unleashed a flood of fine singles across the '60s and early '70s, all under the aegis of producer . Taking a chance on an untried youngster barely into his teens, who'd already been shown the door by and , nurtured to international stardom, only to die suddenly in 1971, two years after the singer's breakthrough. In those nine years, however, the singer and producer recorded a canon of music that remains untarnished by time, a vast catalog that continues to enrapture new generations of fans. Inevitably with time, lazy labels tended to pick from an ever-shrinking pot of songs, making for a growing pile of bewildering compilations that all seemed to feature many of the same numbers -- which is what made such a treat. Light on the hits, lighter still on the heavily represented songs, this compilation hones in chiefly on the and early age, making it a must for all fans. Along the way, your will melt away, bouncing off the irrepressible rhythms and ' bounding harmonies. It may be for those looking for yet another hits comp, but with bubbly numbers like this, aficionados will be in heaven. fans, meanwhile, will be boarding the while those looking for the path to salvation can read the The emotive the lovely, lilting repatriation number and the jubilant title track are all classics, amidst an entire album of less familiar numbers that are all their equals. A wonderful set. . ~ Jo-Ann Greene