The Del-Vetts - The Del-Vetts (2008)

All six tracks from the Del-Vetts' three singles are on this nine-track, 10" LP, which also includes the three songs that were released on the pair of 45s issued by the group the Del-Vetts evolved into, Pride and Joy. As expected, "Last Time Around," one of the finest '60s garage rock songs of all, is the clear highlight, though Pride and Joy's "If You're Ready" is almost as fine, and has a similar fusion of tough guitar snarl and good pop hooks. The other songs are somewhat surprisingly tamer and more derivative, though they aren't bad, including a tender Byrds-like/Dylanesque folk-rocker by lead singer Jim Lauer ("That's the Way It Is") and covers of the Righteous Brothers' "Little Latin Lupe Lu" and the mild Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil pop/rocker "We Got a Long Way to Go." There's also an assortment of tunes by band friend Dennis Dahlquist (author of "Last Time Around" and "If You're Ready") that show more debts to surf and pop than the two songs for which the Del-Vetts/Pride and Joy are most famed. The back sleeve liner notes include comments by drummer Roger Deatherage.~© Richie Unterberger /TiVo