Chad & Jeremy - Very Best Of Chad and Jeremy - Music & Performance - CD

Although this 18-song best-of duplicates much of what was on the best previous Chad & Jeremy CD compilation (One Way's The Best of Chad & Jeremy), this release is definitely the superior option. Its most crucial edge is the inclusion of four songs from 1965-1966 Columbia singles, as the One Way disc was limited to the material they released on World Artists. In addition, the Varese Sarabande anthology has comprehensive liner notes, songwriting credits, and original release date info, whereas the One Way disc had none of those things at all. This CD still concentrates on the World Artists sides from 1964-1965, including all of the hit singles. Some of the inessential covers of hits and standards from the One Way compilation are axed, but decent original tunes like "My How the Time Goes By" are retained. The four Columbia sides include the three Top 40 hits "Before and After" and "I Don't Wanna Lose You Baby" (both written by Van McCoy), and "Distant Shores" (by future Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears producer James Guercio). Oddest of all, though, is the 1966 single "Teenage Failure," a satirical folk-rocker in which writer Jeremy Clyde does a middling parody of protest singers in the sub-Bob Dylan mold. As British Invasion duos performing folk music with a folk-rock tinge go, Peter & Gordon definitely still have the edge; nonetheless, Chad & Jeremy make for pleasant if undemanding listening. Speaking of which, a photo of the somewhat similar-looking Peter & Gordon was apparently mistaken for Chad & Jeremy and snuck past quality control into page three of these liner notes (with no accompanying label to indicate that it was not Chad & Jeremy), unless this was an inside joke on someone's part. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide