The Rivingtons - Papa Oom Mow Mow (2009)(UK version)

Details
Number of CDs:	1
Recording Type:	Studio
Recording Mode:	Stereo
EAN:	5013929503526

Album Notes
Although it has different artwork and liner notes, otherwise this 23-track compilation is identical to the 1991 CD compilation The Liberty Years. Even the sequencing of the songs is duplicated. It's not necessarily redundant of The Liberty Years, however, since by the time of this 2007 release, that 1991 anthology was pretty difficult to find. In addition to including both sides of all seven of the Rivingtons' 1962-1964 Liberty singles, it has nine cuts from the sole LP they issued for the label, forming a definitive retrospective of this rockin' vocal group in their most popular period on disc (though they did go on to record for a bunch of other different companies in the '60s). The classically silly manic nonsense hit "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" is here, of course, as are several soundalike follow-ups, the most memorable of which is "The Bird Is the Word" -- which, together with "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow," would form the basis of the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird." Other tracks, particularly the ballads used on some of their B-sides, illustrate their overlooked proficiency as a straight R&B/doo wop group. The fact is, however, that the flaying energy of the up-tempo tunes with novelty-tinged lyrics represent both what the Rivingtons were best at, and what distinguished them most from the other vocal groups of the time who were bridging the '50s doo wop/R&B era with the '60s rock/soul era. Of the non-A-sides here, the frenetic gospel-soul-rock update of Billy Ward's "Have Mercy, Mercy Baby" is the standout; of the A-sides, "Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow" sticks out as one of the most inventive, crazed uses of nonsense syllables in a rock & roll song, surpassing even its prototype "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" in that regard. ~ Richie Unterberger