Twist Uptown

EU-only 180gm vinyl LP pressing including two bonus tracks plus digital download. This special collector's edition includes The Crystals' sensational debut LP, Twist Uptown, which was originally issued in the summer of 1962. The group's first album was recorded at New York's Mira Sound Studios before producer Phil Spector had perfected his style at California's Gold Star Studios. In this nascent state, the influence of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller is evident. The contribution of the unsung arranger Arnold Goland should also be recognized. While the wall of sound found it's fullest expression with Jack Nietzsche's orchestrations, the arranger owed a debt to Goland's work heard here. In addition to the original album, this WaxTime collector's item also includes 2 bonus tracks, consisting of a pair of soulful numbers from the same period. "He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss)," with a dark subject matter that remains just as controversial today. On the other hand, Darlene Love also makes her presence felt on Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's "He's Sure the Boy I Love." Spector correctly reasoned that her sass and insouciance were right for these songs and their particular production style. Beyond the group's historic significance, all of these great songs retain a timeless resonance, thanks to Spector's seminal studio wizardry and The Crystals' sweet-but-streetwise vocal magic.