14 of the best songs from this Motown quintet that was a sensation in the '60s. Includes: Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, Cloud Nine, Get Ready, I Can't Get Next to You, Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), My Girl, Papa Was a Rolling Stone, The Way You Do the Things You Do, and more.

Songlist: Ain't Too Proud To Beg, Ball Of Confusion, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, Cloud Nine, Get Ready, I Can't Get Next To You, I Wish It Would Rain, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, I'm Losing You (I Know), Just My Imagination, My Girl, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, The Way You Do The Things You Do, You're My Everything

When we want to hear authentic Doo Wop, we think of Indiana. That's right, Indiana-4-man, 1-woman Harbor Lights is the real deal, with the genuine New York Doo Wop sound. On "Almost" they nail Doo Wop standards like "Come Go With Me," "Little Star," "Pretty Little Angel Eyes" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." They add a female lead to Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," and reinterpret pop hits like the Temptations' "Just My Imagination" and Peter & Gordon's "I Go To Pieces" becomes an a cappella classic. Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool" is a sweet, nostalgic winner, as is Richie Valens' "Donna." Some accompaniment. "Almost" is the soul of East Coast Doo Wop from America's heartland!

Songlist: Come Go With Me, Poor Little Fool, Gee Whiz, Little Star, Stand By Me, Pretty Little Angel Eyes, Just My Imagination, I Go To Pieces, Donna, The Lion Sleeps Tonight

There are some doo-wop groups from whom the clean, smooth, crisp sound just seems to flow like a street corner water fountain, like it did with the original groups who burst onto the airwaves in the 1950s and 60s. The 5-man Magic Touch is one of those groups, and 'Sincerely' just goes to show how appealing and timeless the combination of great arranging, soaring harmonies and classic material can be. Some favorites: 'Ain't No Woman Like The One I Love,' 'Just My Imagination,' 'Rama Lama Ding Dong,' 'Twilight Time,' Bobby Darin's 'Dream Lover' (OK, we know it was a hit for Del Shannon), 'In The Still of the Night' and the title tune, but we have to say that these are 19 of the best doo-wop tunes we've ever heard!

Songlist: Tonight I Fell In Love, This Is My Love, Ain't No Woman (Like One I Got), I Was Such A Fool, No Says My Heart, Morse Code Of Love, Please Say You Want Me, So Much In Love, Just My Imagination, Rama Lama Ding Dong, Twilight Time, Sincerely, To Be Love (Forever), Rockin Robin, Dream Lover, Could This Be Magic, Heart Of Saturday Night, Any Day Now, In The Still Of The Night

From the other "down under" here is an excellent recording from the Wellington, New Zealand based quartet Musical Island Boys who are a certifiable barbershop boy band phenomenon. Winners of the Gold medals at the 2014 Barbershop International competition they are one of only a couple non-US quartets to become champions. And it's easy to see why these lads have done so well when you hear their excellent renditions of these top-notch arrangements. All four singers are of Pacific Islander heritage including Samoan and Maori and perhaps it's the great tradition of singing in their cultures that give them the special touch they so clearly demonstrate. Recommended

Songlist: I Just Can't Wait to be King, Ain't Too Proud to Beg, Somewhere Out There, Just My Imagination, Sam Cooke Medley, Pokarekare Ana, Stone In Love With You, Talofa Teine, Only You (And You Alone), Hakuna Matatat

How does an a cappella legend sound? Judging by Rockapella's "Motown & More," more sweet, tight, soulful and rockin' than ever! Having grown up 50 miles from the Motor City, this reviewer was weaned on the Motown sound, which dominated the top 40 airwaves with wonderful artists like the Temptations, the Supremes, the Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder. So here come the hits on "Motown & More," and they are to the original tunes like little Michael Jackson was to himself on "Thriller." Tight Vocal Percussion replaces drum sets, of course, but Scott Leonard's arrangements of standards like "Brick House," "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," "(Stop) The Love You Save," "My Cherie Amour," "Dancing In The Street," "Use Ta Be My Girl," "My Girl," "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "Just My Imagination" (which segues smoothly into a sample of John Lennon's 'Imagine'), is the "& More" here! Let's be frank, Scott, Jeff, George, John & Steven could sing rings around most of the early Motown vocalists, and we're hearing exactly how amazing so-called "covers" can be, when re-invented by one of our favorite, and still one of the premier a cappella bands in the world, Rockapella. We loved this album from start to finish, especially because we have loved Motown ever since we were big enough to reach the faux-chrome radio knob on our '64 Comet. Great stuff!

Songlist: Blame It On The Boogie, Brick House, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, (Stop) That Love You Save, Dancing Machine, Pretty Much You, My Cherie Amour, Dancing in the Street, Use Ta Be My Girl, My Girl, Ain't To Proud to Beg, Just My Imagination