The Best of the Crystals

Still the definitive Crystals retrospective nearly a decade after its release, ABKCO's The Best of the Crystals gathers their most beloved singles, including "Uptown," "He's a Rebel," "Da Doo Ron," and "Then He Kissed Me"; the infamous withdrawn single "He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)"; and relatively obscure songs such as "What a Nice Way to Turn 17," "Look in My Eyes," and "I Wonder." The way the collection presents the Crystals' work in more or less chronological order helps trace the group's development and also allows somewhat lesser-known songs like "Heartbreaker," "Girls Can Tell," and "Another Country -- Another World" more equal footing among the group's classic tracks. Though the He's a Rebel bootleg offers an even more complete collection of the group's output, The Best of the Crystals remains the best legitimate retrospective of their pioneering work. ~ Heather Phares