Album Review

Blessed with a succession of great lead singers, starting with the angelic tenor of Clyde McPhatter through Ben E. King and the Rudy Lewis/Johnny Moore tandem of the later years, the immortal Drifters provided the prototype for R&B vocal groups and set the stage for the onset of soul with over ten years of marvelous singles beginning in 1953. The songwriting and production talents of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller introduced innovative arrangements on the Drifters' hits, including odd orchestrations that keep these classic recordings sounding fresh some 40 years later. Unfortunately, at only ten songs, this collection is simply too brief to even come close to doing the group justice, although several of their classic hits like "Under the Boardwalk," "Some Kind of Wonderful," "There Goes My Baby" and "Save the Last Dance for Me" are included. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi