Varese Records
2000
Shake It Up, Baby
About This Album
If you've been collecting Isley Brothers compilations over the years, you might not be enthused at the prospect of getting "Shout," "Twist and Shout," "Nobody But Me," "Respectable," and "Twistin' with Linda" for the second or third time. Indeed, 12 of these 16 cuts show up on Sundazed's reissue of the Twist & Shout album. That consideration aside, this is a good compilation of their early years, spanning the late '50s to the early '60s, and focusing mostly on the sides they cut for Wand. In fact, it's all from Wand, except for the key early RCA sides "Shout" and "Respectable"; there's nothing from their UA or T-Neck sessions. Overall, this collection represents the Isleys at their most untamed and gospel-R&B-informed, though it's definitely rock & roll, with a pop appeal added by New York production and outside songwriters like Bert Berns. As for the sides you might not have yet on CD if you're an Isley Brothers fan, the two to look out for are their nice cover of "Make It Easy on Yourself" (which wasn't released until it showed up on an Ace import in 1990) and the upbeat, so-so 1964 single "I'm Laughing to Keep From Crying." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 and 15)

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