Unless
you own the Phil Spector boxed set, Back To Mono
- and maybe even if you do - you'll want The Best
Of The Crystals (Abkco) if you're a big oldies
fan. The Crystals
were Spector's first big group and sang such classics
as "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Uptown,"
"He's Sure The Boy I Love," "He's A
Rebel" and "There's No Other (Like My Baby)."
They had a revolving cast (including Darlene Love)
based on Spector's fickle fancies, but his groups were
always more about "The Wall Of Sound" than
any one individual (except, perhaps, Ronnie Spector).
Best Of The Crystals has 19 tracks including
Spector's most infamous production, the creepily prescient
"He Hit Me (It Felt Like A Kiss)."