Philadelphia's Dovells, led by singer Len Barry, grafted a doo wop vocal approach to a light frat rock/R&B backing to create their own little genre, fueled by their ability to come up with a song to fit just about any dance craze that hit in the early '60s. Their biggest hits, "Bristol Stomp" and "You Can't Sit Down," are instantly recognizable, even if hardly anyone can come up with the name of the group that did them. This 24-track collection combines the group's second and third albums for Parkway Records, 1962's For Your Hully Gully Party and 1963's You Can't Sit Down, which means it has "You Can't Sit Down" but not "Bristol Stomp" (which was on the Dovells' first album for Parkway). The Dovells were all about whatever dance the kids were doing (or about to do), and they can get a bit repetitive at times, but their ramshackle, doo wop-inflected R&B songs make up in energy what they lack in sophistication. Truthfully, this is probably more Dovells than most people would ever need, but they're so much fun that this collection works even when it really shouldn't. It's perfect for lifting one's spirits on a rainy day. ~ Steve Leggett
