Search - Frankie Valli & Four Seasons :: Off Seasons: Criminally Ignored Sides From

Who knew?

R. Riis | NY | 05/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Talk about hidden gems : this collection of 1963-1969 LP tracks and single B-sides is a real eye-opener. The concept is A-side could-have-beens & it works, as well as makes you want to seek out the original albums. The early tracks give good competition to the 4 Seasons' actual Top 10 hits, the later tracks rival even the Beach Boys late 1960s work in harmony & creativity. Track listing : Big Man's World, Seems Like Only Yesterday, Cry Myself to Sleep, Huggin' My Pillow, Funny Face, Danger, Marcie, Comin' Up in the World, Everybody Knows My Name, Beggar's Parade, Around and Around, (I Dig You) Dody, Good-Bye Girl, I'm Gonna Change, Let's Ride Again, Raven, Heartaches and Raindrops, Saturday's Father, Something's on Her Mind, Genuine Imitation Life."

Criminally Ignored

John Peterson | Marinette, WI USA | 05/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is meant to compliment the release of their "In Season" double CD anthology of their popular songs and for me it works. The compositions (mostly by keyboard player Bob Gaudio) are very strong and you'll find some of these mostly b-side singles would have worked very well as a-sides ("Cry Myself To Sleep", to mention one song). There are some classic album tracks here as well ("Saturday's Father", a song lyrically along the lines of the Beatles' "She's Leaving Home").If you're a fan of the Four Seasons, you'd be cheating yourself from not checking this CD out. And if you're not you just might find yourself converted."

What could have been

John Peterson | 02/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD just shows what could have been for Frankie and the Seasons...They have sold over 100 million records but could have sold double that if only they had been on a major label that could have ,would have promoted them better..The main reason they are just a notch below the Beachboys ,Beatles ,Stones as far as popularity is the music labels they have been on..This CD proves it wasn't the quality of the music as EVERY cut here could have been a hit single..The fact is that from 1962 to today F.Valli and the 4 Seasons have never been promoted by what ever label they have been on..Vee Jay signed them in 1962 but was a small local label out of Chicago that also was the first to sign the Beatles but quickly ran out of money ,could not pay either group their royalties much less promote them and quickly lost both groups..Phillips was mainly a easy listening label with the likes of the Swingle Sisters and the Singing Nun..never really knew how to promote a main stream rock act like the Seasons..released many of their albums with no promotion..dumped many into the cut out bins within a year of release..signed with Motown and got no support at all ..Just one album released (barely) with no promotion..Other great recordings just shelved..On to Private Stock another small label with little resources..Curb records...some releases on Warners aome on MCA but still not really part of the major label..just the small Curb label which had a distribution deal with the majors...Of course the labels spent the big promotional dollars on their own rosters of artists..They are still signed to Curb which is 95% a country music label..But again this is primarily just a distribution deal..The partnership completes the album on its own and turns it in to Curb for distribution..(one left on the deal)..Anyway the point is that Frankie and the Seasons are just as good as almost any artist out there..They just "don't get no respect"..These are hidden gems that should have been hits..If only the group could have signed with a major label..things would have been much different.."