THE COMPLETE SINGLES A'S & B'S

One of the greatest bands of the Sixties, and definitely the best blue-eyed soul group America has ever produced, gets the mono/stereo complete singles A & B sides treatment. Across the set's two discs and 47 tracks, we see/hear the Rascals grow from A-list cover band (Good Lovin', Slow Down, Mustang Sally), to hit-making self-produced songsmiths (You Better Run, Lonely Too Long, How Can I be Sure?), to ambitious and adventurous trend-setters (Groovin', It's Wonderful, A Beautiful Morning), and outspoken social commentators (People Got to Be Free, A Ray of Hope, See). Ed Osborne delivers the goods in his well-observed liner notes; Mike Milchner's remastering is peerless; Claire Morales's booklet design, which includes replications of the band's Atlantic picture sleeves, is pure eye-candy for long-time fans like yours truly. The Atlantic years were definitely the band's high-water mark, both commercially and creatively. But the lesser Columbia singles (Jungle Walk, Love Me, Lucky Day) are also a blast to hear and appreciate, even after all these years. (Amazon.com)