Search - Kalin Twins :: When

Perfect transition -End of Pop Era/Beginning of Rock n Roll

Buddy Knight | New York, New York USA | 03/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD contains tracks from a variety of musical genres, but overall it is an excellent example of early Rock n Roll, sometimes referred to as "Bubblegum". But even the "teenybop" material is done with an adult or pop focus. There are several strictly pop selections from the early fifties (Make Love To Me, Sail Along Silv'ry Moon, True Love, etc) and a few things from the first part of the 20th century. (Bye Bye Blackbird, Zing Went The Strings, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, etc). Most of the tracks were recorded in New York with Jack Pleis and many were produced by Owen Bradley in Nashville.Vocals are good, two-part harmony with some single lines here and there, showing that the Kalins are a "pop" big city version of other duos of obvious regional or ethnic musical origins such as The Everly Brothers (Country) or Marvin and Johnny (R&B). Several of their chartmakers are included, tracks such as "Forget Me Not", It's Only The Beginning", Sweet Sugar Lips" and their 1958 million seller "When". "When" has always been difficult to categorize. It is not really rock n roll, not really country and not really pop. (It hit the top ten in all three markets, Pop, Country and R&B.)"

So-So

Michael S. Kader | Maryland | 07/08/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This pair had only a couple of hits --- "When" being their

biggest, making it to # 5 on Billboard's Top Pop 100 chart

and well known and easily recognized by oldies music fans;

"Forget Me Not" making it to # 12, but seldom played on the

oldies stations so it's been largely forgotten in spite of its

title.

Their only other two charted songs ("It's Only The Beginning"

at # 42 and "Sweet Sugar Lips" at # 97) have been mostly

forgotten over the years.

I always liked "Jumpin' Jack", though it never made the charts.

The rest of the songs on this CD are basically just album

filler, many of them being OK, but overall just "So-So".

I bought a copy of this CD without regret. It has 30 tracks

and I recommend that anyone interested in it not pay over $15

for it, since it is available below that price.

Enjoy it --- I do!







"

Hits That Somehow Didn't Happen

Roy Robbins | Jamestown, NY | 10/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the 30 songs on this CD I can only wonder why several, instead of just "When", didn't become top ten hits. I was a teen during the fifties and enjoyed "When" at that time. I still enjoy it but I have to wonder how "Moody", "Bye,Bye Blackbird", and "It's Only The Beginning" never made it to the airwaves, at least as best I can remember. These guys are every bit as good at harmony as the Everly's! What I would most like to get is get the song "All I Have To Do Is Dream" by the Kalin Twins so that I could hear how they did with that number compared to Don and Phil. I have no doubt that they were at least as good, and I'm an Everly Brother's admirer!"