{"id":638,"date":"2014-01-05T22:02:38","date_gmt":"2014-01-05T22:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/batterymedia.com\/blog\/?p=638"},"modified":"2014-03-26T21:58:28","modified_gmt":"2014-03-26T21:58:28","slug":"rs-422-the-ronettes-presenting-the-fabulous-ronettes-featuring-veronica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/batterymedia.com\/blog\/?p=638","title":{"rendered":"RS# 422: The Ronettes \u2013 Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica"},"content":{"rendered":"
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#422<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

The Ronettes,\u00a0Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Release Date:<\/strong>\u00a01964
\nPreviously Owned:<\/strong>\u00a0No
\nFirst Time Listen:<\/strong>\u00a0Yes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\u2026presenting
Sorry, no Betty…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Impressions:<\/strong>\u00a0This album comes in a middle of a pocket of three ’60s girl-group entries on this list. A coincidence? Or just some weird thematic grouping by the editors? Who knows? Let’s put it on\u2026 Immediately recognizable Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” production style, \u00a0in “Walking In The Rain” which won a Grammy for Best Sound Effects for it’s rainstorm noises. Some of these songs suffer a little in comparison to the more mature Supremes. “So Young” and “(The Best Part Of) Breakin’ Up” \u00a0sound more like the “teenage symphonies to God” that Spector was striving for compared to the more sophisticated and urbane Motown sounds. \u00a0Woah, Cher and Sonny Bono both performed on “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” and “Be My Baby,” is that how they met? Their cover of “What’d I Say” is kinda fun but lightweight compared to the original. The mono-lithic production of some of these songs sounds like they were made to punch out of an AM transistor radio, but ends up sounding kind of murky on a more modern stereo. From the opening BUM BU-BU-BUM rhythm, “Be My Baby” still packs a wallop. Everything comes together in this perfect 2:41 slice of pop heaven: swooning strings, chiming bells, and doo-wop background vocals. Not to mention, most of the songs have “Baby” in them; which turns out to be a pretty solid\u00a0formula for radio success. “How Does It Feel” sounds like a Pet Sounds<\/em>\u00a0outtake, which not suprising since Spector’s sound inspired the Beach Boys. The cover version of The Dixie Cups “Chapel of Love” kinda drags, but still, a solid collection of songs that I liked, but didn’t quite fall in love with.<\/p>\n

Starred Songs:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0“Be My Baby,” “Walking In The Rain”<\/div>\n
Sneaky Track: <\/strong>“You Baby,” “When I Saw You”<\/div>\n
Should this album be on the\u00a0list? <\/strong>Yes.\u00a0The Ronettes don’t excite me as much as the Supremes, but this album’s has got some undeniable classics.<\/div>\n
Will you listen to this again?<\/strong>\u00a0Just singles on the radio or when I watch Dirty Dancing<\/em> or \u00a0Goodfellas<\/em>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Verdict:<\/strong>\u00a0 Massive Wall-Of-Sound production plus ’60s girl group singing yields AM radio single classics, but only a pretty good album.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rating:<\/strong>\u00a0\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n