The Best of the Vibrations Doo Wop

The Vibrations first recorded as the Jayhawks in 1956 and hit anonymously with "Peanut Butter" as the Marathons on Argo Records in 1959; so 20 songs may seem like a lot, but is hardly definitive of an 18 year recording career. Still, it's a good compilation for what it is. The CD is chock full of tracks from a lengthy stint with Checkers Records, starting with their debut there, "So Blue" (1961), which first dropped on Bet Records. Their Okeh years (1964-1967) are represented well and "My Girl Sloopy," from an Atlantic stint, adds variety to the set. Depending on the genre, a different sound emanated from these guys. When rocking and souling, a raspy lead took the spotlight, excelling on the novelty/dancers but flattening out on mid-tempo and up-tempo soul tunes that needed blasting a la Levi Stubbs and Dennis Edwards. On the modern harmony arrangements, falsetto Ricky Owens takes over and they exude a smooth, bathing sound that washes you away in harmony. Nothing they recorded after an obscure Epic tune — "Cause You're Mine" (1968), produced and written by Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff — is included; they recorded until 1974.