Various She's All Right With Me! - Girl Group Sounds USA - 1961-1968 (LP)

(Ace Records) 16 tracks

We start with a great Rev Lons song that was almost never played - "Whirlwind", recorded in 1965 for producer Gary Paxton, but unreleased until 2004. The Rev-Lons are not the only act on this compilation who worked with Paxton: Mary Saxton's dazzling "Is It Better To Live Or To Die", the B-side of her debut single "Losing Control", appears here as well as the finger-snipping of Surf Bunnie's "Summertime Is Surfin" Time".

Cupid's Got A Hold On Me' by the Belles features the voices of Sherlie Mae Matthews, Motown incognito star Brenda Holloway, and her sister Patrice; Sherlie was to become one of the mainstays of Motown songwriters. Speaking of songwriters, what would a girl group collection be without the magic of Brill-Building? Beverly Williams' recording of Mark Barkan and Pam Sawyer's "Too Bad He's Bad" reveals a phenomenal talent whose recordings were largely put on hold at the time. Turn it around and imagine what might have been.

Next, the captivating "Sir Galahad" is followed by the elite with the vocals of Darlene Love's gospel-singing sister Edna Wright, who chose to record secular songs under various pseudonyms. The Sweethearts - one of several girl groups of that name from the 1960s - offer the unforgettable "Beauty Is Just Skin Deep", which was later covered by Ike & Tina Turner. Little Eva also performs and records under her married name. Five years after 'The Loco-Motion' her output for Spring Records is more sophisticated, as the powerful 'Mr. Everything' shows.

The group The Pets from New Jersey plays "I Say Yeah" written by George Clinton - their only release, but what a record. Also from New Jersey were the Tren-Teens, who jumped on the bandwagon of Answer Records with "Your Yah-Yah Is Gone", a grooving response to Lee Dorsey's "Ya Ya", and the Lovettes, whose "I Need A Guy" is a wonderfully polished soul number.

The Mirettes, who were successful as Ikettes with gems such as "Peaches 'N' Cream", made a start before they left under a new name with the spirited "He's All Right With Me". And as if that wasn't enough, there are tracks by Lena Calhoun & the Emotions, Othello Robertson, Pat Hunt and cover star Felice Taylor to make you dance. What more could you want?

-Hannah Vettese