Starting with the gentle folk-rock of "Where Were You When I Needed You" in 1965, followed by the sitar-laced "Let's Live for Today," the Grass Roots seemed like a simple, more pop-oriented version of the Byrds, but with 1968's "Midnight Confessions," they took a turn in the Motown direction, and following the sleek, sexy "Temptation Eyes" in 1971, they ended up sounding more like the prototype for Hall & Oates. In the end, their best singles survive on the oldies radio stations because they are solidly produced, and at a ...
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Starting with the gentle folk-rock of "Where Were You When I Needed You" in 1965, followed by the sitar-laced "Let's Live for Today," the Grass Roots seemed like a simple, more pop-oriented version of the Byrds, but with 1968's "Midnight Confessions," they took a turn in the Motown direction, and following the sleek, sexy "Temptation Eyes" in 1971, they ended up sounding more like the prototype for Hall & Oates. In the end, their best singles survive on the oldies radio stations because they are solidly produced, and at a time when social relevance seemed to be the flavor, the Grass Roots sang about sex and lust in an only slightly veiled style, making them a tremendous guilty pleasure. This brief set, unfortunately, seems to feature rather pallid re-recorded versions of "Midnight Confessions" and "Temptation Eyes," and the song selection hardly qualifies as the best the group had to offer. Rhino's two-disc Anthology remains the last word. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi
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