As I'm writing this blog entry tonight, I'm listening to my recent acquisition from the iTunes store, Complete A and B Sides 1961-1968 by The Impressions. I have been looking for some time for a comprehensive Impressions anthology. Previously, my vinyl collection contain a wonderful Impression compilation entitled The Vintage Years. The advantage of this vinyl compilation was its inclusion of key songs from the Impressions period with Jerry Butler as the lead singer ("For Your Precious Love"), solo Jerry Butler ("Hey Western Union Man") and solo Curtis Mayfield ("Freddie's Dead" and "Superfly").
Complete A and B Sides contains none of this material. However, this is not as tragic as it might seem. The Jerry Butler sides are easy to come by, and his various collections are essential listening in their own right (especially the material from The Iceman Cometh and Ice on Ice). Similarly, Curtis Mayfield's Superfly, once difficult to come by, it available in multiple editions. Most tragic though, is the absence of the Curtom labels' Impressions material (Curtom being Curtis Mayfield's record label).
Having said that, this is an amazing and amazingly consistent collection of great tunes both well known ("Gypsy Woman", "It's All Right", "Amen", "People Get Ready") and obscure. By the way, the audio on "It's All Right" has never sounded better. Sixty great tunes for thirty bucks is quite a deal; and you can alway purchase the Curtom material separately.
Having said that, this is an amazing and amazingly consistent collection of great tunes both well known ("Gypsy Woman", "It's All Right", "Amen", "People Get Ready") and obscure. By the way, the audio on "It's All Right" has never sounded better. Sixty great tunes for thirty bucks is quite a deal; and you can alway purchase the Curtom material separately.
On a scale of 1 to 10, Complete A and B Sides ranks an amazing 9.5/10 (only the inclusion of the key Curtom tracks would improve it). The VC movie and music rating system works like this (ranking from worst to best):
1: I wouldn't be caught dead with this album!!!
2: You have this album (there must be some good reason, right)!?!
3: Why do you have this album?
4: Mediocre, but not bad album.
5: Average album.
6: Good album.
7: Excellent album.
8: Why don't you have this album?
9: You don't have this album (there must be some good reason, right)!?!
10: I wouldn't be caught dead without this album!!!
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