From Amazon.com
As the music and legacies of various rock legends--Elvis, the Beatles, the Stones, Dylan, the Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen--have been thoroughly celebrated, analyzed, and overanalyzed by rock critics, fans, and reissuers, the Four Seasons--New Jersey's premiere pop act before Springsteen or Bon Jovi--remained grossly overlooked and underappreciated. To the uninformed, their pre-Beatles roots--stretching back to the doo-wop era--or sure slickness might have fostered the misconception they were somehow less "hip." Musicians, however, knew better. Dylan, Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, and Brian Wilson among them thoroughly understood and appreciated the Seasons' vision, centered around their harmonies, Frankie Valli's vocal virtuosity, and the stellar work of songwriter-organist Bob Gaudio who, with producer Bob Crewe, created the now-classic Seasons sound, which withstood Beatlemania and everything afterward. The recent Tony Award-winning musical
Jersey Boys helped sweep aside those decades of neglect by reintroducing the Four Seasons to a new audience. Rhino's magnificent package--four CDs on 84 tracks and a DVD of rare performances--explores the music that inspired it all, beginning with their 1962 debut hit "Sherry," through magnificent, timeless mini-dramas like "Dawn," "Rag Doll," and "C'mon Marianne" and tongue-in-cheek efforts like their version of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice (It's All Right)" by the "Wonder Who." Along with various rarities, the collection includes Valli's solo hits. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "Swearin' to God" reaffirm his stature as one of that era's great vocalists. The DVD includes performances from a 1963 Steve Allen show and a 1971 appearance on Britain's
Top of the Pops.
--Rich Kienzle
