Starting in the 1990s, a cluster of CD reissues have served to remind us that
Chess
was not just a blues label, in fact recording a great deal of worthwhile (and often successful) soul in the 1960s.
Where the Girls Are, Vol. 3
is not the best of these, but it puts an interesting spin on the concept by focusing exclusively on women pop-soul-girl-group singers who recorded for
during the decade. There are a few name artists here --
Etta James
,
Sugar Pie de Santo
Tammy Montgomery
(soon to be renamed
Tammi Terrell
), and (to a lesser degree)
Jackie Ross
Mitty Collier
Jan Bradley
, and a teenaged
Minnie Riperton
(as part of
the Gems
and under the pseudonym
Andrea Davis
) -- though most of these are only known to those fanatical, often British, soul collectors. The same comments that you could direct toward
' '60s soul in general apply to this anthology in particular: while well produced, it sometimes came off as derivative of both
Motown
and other Chicago soul competitors, without as much standout material as the best competition. That makes this 26-song CD second-division, but certainly not second-rate. For one thing, there is a certain consistency of sound that makes it more listenable than many other similar archive CDs are. There are also some pretty good songs amidst the so-so ones.
Geraldine Hunt
's 1962 single
"I Let Myself Go"
is an incredibly blatant yet enjoyable and accurate
Mary Wells
imitation;
Timiko
's
"Is It a Sin?,"
which is just marginally less Wells-like, has some fetching hooks; while
the Clickettes
'
"I Just Can't Help It"
is cool and catchy soul-tinged girl-group pop. Everything else wilts, however, besides
' compelling
"Pushover,"
an actual 1963 Top 30 hit that was one of her poppiest, yet gutsiest, and best singles. ~ Richie Unterberger