 The Angels You know them for "My Boyfriend's Back" and "He's So Fine" (plagiarized nicely by George Harrison), two songs which earn The Angels a rightful place in the Girl Group pantheon regardless of their other output. This 21-track anthology makes a somewhat believable case for the group's preeminence, although compared with a group like the Shangri-La's, who would be the equivalent of the girls who cut class to go meet their dropout boyfriends, The Angels are more like the girls who would be making banners for the prom and flirting with the football team. The aforementioned hits are undeniable classics, but the rest of their "hits" don't quite capture the desperate, honest melodrama that makes the Shangri-La's so great. But don't count them out. Titles like "Little Beatle Boy" and "You Can't Take My Boyfriend's Woody" indicate that there is much to be appreciated here, even if it is unintentional subtext. Throw in some thinly-rewritten pop hits and you're definitely onto something. The "find" of the set is "The Guy With the Black Eye," which is so nearly a recreation of "My Boyfriend's Back" that you almost think they're just singing a slightly different melody over the original backing tracks. I love the sound of "trying to rekindle the magic." Pop music is alchemy, yet there are always producers who think they can make a hit with a recipe. The funny thing is, often times the rewrites are even more enjoyable because they are so surreal (and not overplayed). Hence, "The Guy With the Black Eye." Other lost gems: "Has Anybody Seen My Boyfriend?," "Boy From Crosstown," and "Till." The disc is padded with a lot of "Unchained Melodies" if you get my drift, but altogether a very enjoyable CD. Girl group suckers (wait, that didn't sound like I intended it) will love it, although casual listeners are directed toward Growin' Up Too Soon: The Girl Group Anthology and The Best of the Shangri-La's before acquiring this one. (All are on Mercury Chronicles … what a vault that must be.) These are cures for boyfriend trouble of all types.
Review by Othello Haverbrook |