Search - The 5th Dimension :: The Ultimate 5th Dimension

This person is tone deaf

Jonathan W. Schult | Mass. Park, NY | 12/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The review of 1/30/2004 claims that this collection is marred by poor sound - nothing could be further from the truth. I own ALL of the 5th Dimension Soul City and Bell albums on CD, including the compilations, and I assure everyone reading this review that "The Ultimate 5th Dimension" is a first-rate collection, sounding just as good as the 1997 "Definitive Collection", and THAT was 20-bit remastered by Bob Irwin at Sundazed Music. If you don't want to pop for the double-disc set, you CANNOT go wrong buying this. Pop it in your CD player and prepare to be wowed."

Way, Way, Way too groovy!

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 10/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"O.K. I'm not going to compare this to the other compilation...

I'm just going to tell you what I think of this on:

Wow... totally groovy man ! And what yummy mastering !

Blast it and you will be taken into another world.



All of this said, I must admit, the 5'th Dimension were one American Musical Institution that were not so easy to put your finger on... I mean, they pretty much defied the soul of virtually every genre they touched and had a sound that was strictly their own. Admittedly, at one time I tended to dismiss them as "bubble-gum", but then over the years more and more songs from their repertoire began to sneak onto my frequently play list.

Perhaps it was seeing them do "PUPPET MAN" on a repeat of some 70's TV action/show (?) that initially led me to go after there stuff (as opposed to hearing it on the radio.) Years later, "LOVE'S LINES CIRCLES AND LINES" bought me back again. (Like most people, "UP UP AND AWAY", "AQUARIUS" and "ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER" were how I first came to notice them.)



Anyway, combining a groovy look, unique "lush" vocal harmony sound (a strange blend of jazz and pop, but backed by WAY extremely kicking orchestrations) - - the FIFTH were a group with a strong visual image and tight sound... from "The smiling fat guy with the beard" to the ultra/hot/foxy Marilyn McCoo (yowzums) - - Another interesting thing about the group is that even though they did have Bill Davis, a very traditional SOUL WAILER, it was really the harmonies and Marilyn McCoo's sweet voice, and the overall interaction of the group that made them great.



I could go on and on talking about my favorite tunes from the album, why I like them, and how much I appreciate the mix, but won't... I'll only say one thing: This album is a wild incense and peppermint/Brady Bunch hip trip back to the 70's... and though the music is timeless, it has one other thing in common with the 70's: If you're old enough to remember it, you may recalling hating it then... but now, really really really loving and missing it... To me, that's what the Fifth is all about: A group that grows on you ridiculously...



*P.S. Baby, send me back in a time machine... I wanna steal Marilyn from Billy!"