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1. Some Sing, Some Dance (752 k)
2. How Do You Know? (600 k)
3. Keep It Confidential
4. Hold It (680 k)
5. Lady Be Mine Tonight
6. Tears/Little Darlin'
7. Standing on the Edge of Goodbye (799 k)
8. Won't You Take a Ride
9. The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
10. You Send Your Lovin' With My Money
11. Brokenhearted
12. Time Race
13. Hold It
14. Cut It Out
15. No One Else Could Love Me
16. Story
17. Telegram Sam
18. So We Go (On & On) |
The Charles Beat (Best Of The Boston
Years 1977-1981 & Now)
"When I was living and performing
in Boston, a local writer asked me, 'How do you describe your music?'
Well, the Charles River separates Boston from Cambridge and joking around
in a play on the words Mersey Beat, I answered off the top of my head,
'The Charles Beat,' and it kind of stuck."
....Ray Paul
From his roots growing up in Rochester,New York, RAY PAUL was heavily
influenced by the energy and excitement created by the first British
Invasion, especially The Beatles, and the classic pop songwriting of
the '60's. After moving to Boston in August 1976, RAY PAUL released
two solo singles, and the album "Go Time" with his group RPM. This is
the music that makes up most of the 18 Track Collection "The Charles
Beat (Best Of The Boston Years 1977-1981 & Now)." After 15 years away
from the stage, RAY PAUL teamed up with pop legend EMITT RHODES to perform
together at the Poptopia Festival in Los Angeles in 1997. Recently,
RAY PAUL & EMITT recorded the brand new single (being worked at A/C
& AAA radio) which leads off "The Charles Beat" cd. RAY PAUL and a "Special
Guest All-Star Band" will be performing at the International Pop Overthrow
Festival in Los Angeles at The Gig in West L.A. on Saturday, July 22nd.
WHAT THE CRITICS WERE SAYING WAY BACK
WHEN:
"Boston club favorites
RAY PAUL & RPM have recorded an album and it blows away a good portion
of the recent offerings of the big-time labels. 'Go Time' is a fresh,
irresistible collection of well-crafted '60's-style pop tunes. RAY PAUL
has a McCartney-esque talent for melody...and best of all, PAUL & RPM
sound like they truly respect pop. There's no new wave pretension, no
'80's cynicism, just the energetic good will that made groups like The
Grass Roots and The Raspberries so great. There are so many satisfying
tracks here that it's difficult to pick favorites...it's state-of-the-art
pop."
....Joyce Millman
WHAT'S NEW/Boston,MA (October 1980)
"...RAY PAUL is still one of the very best power-poppers in the mold
of early Artful Dodger...from the ashes of the Badfinger-Stories-Raspberries-Wackers
school."
....JSF
OP/Seattle,WA (1981)
...AND NOW:
"This is a disc that gives true meaning to the phrase 'Power Pop.' The
music sounds as fresh and vital today as it did back when RAY PAUL &
RPM regularly captivated Boston audiences."
....David Bash
DISCOVERIES
"The most popular acts to come out of Beantown are undeniably Aerosmith,
The J. Geils Band and The Cars. However, one local scenester destined
for greatness on a national scale was Power Pop maven RAY PAUL. As leader
of RAY PAUL & RPM, and as a solo artist, the Paul McCartney look-alike
set the town ablaze with his fiery, visceral brand of Beatlesque Pop.
Now, 'The Charles Beat' provides ample proof that PAUL should have followed
in the footsteps of his more famous Boston musical comrades. The new
compilation is an excellent musical primer for this underated artist."
....Ken Sharp
THE ROCK REPORT/FMQB
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