PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS FEATURING MARK LINDSAY; "The Complete Columbia Singles" (Collector's Choice/Sony) ★★★
If the 1971 No. 1 hit "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" is all you know about Paul Revere & the Raiders, this three-CD box set will open your eyes and ears to a whole new dimension of the band, which hailed from Portland, Ore.
The group, also known for its Revolutionary War costumes, was among the Pacific Northwest music boom in the early 1960s that also featured the Kingsmen and the Ventures.
Formed by Idaho native Paul Revere and lead singer Mark Lindsay, the band's early work was staple of go-go dancing, night-club rock and pop.
The box set kicks off with the band's version of "Louie Louie," which was a No. 2 hit for the Kingsmen in 1963. But the "Louie Louie" story continued with Paul Revere & the Raiders' follow-up tunes "Louie — Go Home," which is in this set.
This collection also includes the band's first top 5 hit "Kicks," the first major hit in the history of rock 'n' roll to contain an anti-drug message.
"Hungry," "The Great Airplane Strike" and "Good Thing" are the major hits featured on the first disc.
Disc 2 standouts include "Ups and Downs," "Him or Me — What's It Gonna Be?" "I Had a Dream," "Peace of Mind," "Too Much Talk" and "Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon," to name a few.
Of course, Disc 3 contains "Indian Reservation" but also lesser-known hits, such as "Birds of a Feather" and "Country Wine."
Some of the non-charting hits are some of the band's more interesting works. The story ditty of "Observation from Flight 285 (in ¾ Time)" and "The Legend of Paul Revere," which recaps the band's history, are examples of the band's creativity — especially songwriter Mark Lindsay.
During the '60s and '70s, Paul Revere & the Raiders held their ground during the British Invasion. And this box set not only shows the quality of the songs, but also serves as a nice trip into the past.
e-mail: scott@desnews.com