The Very Best of the Rascals [Rhino]

Performer: The Rascals
Artist: Ron Carter; Richard Davis; Chuck Rainey; Jerry Jemmott; Joe Bushkin; King Curtis; Hubert Laws
Engineer: Tom Dowd
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: The Rascals: Felix Cavaliere (vocals, organ, piano); Eddie Brigati (vocals, congas, percussion); Gene Cornish (guitars, bass, background vocals); Dino Danelli (drums). Producers: The Rascals, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin. Compilation producer: Gary Stewart. Recorded from 1965 to 1972. Includes liner notes by Parke Puterbaugh. Personnel: Gene Cornish (vocals, guitar); Felix Cavaliere (vocals, piano, organ); Eddie Brigati (vocals, drums, congas, percussion); Chuck Rainey, Gerald Jemmott, Hog Cowart (vocals); Gene Orloff (strings); Hubert Laws (flute); Buddy Lucas (harmonica); Danny Labbate, Steve Marcus (soprano saxophone); King Curtis (tenor saxophone); Mel Lastie, Melvin Lastie (trumpet); Joe Bushkin (piano); Dino Danelli (drums); David Brigati, The Sweet Inspirations (background vocals). Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot. Liner Note Author: Parke Puterbaugh. Photographer: Michael Ochs. Unknown Contributor Role: Parke Puterbaugh. Arrangers: Charles Morrow; Arif Mardin. A satisfying budget-priced compilation, THE VERY BEST OF THE RASCALS is as good as any (Young) Rascals compilation out there. While Rhino's two-disc ANTHOLOGY 1965-1972 has it beat in terms of comprehensiveness, these 16 tracks, from their first hit "Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore" to their last chart success "See," are the cream of the crop. All of the hits are here, naturally, including "Good Lovin'," "People Got To Be Free," the superlative "How Can I Be Sure," and of course their biggest hit, "Groovin'." The lesser-known singles and key album tracks, like "A Girl Like You" and "I've Been Lonely Too Long," are nearly the equal of the hits, and overall, this is as solid a collection of '60s blue-eyed soul as you'll find.

The kings of blue-eyed New Yawk soul, The Rascals (n� The Young Rascals) were veterans of local bar bands when they got signed by Atlantic in 1965 and scored the raucous #1 shouter "Good Lovin'." They eventually moved beyond their R&B roots to a more produced pop sound, and scored six Top Ten hits ranging from the dreamy "Groovin'" to the funky message song "People Got to Be Free," to the sublime elegance of "How Can I Be Sure," before disbanding in 1971.

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