Various - Dream Babes Volume 1 (Am I Dreaming?;24 Brit-girl Classics From The Sixties) (CD)

The British girl group sound was a different animal than the American article: there was an equal emphasis on production craft, but there was a higher proportion of pop to soul, and a Europop influence in many of the melodies and arrangements. This 24-track compilation gathers rare non-hit singles from 1962 to 1970, and none of the singers will be familiar to U.S. listeners (indeed, most or all of them will be unfamiliar to British ones as well). It's decent but light girl group (or girl group-influenced) '60s pop that could often use more grit; some of it's fairly strong, but there are no melodies or performances that announce "classic" in neon lights. If you're a sucker for the girl group sound, it's an acceptable addition to the library, with some standouts, like Samantha Jones' "Don't Come Any Closer" (covered to greater effect in French by Fran‡oise Hardy), Alma Cogan's "Snakes and Snails," and Carole Deene's goofy "Some People," with a train whistle bleating away in the background. ~ Richie Unterberger