The Duprees All-Time Greatest Hits

The Duprees: Joey Canzano, Joe Santollo, Mike Arnone, Tom Bialoglow, Mike Kelly (vocals).

Producers: Jerry Ross, George Paxton.

Compilation producers: Cary E. Mansfield, Steve Massie.

Recorded between 1962 & 1969. Includes liner notes by Bill Dahl.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Liner Note Author: Bill Dahl.

Arrangers: Fred Weismantel; Joe Renzetti ; Jimmy Wisner.

This 18-track compilation is missing a few songs that are on other Duprees anthologies, such as Ace's 31-track Their Complete Coed Masters, and even Rhino's 18-song The Best of the Duprees. Where this has a possible edge on the competition is the inclusion of three late-'60s songs from Heritage singles, where the other comps include only 1962-1964 Coed recordings. That's a small edge, since those late-'60s cuts are just average harmonized AM pop with a modernized doo wop tinge. If you're not fussy about having the complete Duprees Coed catalog, the other tracks on the CD cover that era -- which is the bread'n'butter of the group's discography -- satisfactorily, including the big hits "You Belong to Me," "My Own True Love," and "Have You Heard," as well as numerous lower-charting and non-charting sides from singles. It's a reasonable overview of one of the more talented Italian-American vocal groups from the tail end of the doo wop era, tilting closer to adult pop music than rock, but done with good taste and fine harmonies. ~ Richie Unterberger