The Nylons - Happy Together (1987)

Because I'm a sucker for an album I heard a couple of times in college, especially when it's sitting in a clearance bin marked 50¢.

The most successful album released by the Canadian vocal quartet and most likely my first exposure to the group. Heck, they had a video getting played on MTV or VH1 and one of those channels was constantly on the house TV as background noise until something caught our ear or eye. A capella groups were rare back then, so this sort of stuff caught my ear. 7 originals - sort of updated doo-wop - and 3 covers done with expert precision forgoing autotune and other production gimmicks. (I can forgive the electronic percussion. It was the '80s.) If you appreciate vocal talent, it's still worth a spin every now and then.

For what it's worth, I discovered this album is one of only seven albums released on the Open Air label (four of those seven by The Nylons). More on that history here: Open Air Records on A&M Records.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "New tunes have appeal, but biggest draws will be the three '60s songs."
• CashBox: "a clutch of classic remakes joins a fistful of tasty originals."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (1997): ★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #43
• Billboard CD: #25
• Rolling Stone: #30

Tracks: As both Billboard and CashBox suggest, the hits were covers and rightly so. Kiss Him Goodbye was the group's only US Top 40 hit, peaking at #12 on the Hot 100 and #10 on the adult contemporary chart. But I prefer the title track (#75 pop, #16 AC). The other '60s cover is track 4, Sam Cooke's Chain Gang. Of the originals, my picks are Dance Of Love, Face In The Crowd, and Crazy In Love.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I don't remember anything more than hearing this music at the house I rented during the my junior and senior years in college. I'm guessing one of my roommates - either Randy or Eric - owned this album. My money is on Eric.

Previously revisited for the blog:
One Size Fits All (1982)

The Nylons - One Size Fits All (1982)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a LP, later replaced by a CD. The album was originally issued in the quartet's native Canada in 1982. From what I can figure, it was initially released in the US on Open Air Records in late 1984. If I'm wrong about that, please correct me.

Regardless of the above release history, I picked up a vinyl copy of this album in or about 1987 and it got plenty of play on my turntable around that time. A fantastic, albeit brief, a capella album from a male Canadian quartet. Catchy as all get-out. In a similar vein as Pentatonix but with better arrangements, without as many production gimmicks, and infinitely more enjoyable - to this guy, at least.

Today's useless trivia: according to Billboard, the group was named

International Chartbreakers of the Year by the Society of Record Dealers for the Benelux countries. The award is for their Attic LP, 'One Size Fits All,' and the single "That Kind of Man." The award is a tri-national one and the highest honor possible for an international act in the Netherlands.

Who knew? Plus, I just learned the term Benelux.

A few well-chosen covers, but mostly originals in a doo-wop/pop style. My wife loves the Pitch Perfect movie series and these recordings are so much better and believable than what's in those movies (please don't tell her I said so). Sure, it's no Take 6, but that's a high standard to set.

Of the four group members on this recording, only one is still with the group as of this writing (tenor Claude Morrison). The quartet's big break in the US would come later with a couple of singles from 1987's Happy Together album, including the title track and a cover of Steam's Kiss Him Goodbye.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "sleekly updated a capella style"
• CashBox: "an eclectic and soulful effort"

photo from CD booklet

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• CashBox CD: #27

Tracks: My favorite track has always been Up The Ladder To The Roof, but that's just one of many good tunes. The top tier also includes the aforementioned That Kind Of Man, the doo-wop classic Silhouettes, Please, and Romance (If I Can Get It). Of the 10 tracks on the album, the only one I don't care for is track 4, Prince Of Darkness. The whole album clocks in at only 30 minutes, so it should be heard in its entirety.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This album, particularly the song Romance (If I Can Get It), reminds me of the brief time when I was involved in an extremely addictive relationship during my junior year of college.