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Rock & roll albums were something of a novelty, if not a rarity, in 1959 -- apart from Elvis's releases, few of them sold well, and most that were out there by white artists, apart from hits compilations, didn't always reflect well on the music. The debut album by the Bronx-based doo wop group holds up well, however, and is well worth hearing beyond the hits "I Wonder Why," "Where or When," "Don't Pity Me," and "A Teenager in Love." The predominant subject is girls, no surprise as the work of an R&B vocal group in 1959, but there's amazingly little feeling of repetition on these 14 cuts, partly because the producers and the group did vary the sound. There are surprisingly successful attempts at a mild country sound ("You Better Not Do That") as well as pop ("Just You") and an amazing blues ("I Got the Blues") that reveals some of the real depth behind Dion DiMucci even at this early stage of his career -- he may have looked and sounded like a teen idol on some of those records, but he had a musical soul all of his own that transcended the limitations of teen pop; it also goes a long way toward explaining why he was responsible for some of the best white rock & roll to come out of New York during this period. It may not be in a league with Elvis Presley's first three albums as essential listening, but it is all well played as well as beautifully sung, showing off a prodigious array of talent from the group on down to the session players involved.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Dion DiMucci, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Melvin Anderson, ComposerLyricist - Ricardo D. Weeks, ComposerLyricist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Dion DiMucci, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Lorenz Hart, Author - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Tommy Collins, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Todd J. Weinbrenner, ComposerLyricist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Ernest Maresca, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records LLC
Lou Stallman, ComposerLyricist - Sidney Jacobson, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records LLC
Dion DiMucci, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Doc Pomus, ComposerLyricist - Mort Shuman, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Fred Parris, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - J. Barker, ComposerLyricist - A. Belgin, ComposerLyricist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Doc Pomus, ComposerLyricist - Mort Shuman, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Helmy Kresa, ComposerLyricist - Caroll Lovesday, ComposerLyricist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
ERNIE MARESCA, ComposerLyricist - Dion & The Belmonts, MainArtist - Ken Hecht, ComposerLyricist - Gene Schwartz, Producer
℗ 1958 Capitol Records, LLC
Album review
Rock & roll albums were something of a novelty, if not a rarity, in 1959 -- apart from Elvis's releases, few of them sold well, and most that were out there by white artists, apart from hits compilations, didn't always reflect well on the music. The debut album by the Bronx-based doo wop group holds up well, however, and is well worth hearing beyond the hits "I Wonder Why," "Where or When," "Don't Pity Me," and "A Teenager in Love." The predominant subject is girls, no surprise as the work of an R&B vocal group in 1959, but there's amazingly little feeling of repetition on these 14 cuts, partly because the producers and the group did vary the sound. There are surprisingly successful attempts at a mild country sound ("You Better Not Do That") as well as pop ("Just You") and an amazing blues ("I Got the Blues") that reveals some of the real depth behind Dion DiMucci even at this early stage of his career -- he may have looked and sounded like a teen idol on some of those records, but he had a musical soul all of his own that transcended the limitations of teen pop; it also goes a long way toward explaining why he was responsible for some of the best white rock & roll to come out of New York during this period. It may not be in a league with Elvis Presley's first three albums as essential listening, but it is all well played as well as beautifully sung, showing off a prodigious array of talent from the group on down to the session players involved.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:30:36
- Main artists: Dion & The Belmonts
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92)
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1959 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 1959 Capitol Records, LLC
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