Close Harmony

Performer: The Mills Brothers
Producer: Randy Wood...
Distributor: Welk

Notes: Arranger: Jack Pleis. CLOSE HARMONY presents the fabulous Mills Brothers late in the trio's lengthy career, but their rhythmic sensibilities haven't aged, and a fresh buoyancy characterizes these 12 selections. Many of the songs are standards in the Mills's canon. "Some of These Days" feature Donald's vocal cornet simulation, a skill the brothers used with less frequency as the years went by. "Till Then," with its doo-wop overtones, features the languid soul the brothers so aptly displayed in their ballads. Of the later songs, "Cab Driver" and "Truck Stop" are distinctive C&W subjects; the guitar and drums are appropriately spare. This same guitar-and-drums accompaniment appears in other, less countrified songs, like the wistful "I Guess I'll Get the Papers and Go Home" and the spiritual "He Gives Me Love." The brothers unison crooning imbues these songs with heartfelt reality.

The Ohio-born Mills Brothers were a vocal quartet with roots going back to early jazz and barbershop harmony, but their innovative style, which initially utilized vocal approximations of instrumental sounds, was one of the key influences on '50s doo-wop. Harry, Donald, Herbert, and John Mills started performing in the '20s, accompanied only by a guitar, as they used their voices to imitate saxophone, trumpet, bass, et al. Their intricate harmonies and unique approach scored them hit after hit in the '30s and '40s, as well as roles in numerous movie musicals. In the '50s, they switched to a more conventional band-backed format and the huge hits ("Glow Worm," "Opus One," "Smack Dab in the Middle") continued. Various versions of the group continued performing into the '80s, until Donald became the only surviving member (he died in 1999).

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