The Ronettes
Album : Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes
Time : 189
Year:
Comments : Originally released in time for 1964's Christmas season, the Ronettes' one and only Philles LP is considered by many to be the crown jewel of the label's catalogue, representing the ultimate expression of Phil Spector's girl-group ideal.
Fronted by the impossibly charismatic Veronica Bennett, aka Ronnie Spector, the Ronettes combined girlish innocence and playful sexiness in a manner that struck a responsive chord with listeners in the '60s, and continues to do so five decades later. With Phil's surging Wall of Sound arrangements meeting their match in the kittenish vocals of Ronnie and her sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley, it's not hard to understand why the Ronettes effortlessly held their own with the British Invasion acts that otherwise dominated the pop scene in 1964.
Although the Ronettes are principally known as a singles act, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica is a remarkably consistent and cohesive set that collects all of the trio's early hits, including such enduring pop masterpieces as "Be My Baby," "Baby (I Love You)," "Walking In The Rain," "Do I Love You?," "(The Best Part Of) Breaking Up," "You Baby" and the Ronettes' original version of "Chapel of Love" (which predates the Dixie Cups' hit version). It's hard to imagine a more consistent collection of perfect pop bliss, or a more excellent expression of girl group greatness.