Search - The Applejacks :: Applejacks

Fine Compilation of a Competent Group

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 10/30/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Applejacks the Birminham area in England released one album and six singles on Decca during 1964-65. Musically the group could easily have been from Liverpool, since there is a lot of Merseybeat feel in their music.



The group is probably best known for being the act that was given the opportunity to release the Lennon/McCartney song "Like Dreamers Do". The song is not among the most interesting early Beatles songs, but the Applejacks version did just reach the top twenty in 1964.



The song wasn't the Applejacks' biggest hit, though. The debut single "Tell Me When" reached the seventh place in the spring of 1964. "Tell Me When" sounds a lot like Billy J Kramer, who also had his most succesful time these years.



This collection contains all the group's Decca releases, and the group was clearly a tight and competent band, but they probably sounded a little too much like Liverpool bands the Mersybeats or the Swinging Blue Jeans to really make it big. Moreover the group did not write their material, and therefore had to rely on songs given to them by other songwriters.



Among these songs several were written or co-written by a young Pete Dello, known for his time with the Honeybus. Most of these songs are actually quite good; especially the fine waltzy ballad "Over Suzanne" and "Make Up or Break Up". "Over Suzanne" would probably choice for a single than most of the songs that were actually chosen.



The standout song was written by Ray Davies of the Kinks; unbelieveable that this great recording was not able to bring the group back into the charts when released in 1965.



The group's final Decca single, also from 1965 and written by Pete Dello, did not make it either, though it sounds like something that could have been a hit, it probably already sounded a bit dated compared to what the Beatles, the Who and all the other great innovative band released this year.



I'm pretty sure fans of the early Merseybeat sound will find a lot to enjoy on this collection. There are a couple of tracks that can be hard to listen to; especially a silly version of "Hello Josephine""