It could be assumed that Archie Bell & the Drells essentially did the same thing over and over again, since "Tighten Up" almost consigns them to the level of one-hit wonders, but that's not an accurate assessment of their gifts. True, they often followed the same stylish, sunny, utterly infectious sound, but there was a lot more depth and variety there, as Rhino's terrific 20-track collection Tightening It Up: The Best of Archie Bell & the Drells illustrates. What it reveals to those that weren't playing close attention is that the group was one of the first great Philly soul outfits, recording a number of Gamble & Huff's early songs and providing a training ground for the seminal duo. Though the hits didn't come fast and furious, like they would later, they, Bell & the Drells, created some wonderful singles, highlighted by "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" and "A World Without Music." There's plenty of other terrific moments throughout this collection, which proves that Bell & the Drells were far more than a one-hit wonder -- they were one of the great under appreciated soul outfits of their time.




01. Tighten Up                                                                                                          
02. I Can't Stop Dancing                                                                                                
03. Do The Choo Choo                                                                                                    
04. Love Will Rain On You                                                                                               
05. (There's Gonna Be A) Showdown                                                                                       
06. I Love My Baby                                                                                                      
07. Girl You're Too Young                                                                                               
08. My Balloon's Going Up                                                                                               
09. A World Without Music                                                                                               
10. Don't Let The Music Slip Away                                                                                       
11. Wrap It Up                                                                                                          
12. Dancing To Your Music                                                                                               
13. Ain't Nothing For A Man In Love                                                                                     
14. I Could Dance All Night                                                                                             
15. The Soul City Walk                                                                                                  
16. Let's Groove                                                                                                        
17. Everybody Have A Good Time                                                                                          
18. Glad You Could Make It                                                                                              
19. I've Been Missing You                                                                                               
20. Strategy  


Label: Rhino
Date: 1994

BITRATE: 320

My cd-rip (EAC and Lame)
Covers Included





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