The first-ever set we've seen dedicated to the overlooked doo wop genius of The
Cardinals – a group that recorded for Atlantic Records in the same generation as The Drifters and The Clovers, but never received a full LP treatment by the label! We've always felt that lack is one of the reasons why The
Cardinals never got the later exposure they deserved – because, as you'll hear here, they're a tremendous quintet – with especially sublime harmonies on the mellower numbers, which they make shine and sparkle in a way that rivals the early 50s best of The Orioles! Yet they're also pretty great on the groovers – able to move upbeat, but still retain the warmth of their vocals – really making them a perfect fit for Atlantic Records in the pre-soul years. The set includes all their recordings, and even includes a few rare demo tracks too – and titles include "I Won't Make You Cry Anymore", "The Bump", "Lovely Girl", "For A While", "Offshore", "Come Back My Love", "Under A Blanket Of Blue", "Wheel Of Fortune", "The Door Is Still Open", "I'll Always Love You", "The End Of The Story", and "One Love".