British Invasion

Herman's Hermits were never taken seriously, not when they were having hits in the '60s and not in the decades since. This indifference makes Bear Family's decision to release a celebratory 50th Anniversary Anthology all the more surprising: not only is it a rare dip into the British Invasion for the American roots-besotted label, but the act seems too frivolous for their tastes. Sometimes, the double-disc The Best of Herman's Hermits: The 50th Anniversary Anthology does feel a little light, particularly on the earliest recordings when the group is mincing through "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," but the set – produced and compiled by Ron Furmanek, who presents all takes in true stereo for the first time (there are eight exceptions to this rule), and annotated by Andrew Sandoval – is smartly assembled, so it gains momentum as it proceeds headlong through its 66 tracks.

Founded in 1957 by John McNally (guitar/vocals), the Searchers were originally one of thousands of skiffle groups formed in the wake of Lonnie Donegan's success with "Rock Island Line." …

The Spencer Davis Group is fondly remembered for their late-1960s singles that featured the deep soul vocals of Steve Winwood, then only a teenager. Singles like "Somebody Help Me," "Keep on Running," "Gimme Some Lovin'," and "I'm a Man" were solid R&B rockers, making The Spencer Davis Group one of the most explosive bands in the so-called British Invasion era…

This collection, remastered for SACD, covers the Zombies' short and tasteful career, spanning their 1964-1967 years for Decca Records, and their single album, the classic Odessey & Oracle, for Epic Records in 1968. Two versions of "She's Not There" are included here, one the so-called "stereo underdub" version that lacks the snappy drum overdub that gives the superior single version its crisp, edgy feel. There are also two mixes of "Time of the Season," the familiar version and an alternate mix that features a little more organ in the verse sections.

During their first two years of recording, the Animals had never quite succeeded when it came to recording LPs - good as some of the songs on their first two albums, done for EMI, had been, there was this sense that single were what this band was really about. Then, newly signed to English Decca, they delivered Animalisms, a truly transcendent collection of a dozen songs, mostly superb covers interspersed with some good originals, principally by Eric Burdon and Dave Rowberry. Burdon was never singing better and the group had developed a bold, tight sound that seemed to lift his soul shouting to ever higher levels of passion and conviction. "Outcast," "Maudie," "You're on My Mind," "Clapping," "That's All I Am to You," "Squeeze Her - Tease Her," "I Put a Spell on You," "She'll Return It," and "Gin House Blues" all rate among the best work the band ever did, passionate, gorgeous, and exciting R&B down to the last note…

Their first album, not available outside Australia until the 1990s. The Vanda/Young songwriting partnership had yet to dominate the band in their early days, and most of the (entirely original) material here comes from the pens of George Young and singer Stevie Wright. It's more Merseybeatish and less oriented toward power-pop and staccato guitar attacks than their subsequent releases, which isn't really detrimental; it doesn't scale the peaks the band would shortly climb, but neither does it have the overdone good-time mania that made some of their efforts hard to take in more than limited doses.

The Animals' self-titled debut album features a mixture of blues, R&B, traditional folk covers, and an Eric Burdon original, "I'm In Love." The #1 US and UK charting "House of the Rising Sun" is included, which was voted one of Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All Time. The Animals has been remastered utilizing high-resolution sources from first generation mono master tapes. Includes liner notes by Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fricke and the bonus track full version of "Talkin' `Bout You."

This Japanese collection features mostly early Cliff Richard hits, beginning with his first, "Move It," which was released in 1958, through his so-called comeback years in the late 1970s, including his only U.S. hit, 1976's "Devil Woman."

This Japanese collection features mostly early Cliff Richard hits, beginning with his first, "Move It," which was released in 1958, through his so-called comeback years in the late 1970s, including his only U.S. hit, 1976's "Devil Woman."