Gary Puckett & the Union Gap - Greatest Hits [Deluxe] (CA)

All Music Guide

Despite ~High Fidelity magazine's John Gabree drifting hither and yon in the liner notes, the scribe finds redemption by noting that "(producer) Jerry Fuller is like a sixth member of The Gap." Indeed he was, with "Over You," "Young Girl," and "Lady Willpower" making up the second, third, and fourth hits from this band, all gold singles, and all written by Fuller, the man who played a big part in creating the Union Gap sound. All six of their Top 15 hits are here, all coming into the consciousness of the world between December of 1967 and September of 1969, 21 months of chart activity packing a powerful punch as part of the 11 sides collected on this initial Greatest Hits package. Gary Usher's "Don't Give in to Him" followed Fuller's classic (and arguably the group's most solid cut ) "Over You," while Tim Hardin's "Don't Make Promises" ends this album. That it follows "Let's Give Adam and Eve Another Chance" is, well, interesting to note. Gary Puckett had a big but smooth radio voice, ...a presence distinctive from everything else on the airwaves at the time. That the final Top 40 hit, "This Girl Is a Woman Now," was arranged and conducted by Ernie Freeman, the fellow who worked with Vikki Carr, Petula Clark, and so many others, indicates the level of class this important '60s artist surrounded himself with. Still, the band -- or at least the vocalist -- seemed deserving and capable of so much more airplay that this compilation seems like an unfinished symphony. Fuller's "Give In," from the Incredible album, would have been a better choice than Withem and Chater's tune "Reverend Posey," while a couple of Puckett renditions of standards would have fit the bill better than some of the other choices here, but perhaps that was part of what being a band was all about. Puckett remains a major talent years after this album made its mark, and how many recording artists can say they have six references to three feminine words strung out over half a dozen hits -- the word "woman" (used three times in the six titles), "girl" (used twice), and "lady" (once)? You wonder why Gary is such a heartthrob A valuable 30 minutes of late-'60s pop. - Joe Viglione, All Music Guide Read more Less