Dave Berry Dave Berry - One Dozen Berrys (CD)

(BGO Records) 28 tracks

This CD is a wonderful surprise from Beat Goes On.
The mix of country and pop sounds alongside serious R&B (including the killer "I Love You Babe" and the infectious "Baby, It's You") may seem off-putting, but this diversity is more a sign of the times in which these two albums were made than an indication of any weaknesses in execution - in truth, the diversity of sound here is reminiscent of the Beatles, even if Berry doesn't make the switch between genres as smoothly as the Liverpool quartet. Even the presence of ballads like "The Girl from the Fair Isle" isn't a detriment - Paul McCartney brought the same kind of material to the Beatles' albums via Meredith Willson songs - and followed by the searing blues rocker "Go On Home", it's not a bad showcase for Berry's range. Ultimately, "Go On Home" has to be considered one of the tracks that makes this CD worth every penny, and the ballad is an unexpected bonus. Even the next number, a rhythm guitar-driven slow ballad called "Everybody Tries," is a perfect little beat-era soft rocker like the Roulettes or many other serious bands had on their albums. John Firminger's notes stay very close to the two albums at hand and their production. The sound is excellent, and considering what the original vinyl versions of these two albums would cost today, the CD is a bargain.