Dusty Springfield - Complete A and B Sides 1963-1970

A Vision in Monochrome, Eyes Sooty with Mascara, Hair Piled Up to Perfection, and a Sequinned Dress So Glamorous that it Suggests We Could Barely Inhabit the Same Planet: The High Contrast Photo that Adorned the Cover of Dusty Springfield's Greatest Hits was Iconic. In It's So-sharp Black and White, There was Much Mystique - it was as Much About What You Couldn't See - which is Exactly as it Should Be. These Days Dusty is a Gay Icon, Seemingly Celebrated for her Troubles and Insecurities as Much as She is for her Records. For Those who Like Pop Music to have Myth and Legend, the Ability to Take You Over the Rooftops and Out of Your Skin, the Run of 45s on this Compilation is all You Really Need to Know About Dusty Springfield. Album Details

PEERLESS BLUE-EYED SOUL FROM DUSTY

Practically every one of Dusty Springfield's singles from 1963 to 1970, the hits and the "obscurities". An omission is her US hit "Wishin' and Hopin'" - but then, this 2 CD set only claims to include "all the British singles from her goldern era". This distinction reminds us that seldom did her record company choose the same A&B sides for the States as had been released in the UK. For example, her hauntingly fragile rendition of Carole King's "Goin' Back" was unbelievably never released in the States as a single - despite its top ten status in Britain.

What a strong testimony this 2 CD set is to her unequalled grasp of the Phil Spectorish girl-group sound, R&B, Motown and soul. Compiled by Saint Etienne, with well-detailed liner notes by Bob Stanley, this set gives us the mono mixes, so there's no attempt made to dress up the classic mono sound. Stand out hits are: "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" - this latter hit just keeps getting better with the passing of time. Stand out obscurities are: "I'm Gonna Leave You" (one of the few times Dusty wrote a song; this time sharing the credits with Madeline Bell and Lesley Duncan) and "Don't Say It Baby". These latter two songs ache with compelling sadness and add to the already solid case for Dusty's place as the best British female singer ever! June 30, 2007

The Singular Source

Excellent compilation of Dusty's A & B sides, most in their original mono form. Ace sound and presentation. The best introduction to Dusty on the market. November 9, 2006

Finally... an ESSENTIAL Dusty compilation

Do we need yet another Dusty compilation when the market is already flooded with them ? Well, the short answer is a resounding YES because Mercury finally gets it right by putting out a truly essential compilation with a theme - her Complete A & B sides released in the UK between 1963 and 1970 and the result is simply smashing. There's no messing about. The singles are in strict chronological order with the A sides on one disc and the B sides on another. They are also in rare mono - the original singles mix - unless the tapes are unavailable, in which case the familiar stereo mixes are used (eg, Losing You and Little By Little). Some of the hits are aurally very different in mono (eg, Goin' Back) and a special treat. Some of the fades also run on longer than usual (eg, In The Middle Of Nowhere and Some Of Your Lovin').

Dusty's glorious non-stop run of hits (plus a couple of unconscionable misses such as the funky Northern Soul classic, What's It Gonna Be and Clive Westlake's excellent I Will Follow You) on Disc 1 simply leaves you breathless and giddy with joy and admiration at how in the 60s Dusty was faultless in her selection of original material for singles. Songs tucked away on the B sides were almost as good. Four were even written or co-written by her (Once Upon A Time, Something Special, I'm Gonna Leave You and Go Ahead On). My own personal favourite is the little known Goffin & King girl group beat number I'll Love You For A While, given a real punchy treatment here.

And you can't ask for more in terms of packaging. Eclipse has used a gorgeous photo of a sooty-eyed Dusty circa 1965 for the front cover and it's just fabulous ! Complete A & B Sides 1963-1970 is truly an essential buy. Hurry, grab yourself a copy. September 20, 2006

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