 Various Artists If there is only one thing Rhino Records does better than anyone else, it is niche compilations like Brown Eyed Soul, which documents the Chicano contribution to pop from the 50s through the earliest 80'. Rhino's specialty is unearthing neglected gems and recontextualizing them so you end up forgetting what the original history was in the first place. This three-volume series makes a strong argument for the material it presents, proving that often, the pop charts didn't reflect the most vital records out there, and that regional hits w ere sometimes even better than what Casey Kasem was counting down. The volumes are programmed non-chronologically, so you come away with a complete picture that doesn't start slow or fade away like many retrospectives do. A chronological presentation would have killed a project like this one, which features a ton of oldies from the mid-50s alongside refreshing 70s records from the likes of El Chicano and War. The first volume is the most enjoyable, hitting its peak with El Chicano's cover of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl," which bests the original by far (the song is well-served by not having a singer that sounds like a bleating sheep). I'd love to see oldies radio pick up on this 1972 hit, but then oldies radio is what killed "Brown Eyed Girl" in the first place. Also present is War's "All Day Music," a well-known "Groovin'" type of song (in fact, it's pretty much a rewrite of the Young Rascals song) that fits in well. I've never been able to really get into War in large doses, but I do enjoy a lot of their songs if I hear them one at a time. Guess I'll never be a true "low rider." (?) Tierra's 1980 version of Gamble & Huff's "Together," originally a lesser hit by the Intruders, is a total breath of fresh air. Great song. "The Entertainer" by Tony Clarke also has a Philly Soul vibe, very sweet and nice. "Mr. D.J." is a memorable oldie sung by Van McCoy almost 15 years before "The Hustle" made him a household name (well, made "The Hustle" a household name anyway). The remainder vacillates between soulful 70s pop and fresh 50s doo-wop stuff that doesn't sound nearly as tired as the hundred or so songs overplayed daily by oldies stations everywhere. Taken together, these songs provide a musical history of a place over time, a well-executed CD giving due props to the community most largely ignored by the mainstream rock press in their extremely white attempt to consistently praise black music. And I'll save an expected "Born in East L.A." joke for one of the reviews for the other volumes, perhaps. No, I'll do it here: Points deducted for not including Cheech Marin's groundbreaking single "Born in East L.A.," easily the most important Latino contribution to rock since Menudo's "Like a Cannonball." There, that's out of the way.
Review by Tommy Chump |