Title:  1970 Rock & Roll Revolution
Company: AVCO Embassy
Catalog: AVE 33008
Year: 1970
Country/State: Brooklyn, New York
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+

Five years after their debut Reparata and the Delrons reappeared with their sophomore LP. Mind you, while this was credited as a Delrons release, it featured a brand new line-up. Having married and 'retired' from music to become a mother and an elementary school teacher, original lead singer Mary Aiese was replaced by Lorraine Mazzola, with backing vocals from original member Nanette Licari and newcomer Cooky Sirico. 

 

Produced by Steve and Bill Jerome "1970 Rock & Roll Revolution" certainly looked like an attempt to modernize the group's imagine, but a closer inspection of the album revealed lame 1967-era artwork and the twelve songs were all remakes of late-1950s and early-1960s girl group and pop classics. Even stranger, with the exception of their Catholic folk mass-styled arrangement of The Chiffon's 'He's So Fine', most of the performances played it fairly straightforward sticking with the original arrangements. The vocals were fine, but the experience was like buying one of those K-Tel hits packages where some anonymous studio group covered the most recent top-540 hits. On the surface it sure seemed like a weird artistic and business project, but 1970 was a timeframe that saw the public briefly enamored with a host of 1950s and early 1960s acts. As a result I'd guess this was nothing more than a marketing exercise aimed at grabbing a piece of that market niche.  

- For a group that supposedly had a dark, slightly ominous edge, the sentimental ballad 'Please Love Me Forever' came as a disappointment. Their rote cover of Bobby Vinton's early-1960s hit was pure dreck.  rating: * star
- To be honest, their cover of 'Lollipop' really didn't have a great deal going for it. The arrangement stayed very close to The Chordettes' original hit and in 1970 it was hopelessly obsolete. That said, their harmony vocals were nice and the song had a goofy appeal - kind of like the nostalgic feel you get when you enjoy a true malted milk shake. The liner notes misspelled co-writer Julius Dixson's last name as 'Dixon'. rating: *** stars
- 'Eddie My Love' was another period ballad (The Teen Queens recorded the original version), Stick with the original.  rating: * star
- Co-written by Phil Spector (and supposedly inspired by the words on his father's tombstone), Anyone familiar with the Teddy Bears original version of 'To Know Him Is To Love Him' was liable to simply skip this one.   rating: * star
- While this 1950s styled number has never done a great deal for me, for what it was worth, The Shirelles version of 'I Met Him On a Sunday' beat this cover to pieces.  rating: * star
- Anyone who loved The Chiffons' classic version of 'He's So Fine' was liable to scratch their heads wondering what was up with this cover. As mentioned above, the song was given a Catholic folk mass-styled arrangement complete lots of upbeat strumming acoustic guitars and sweeping backing vocals. It was strange, but actually kind of harmless fun. rating: *** stars   
- With a lead vocal that sounded like it was recorded in a bathroom stall, their cover of The Ronnettes 'Be My Baby' simply couldn't compete. Completely forgettable.  rating: * star
- I think Rosie & The Originals did the original ... regardless this was another thoroughly forgettable 1950s tinged ballad with a hideous falsetto from Mazzola. Yech.   rating: * star
- The Bobbettes did the original version and it kills this one.   rating: * star
- 'Every Beat of My Heart' probably gets my vote for worst performance. The song is bland and forgettable, but Mazzola's trembling vocal (she seemed intent on channeling Patsy Cline), made it virtually unlistenable.   rating: * star
- At least to my ears 'Maybe' and 'Till' reflect the worst of 1950s/1960s pop - highly orchestrated, sickly sweet sentimental ballads. Yeah, this was 'the moon is blue' type of pap.     rating: * star

So you've probably figured out that I'm not a big fan of this one. Doesn't mean someone out there might not like it ... and the LP is in great shape !

"1970 Rock & Roll Revolution" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Please Love Me Forever (Ollie Bradchard - Johnny Malone) - 2:53
2.) Lollipop (Julius Dixson - Beverly Ross) - 2:05
3.) Eddie My Love (Aaron Collins - Davis - Ling) - 3:11
4.) To Know Him Is To Love Him (Phil Spector) - 2:18
5.) I Met Him On a Sunday (Owens - Harris - Coley - Lee) - 2:09
6.) He's So Fine (Ronald Mack) - 2:03

(side 2)
1.) Be My Baby (Phil Spector - Ellie Greenwich - Barry) - 2:30
2.) Angel Baby (Rose Hamlin) - 3:58
3.) Mr. Lee (Dixon - Gathers - E. Pought - J. Pought-Webb) - 2:24
4.) Every Beat of My Heart (Johnny Otis) - 1:57
5.) Maybe (Richard Barrett) - 2:57
6.) Till (Carl Sigman - Charles Denvera)- 2:18