Greatest Hits [Buddha] (CD - 2000)

Producers: Erik Jacobsen, Chip Douglas, The Lovin' Spoonful, Joe Wissert, Jack Lewis.

Compilation producer: Rob Santos.

Recorded from 1965-1968. Originally released on Kama Sutra. Includes liner notes by Ben Edmonds.

Digitally remastered by Bob Irwin (Sundazed Studios, Coxsackie, New York).

Liner Note Author: Ben Edmonds.

Photographers: Henry Diltz; Don Paulsen.

Although it sports the same amount of tracks (26) as Rhino's 1993 Anthology, up to now the last word in comprehensive Spoonful compilations, the 2000 issue of the umpteenth collection from this short-lived '60s band gets the nod over all others. Taken from the original first-generation masters, apparently for the first time, the sound quality -- with a crispness and definition previously unheard -- and even track selection, is the finest yet. "On the Road Again," "Wild About My Lovin'," and "Darlin' Companion," all excellent tunes representative of the Spoonful's good-time folksy/jugband style that were omitted from the Rhino set, are included, further reinforcing this as the last word in single-disc anthologies from this legendary band. What's startling is how many great songs the group recorded in such a short time span. The majority of the tracks were released within a two-year period from 1965-1967, almost all springing from the pen of John Sebastian who also took lead vocals on all the hits. The band was a textbook example of compressed quality, with only three tracks here breaking the three-minute barrier, and many clocking in at just under two. Which means there still could be an even more definitive compilation created by adding five more songs and extending the running time to the 77-minute CD maximum. Until then, this is the Lovin' Spoonful disc to own. ~ Hal Horowitz

The Lovin' Spoonful was one of the very first bands to take part in the folk-rock boom of the mid-1960s, creating something of an East Coast equivalent to the Byrds' seminal L.A. jangle. The original group's lineup was regrettably short-lived, all their classic material getting released on Buddha records, so the label's definitive GREATEST HITS collection presented none of the usual cross-licensing difficulties.

All the highlights of the Spoonful's '60s discography are here--the airy, transcendent pop of the jubilant "Do You Believe in Magic" and the almost Association-like "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice," the tougher rock sound of "Summer in the City," the romantic ballad "Darling Be Home Soon," and more. The rootsier side of the ensemble can be heard as well, on the likes of "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind" and "Jug Band Music." Led by John Sebastian's mellifluous voice and graceful songwriting and Zal Yanovsky's chiming guitar, the Spoonful turned out some of the most memorable singles of the '60s, and they're all right here. minimize