MARY WELLS - THE COMPLETE 20TH CENTURY RECORDINGS: MARY / LOVE SONGS TO THE BEATLES

A pair of lost classics – back to back in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is the self-titled Mary Wells album – non-Motown magic from Wells – a killer 60s album that really lives up to her previous promise! The scope is a bit wider here than before – and Mary's wonderful throughout, sticking closely in that classic blend of class and soul that made her one of the first standout stars of Motown – moving in equally great company here with studio help from Carl Davis, Riley Hampton, and Andre Williams! The tunes have a sweet midtempo groove – almost a bit of early Detroit into Chicago mid 60s soul – and titles include "Never Never Leave Me", "Use Your Head", "My Mind's Made Up", "Why Don't You Let Yourself Go", and "We're Just Two Of A Kind".

Love Songs To The Beatles is even more compelling – the best of the 60s genre! Sure, Esther Phillips and a few other 60s soul singers were recording Beatles tracks – but Mary Wells was the real deal, as she even had the support of the group itself, who made it known that she was one of their favorite American soul artists. This nice album on 20th Century features an all-Beatles set of tracks – with titles like "I Should Have Known Better", "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "Yesterday", "And I Love Him", and "Ticket To Ride". The arrangements are all uptown soul, and give the songs a more sophisticated sound than the original recordings. A record we don't see that often, and a nice lost gem! Bonus tracks include "Jive Guy", "I'm Learnin", "I'm Sorry", "Say What You Gotta Say", and "Memories Are Creepin Up On Me". ~ Dusty Groove