On the heels on "Hot Pastrami" (a reworking of Nat Kendricks & the Swans' "Mashed Potatoes") comes this hastily assembled LP named after it.
The Dartells' sound was dominated by energized organ playing riffs, frantic horns, and half-baked soul wails. The formula worked on "Hot Pastrami," a number 11 pop hit in 1963, but failed on everything else they ever did. This includes "Dartell Stomp," the B-side of their hit, which was covered by
the Viceroys (not the L.A. doo wop group, but a band from Seattle), and watered-down but interesting remakes of
Shep & the Limelights' "Daddy's Home" and
James Brown's "Night Train." ~ Andrew Hamilton