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In a way, the Searchers are a footnote. Never entering the upper echelon of British Invasion beat groups, the band nevertheless had legs, outlasting all but the titans of the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Who. The Searchers always flew just below the radar, even if they had something of a renaissance at the tail end of the '70s with a new lineup headed by lead singer -- and only constant -- John McNally, with his lead guitarist companion Mike Pender directing the band through two superb power pop LPs and their jangle echoing in the stable of Shelter Records, heard strongly in the early records of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. They are best known for their earliest hits -- 1963's "Sweets for My Sweet," 1964's "Needles and Pins" -- which may be because they were their biggest hits but it's also because the Searchers never abandoned their pure pop template throughout their entire career, something that becomes blindingly evident over the course of the four-disc box set Hearts in Their Eyes. Every other Brit group of their time stretched their wings during the psychedelic years but the Searchers pledged their allegiance to jangling guitars and sweet melodies, dipping their toes into the soft slick waters left behind by Bacharach but pretty much adhering to their game plan of playing ringing rock and turning R&B into pop. When their peers were blowing their minds, the Searchers got a little bit bubblegum and while they consolidated their strengths during the power pop '70s, they were always somewhat restrained by the lack of a truly distinctive songwriter. McNally could turn out some handsome melodic tunes but they were at the mercy of other writers, borrowing heavily from American pop and R&B in the early years, then finding gems among the pub rockers in the late '70s. These strengths and weaknesses are in equal relief on Hearts in Their Eyes, which may not contain all of their released singles -- their cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" is nowhere to be found -- but it has all their best along with smartly selected highlights from their albums. Taken together, it is the big jangle: tuneful, crystalline pop that likely sounds better at a remove than it did at the time due to its unadventurous consistency. The Searchers weren't trailblazers; they were a dogged, dedicated beat group that never strayed from its hooky vision. They don't belong in the upper echelon of British beat but they have their place, as this entertaining and comprehensive box makes plain.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Doc Pomus, Composer, Writer - Mort Shuman, Composer, Writer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2002 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2002 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Buddy Mize, Composer - GARY PAXTON, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2002 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2002 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist - Ronnie Self, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Doc Pomus, Composer - Mort Shuman, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Chris Curtis, Composer - Chris Crummy, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist - JERRY ROSS, Composer - Lester Vanadore, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jerry Leiber, Composer, Writer - Mike Stoller, Composer, Writer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Don Harris, Composer, Writer - Dewey Terry, Composer, Writer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Berry Gordy Jr., Composer - Janie Bradford, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
James Smith, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Don Everly, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jerry Leiber, Composer - Mike Stoller, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
PETE SEEGER, Composer, Writer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, Composer, Performance, MainArtist - Fred Nightingale, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Tony Jackson, Composer, Arranger - Traditional, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist - Chris Curtis, Arranger - Mike Pender, Composer, Arranger - John McNally, Composer, Arranger - Chris Crummy, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist - Ernest Hall, Composer - David Box, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jerry Leiber, Composer - Mike Stoller, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, MainArtist - RICHARD BARRETT, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Buddy Holly, Composer - Norman Petty, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Marijohn Wilkin, Composer - Fred Burch, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Billy Guy, Composer - Earl Carroll, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Howard Barnes, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Harold Fields, Composer - Joseph Roncoroni, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Glenn Yarbrough, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Gordon Mills, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1963 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1992 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
SONNY BONO, Composer - Jack Nitzsche, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Bobby Richards, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jimmy Wisner, Composer - Billy Jackson, Composer - Jackson, Composer - TONY HATCH, Producer - The Searchers, Composer, Performance, MainArtist - Wisner, Composer - James J. Wisner, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Tony Jackson, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Chris Curtis, Composer - Mike Pender, Composer - John McNally, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
DISC 2
Burt Bacharach, Composer - Hal David, Lyricist, Writer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Barry Mann, Composer - Cynthia Weil, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Rudy Clark, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Paul Hampton, Composer - Hal David, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Doc Pomus, Composer - Mort Shuman, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Robert Higginbotham, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jackie DeShannon, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jerry Leiber, Composer - Mike Stoller, Composer - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Carlo Donida, Composer - Giulio Rapetti, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1992 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Sharon McMahan, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist - Sharon McMahan, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Tony Jackson, Performance - Mary Wells, Composer - Tony Jackson & The Vibrations, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Bobby Parker, Composer - Tony Jackson & The Vibrations, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Jackie DeShannon, Composer, Lyricist - The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Chris Curtis, Composer - Mike Pender, Composer - John McNally, Composer - Frank Allen, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, Performance, MainArtist - Malvina Reynolds, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
The Searchers, MainArtist - Chris Curtis, Composer - Mike Pender, Composer - John McNally, Composer - Frank Allen, Composer
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 1964 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
Albumbeschreibung
In a way, the Searchers are a footnote. Never entering the upper echelon of British Invasion beat groups, the band nevertheless had legs, outlasting all but the titans of the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Who. The Searchers always flew just below the radar, even if they had something of a renaissance at the tail end of the '70s with a new lineup headed by lead singer -- and only constant -- John McNally, with his lead guitarist companion Mike Pender directing the band through two superb power pop LPs and their jangle echoing in the stable of Shelter Records, heard strongly in the early records of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. They are best known for their earliest hits -- 1963's "Sweets for My Sweet," 1964's "Needles and Pins" -- which may be because they were their biggest hits but it's also because the Searchers never abandoned their pure pop template throughout their entire career, something that becomes blindingly evident over the course of the four-disc box set Hearts in Their Eyes. Every other Brit group of their time stretched their wings during the psychedelic years but the Searchers pledged their allegiance to jangling guitars and sweet melodies, dipping their toes into the soft slick waters left behind by Bacharach but pretty much adhering to their game plan of playing ringing rock and turning R&B into pop. When their peers were blowing their minds, the Searchers got a little bit bubblegum and while they consolidated their strengths during the power pop '70s, they were always somewhat restrained by the lack of a truly distinctive songwriter. McNally could turn out some handsome melodic tunes but they were at the mercy of other writers, borrowing heavily from American pop and R&B in the early years, then finding gems among the pub rockers in the late '70s. These strengths and weaknesses are in equal relief on Hearts in Their Eyes, which may not contain all of their released singles -- their cover of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" is nowhere to be found -- but it has all their best along with smartly selected highlights from their albums. Taken together, it is the big jangle: tuneful, crystalline pop that likely sounds better at a remove than it did at the time due to its unadventurous consistency. The Searchers weren't trailblazers; they were a dogged, dedicated beat group that never strayed from its hooky vision. They don't belong in the upper echelon of British beat but they have their place, as this entertaining and comprehensive box makes plain.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 4 disc(s) - 120 track(s)
- Total length: 05:11:00
- Main artists: The Searchers
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Castle Communications
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., a BMG Company
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