The pleasures of Remember Me Baby are not the pleasures of nostalgia; the pleasures of this disc, are the pleasures of the esoteric. There are previously unreleased tracks from The Dovells and The Tymes, and 23 of the 24 tunes on the album are new on CD. In this sense, the album is a gold mine for the collector, but for the ordinary listener, not so much. Ed Osborne's liner notes supply a great deal of information about each of the groups' personnel and recording histories, so you may recognize names you know from other incarnations. If you believe Cameo Parkway Records did for Philadelphia what Motown did for Detroit, you may well want this collection of recordings from their catalogue, and indeed all the others that may be coming down the pike, for its historical importance.
You'll hear things that sound familiar. The Rays' "Triangle" sounds a lot like—or rips off, some might say—"Silhouettes." You'll hear the familiar harmonies. You'll hear a melody that sounds like you've heard it before, like parts of The Anglos' "Raining Teardrops," but your memory will betray you, and it will bother the hell out of you. If you listen long enough, it may come to you. If not, well that's what age is all about.
There are some tracks on the disc that stand out in their own right. The Dovells' "Short on Bread" is a pleasing reworking of "Shortnin' Bread" with a traditional rocking saxophone solo. "Turn Out the Lights" by Pookie Hudson and The Spaniels has a country vibe that makes it unique on the album. The lead singer on The Exceptions' "Down By the Ocean" has the kind of rich voice that can turn dross into gold. The Skyliners' cover of "Three Coins in the Fountain" is more than simply a copy. The Tymes' "Did You Ever Get My Letter?" is the kind of song that could have been a hit with a little bit of luck.
You listen to these, and it won't take long for you to be digging around in your attic for that old record player and that dusty case of 45s .
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