. So in Luv - Othello Robertson
12. You Are My First Love - Pat Hunt
13. I Need a Guy - the Lovettes
14. Sing Me a Love Song - Felice Taylor
15. Mr Everything - Little Eva Harris
16. He’s All Right With Me - the Mirettes