YOUNG RASCALS [Vinyl]

The first album by New Jersey's esteemed Young Rascals is in many ways a standard mid '60s debut: pretty much all covers, from the Beau Brummels' "Just a Little" to Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour," leavened by two hit singles, "I Ain't Gonna Eat My Heart Out Anymore" and the immortal blue-eyed soul rave-up "Good Lovin'," one of the classic pop songs of the decade.
The difference here is that the Young Rascals--singer Eddie Brigati, keyboardist Felix Cavaliere, guitarist Gene Cornish and jazz drummer Dino Danelli--play these songs with the enthusiasm of a young band at the local roadhouse, making even the most cliched of the covers ("Mustang Sally") sound like brand-new band originals. Hell, they even pull off a smokin' version of "Like a Rolling Stone"! Wisely, Rhino chose to reissue this album in mono instead of using the more common but sub-par fake-stereo mix.

• Format: Vinyl
• Genre: Pop