The earlier EMI Billy J. Kramer collection At Abbey Road 1963-1966 is actually better than this 29-song collection, in that it contains some fascinating studio outtakes and ranges well beyond the hits, into some real obscurities. But this disc is probably easier to find, and it does touch all of the essential bases and quite a few more -- indeed, this probably has more songs than casual fans (especially in the U.S.) ever thought Kramer recorded, and there's also more rock & roll here than many people will associate with him, as most of his hits tended to be in a pop/rock vein. And it's all in excellent sound, as well. And there's even one track representing Kramer's backing band, the Dakotas, working on their own, though it is the most obvious one that could possibly have been chosen, "The Cruel Sea." The annotation is reasonably thorough as well, and it makes for a diverting hour or so of midtempo early/mid-'60s Merseybeat.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo