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From the Vault...
12/31/2000
#714 |
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info
The Belmonts
"The Best Of The Belmonts"
© Relic Records
Year of Release: 1994
Rating:
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track listing
Tell Me Why
Don't Get Around
Much Anymore
I Don't Know
How To Cry
Diddle-Dee-Dum
Hombre
Coma Coma Baby
Time To Dream
Searching For
A New Love
Have You Heard
I Got A Woman
That American Dance
Why
How About Me
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate
The Positive
More Important
Things To Do
I Need Someone
Tweedle Dee
Summertime Time
I Confess
Ann-Marie
Come On Little Angel
Go On Back
Walk On Boy
This Love Of Mine
Farewell
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The Belmonts
"The Best Of The Belmonts"
A big decision is determined for most bands when a prominent member of
a group leaves for a solo career on their own, or even worse, when a member
of the group unfortunately dies. In The Belmonts case, their prominent lead
singer was Dion (DiMucci), having recorded such classics as "Teenager In Love"
and "I Wonder Why." When Dion left in 1960, The Belmonts were forced to
ask "Do we keep going, or quit?" The answer: "We keep going!"
The Best Of The Belmomts is a 25-track compilation of songs recorded
after Dion left the group. Doo-wop is best to describe the music of
The Belmonts.
There's some definite classic doo-wop sounding tunes, that can easily fit
the existing Dion with or without The Belmonts style: "Tell Me Why,"
"Searching For A New Love", "I Got A Woman," and "More Important Things
To Do." "I Don't Know How To Cry" could easily be a Dion song, on his own.
Other Dion and the Belmonts inspired tunes include "Diddle-Dee-Dum", "I Need
Someone" and "Summertime Time."
Using the standard "Lullabye" as its melody, "Time To Dream"
is a beautiful doo-wop ballad, with great harmonizing. Other great doo-wop
harmonizing is featured in "Have You Heard," and "This Love Of
Mine."
As a child, collecting 45s was a hobby of mine. One particular single was
"How About Me" with its B-side, "Come On Little Angel." Finding
BOTH these songs on this compilation were truly treasure-finders!
Of course there are some tunes that weren't better than others, but somewhat
enjoyable: "Tweedle Dee" is more Rhythm & Blues; much different than
the common Belmonts doo-wop style. "I Confess" is a bit slower doo-wop,
and "Ann-Marie" may not be a cd-track repeater, yet there aren't that
many songs from this compilation that are considered non-enjoyable.
Two standards from the 1940s are here: "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
has a bouncy doo-wop style, "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" is also
different, having an early Beatles' Hamburg sound, and just to mention -- Ray
Charles' "I Got A Woman" could also fit this Beatles category. Since The
Belmonts were italian (Freddie Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo) the
italian music style are heard in such songs as "Hombre" and the groovin'
"Coma Coma Baby."
Also having a different sound is "That American Dance," as it has a
doo-wop Eddie Cochran sound, as in his song "Somethin' Else."
"Walk On Boy" has the definitely black Rhythm & Blues sound, and you
would never know that a white group such as The Belmonts were singing this
particular tune. Having a folkish sound, "Go On Back" is different also
in sound, as compared to the common doo-wop sound of The Belmonts. This
compilation's final entry, "Farewell" is a beautiful slow ballad, a
great way to end the album.
A lot of comparisons to pre-rock singing groups, such as The Four Lads,
The Four Aces, The Four Freshmen are heard here, as doo-wop dominates the
sound of The Belmonts. And, it proves in rare instances, that success can
follow after a prominent voice has left the group, as in Dion's case. Life
does go on, and we can say that both Dion on his own, and The Belmonts on
their own, have had very successful careers -- on their own.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Relic Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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