Showing posts with label Neil Sedaka. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neil Sedaka. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

2005 Come on Get Happy! The Very Best of the Partridge Family

2005 Come on Get Happy! The Very Best of the Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
Louiee Shelton - Guitar

The Partridge Family don't get much respect from the standard history of rock from the early '70s. Much like their fellow made-for-TV brethren the Monkees, their contributions are written off as pre-fab concoctions that are too trifling to be bothered with. If you fall in line with that kind of thinking you are going to miss one of the best pop acts of the era. Utilizing the cream of behind-the-scenes songwriters from Neil Sedaka to Hot Chocolate's Errol Brown, and the lush vocal harmonies of the uncredited (at the time) background singers, the Partridge Family's songs are solid AM pop, with hooks galore and a light but not saccharine sound.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

1967 More of the Monkees [Deluxe Edition]

1967 More of the Monkees [Deluxe Edition]
The Monkees
Louie Shelton - Guitar

The Monkees second album More of the Monkees lived up to its title. It was more successful commercially, spending an amazing 70 weeks on the Billboard charts and ultimately becoming the 12th biggest selling album of all time. It had more producers and writers involved since big-shots like Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Jeff Barry and Neil Sedaka, as well as up-and-comers like Neil Diamond all grabbed for a piece of the pie after Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the men who made the debut album such a smash, were elbowed out by music supervisor Don Kirshner.