In the shorthand of compilation albums and oldies radio, Jan & Dean sprung into the world fully-formed with the 1963 chart-topper "Surf City," and proceeded to unwind a string of surf and drag hits that included "Honolulu Lulu," "Drag City," "Dead Man's Curve," "The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena)," "Ride the Wild Surf," and "Sidewalk Surfin'." And together with the Beach Boys, they defined the sunshine drenched Southern California sound of 1963 and 1964. And while their well-known singles were a fundamental element of the West Coast pop revolution, there's a lot more to the Jan & Dean story, before, during and after their most celebrated sides were waxed. This collection of singles (A's and B's) recorded by Jan and Dean for Liberty between 1962 and 1966 provides ear-opening insight to the duo's pre-stardom gestation, the experiments and advances that paralleled their hit-making years, and the artistic reach that extended past their radio-friendly hits.

Though Jan & Dean had recorded ten singles (and achieved two hits) before signing with Liberty, the initial sides for their new label still found them searching for a unique sound and identity. They opened their relationship with Liberty by revisiting the pop doo-wop they'd practiced in the late '50s, recording the '40s standard "Sunday Kind of Love" in the footsteps of both the Harptones and Del Vikings. Jan & Dean's take follows the latter's upbeat approach, but with a solo vocal and a clownish band arrangement. The duo's next outing, "Tennessee." was even goofier, with "ba ba ba" backing vocals, stomping percussion and a roaring sax solo. Switching to Brill Building material, they cut the Mann & Weil ballad "My Favorite Dream" and gave a rock 'n' roll twist to Barry Mann's "Who Put the Bomp" on the flip; both sides disappeared without a trace.

Their Christmas single, "Frosty the Snowman" and its doo-wop flip-side "She's Still Talking Baby Talk" (a sequel to their 1959 hit "Baby Talk"), perpetuate the sense that Jan, Dean and their producers were still fishing for good ideas. That good idea turned out to be an imitation of the 4 Seasons with "Linda," borrowing the Jersey boys' rhythm and falsetto trademarks and finally riding back into the top-20. Continuing to capitalize on popular trends, their next single, the Jan Berry/Brian Wilson-penned "Surf City" not only took them to the top of the charts, but defined their enduring image and sound. In just over 2-1/2 minutes, Jan & Dean painted the sort of idyllic Southern California life that would sell millions of records on both coasts and in the landlocked states in between. Interestingly, the trademark falsetto on this track was neither Jan nor Dean, but Tony Minichiello; co-writer Brian Wilson can also be heard on the song's catch-line.

Riding the wave of surf and drag sounds, Jan & Dean released six more hits in a row before their chart action started to fade at the end of 1964. Throughout thia run they added fine B-sides to their singles, including the jaunty Gary Lewis-styled "When I Learn How to Cry," the sweet, sunshine "She's My Summer Girl," the 4 Seasons-ish "Someday (You'll Go Walking By)," the hilarious "Alley Oop" rewrite "Schlock Rod (Part 1)," and the Beach Boys styled "The New Girl in School" (which hit #37 as a flipside!). But even as their hits charted lower in the top-40 in 1965 and early 1966, Jan Berry was developing arrangements and production techniques (and using Los Angeles studio players) that were in league with Phil Spector and Brian Wilson. He layered vocals and instrumentation on sophisticated productions like "When It's Over," "You Really Know How to Hurt a Guy" and "A Beginning From An End." The latter is one of the duo's stranger picks for an A-side, given its story of a wife dying in childbirth. Even more strangely, it charted to #109! The B-sides also gave Berry a chance for humor with the "Surf City" rewrite "Folk City," and the manic car-song send-up "Bucket T."

Jan Berry's car crash in April of 1966 effectively ended the duo's recording career, with Liberty releasing their last major chart hit, the bubblegum doo-wop "Popsicle," as the B-side of "Norwegian Wood." Two more singles went nowhere, and Jan & Dean ended their run on Liberty. Gathered here are all of Jan & Dean's Liberty singles, remastered from the original mono tapes (that is, the AM-ready mixes that mattered), augmented by Jan Berry's 1965 solo single (the ironic anti-protest song, "The Universal Coward" b/w "I Can't Wait to Love You") and a scrapped B-side ("The Submarine Races"). Ed Osborne's liner notes are superb, as are the photos (CD-booklet small as they are) and reproductions of 7" single picture sleeves.

There's more to the Jan & Dean story in both their pre- and post-Liberty years, and in their album tracks, but as a pop act recording in the AM-radio singles era, this is an interesting way to view their career, particularly with the inclusion of the B-sides. Everything here has appeared on CD somewhere else, an album or a compilation, but never before have all the original mono mixes been laid end-to-end. A more encompassing collection that picks up select earlier sides might be more interesting to the Jan & Dean neophyte, but anyone interested in their most productive years will relish the opportunity to hear all the Liberty singles in a row. [©2008 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]