West Virginia cave. Adopted by the family of the town's vet, Edgar--as he comes to be known--actually goes on to acquire an education and even falls in love with the vet's daughter, all the while struggling to keep his blood thirst under control. Things end tragically--unsurprisingly, interspecies romance is still battling considerable prejudice in this country. Composer-lyricist Laurence O'Keefe came up with catchy songs that owe a lot to late 1960s and early '70s rock musicals such as Godspell and even The Rocky Horror Show . Skillfully walking the thin line between over-the-top camp and actual emotion, O'Keefe has written a wonderful little musical that cleverly deals with issues of difference and community values. As weird as it sounds, we foresee quite a future for Bat Boy in amateur pr...  (less)

Forces Radio Service from which much of this material hails (now, that’s our kind of patriots!). We’d put their harmonies right up there with the Ink Spots, Mills Brothers and Charioteers, and this CD is one of the only places you’ll hear them, as they’ve been sadly underrepresented on CD. A hot Collectors’ Choice Music exclusive, annotated and with great sound! Includes five tracks cut with Mildred Bailey on the Rockin’ Chair Rhythm show, There’ll Be Some Changes Made; It All Comes Back to Me Now; Give Me Some Skin; Georgia on My Mind, and Bugle Woogie, plus Dry Bones; Jersey Bounce; Trav’lin Light; Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby; Knock Me a Kiss; One O’Clock Jump; Take the A Train (the Delta Rhythm Boys specialized in writing lyrics for the great jazz!...  (less)

Bette Midler first rose to fame in the early '70s when her first two albums for Atlantic Records soared to the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. Decades of success later, the "Divine Miss M" is as popular as ever, with her sensational new Las Vegas revue - "The Showgirl Must Go On" at Caesar's Palace - adding to her global renown. Midler's new Rhino retrospective "The Best Bette", her most comprehensive single-disc anthology to date is an essential compilation of hits and favourites. It's an ideal way to experience the divine, and features classics including the US Top 10 smashes "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "From A Distance" plus the GRAMMY-winning songs "The Rose" and "Wind Beneath My Wings". Also featured is "Cool Yu...  (less)

that the boomer pinup boy has continued his metamorphosis. Signed to Jive Records, the label that spawned the careers of Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, Bolton enlists the services of Swedish pop Svengali Max Martin, the man who penned Spears's "Oops!... I Did It Again" and the Backstreet Boys' "Shape of My Heart." Superstar producer Mutt Lange wrote the title track and manned the boards, while Lange's spouse, Shania Twain, and Richard Marx made writing contributions. As a result, Bolton has ended up with a pop confection that could top a cake. Ardent, heartfelt, and as transparent as a bride's peignoir, Only a Woman Like You for the most part shows the singer at his very best. Like a hero lifted out of the pages of a Harlequin rom...  (less)

barbershop quartets of a previous era, were an innovation in '30s popular music, arguably laying the groundwork for '50s doo-wop and by extension even the music of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync (but don't hold that against them!). This collection serves as a good introduction to the Mills Brothers' legacy, serving up a dozen of their infectious hits, a few of which ("Lazy River," "You Always Hurt the One You Love") still stand among the definitive renditions of the classic American songbook. And what other band has had a seven-decade career (their sons, nephews, and grandsons now filling the ranks), scoring Top 40 hits ("Paper Doll" and "Cab Driver") 46 years apart? --Jerry McCulley  (less)

WRITE THE SONGS2) TRYIN' TO GET THE FEELING AGAIN 8) AS SURE AS I'M STAND-3) WHY DON'T WE LIVE TOGETHER ING HERE4) BANDSTAND BOOGIE 9) A NICE BOY LIKE ME5) YOU'RE LEAVING TOO SOON 10) LAY ME DOWN6) SHE'S A STAR 11) BEAUTIFUL MUSIC  (less)