People in a Position to Know Records offers a 6 song tribute to The Fleetwoods, a great (if too-little-remembered) doo wop band, who made the classic tunes Mr. Blue, Graduation, Come Softly to Me, Go Away Little Girl, Tragedy, and To Know Her (Is To Love Her)). The album was a limited pressing (only 490 made!), by members of the bands Norfolk and Western (M Ward’s backup band) and Graves. They’ve got a myspace page, too. It’s too damn bad that it had limited release–e-mail the record company and demand that they release this material digitally. It’s awesome. The covers remove any trace of novelty (as well as nearly all dated doo-wop sounds) and turn these chart-toppers into sweet, but no cloying, love songs. Mr. Blue is my favorite track. It starts slow, almost to the point of ponderous, but when the swing kicks in it becomes a terrific tribute to the days of barbershop quartets, only updated with a modern sound.
Check it out.
