Four Seasons Greatest Hits Vol. 2 CD

The mid-'60s were a time of transition for Franki Valli and the Four Seasons. The teen market had put Valli on the map, but he knew that teenagers turn into adults, so he gradually shifted his focus from teen pop to a more mature and middle of the road (although still quite sugary) approach that incorporated influences ranging from Motown and the Beach Boys to the British Invasion. This new outlook would be reflected not only in his work with the Four Seasons, but also in the solo career he launched in 1965. Spanning 1964-1978, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 spotlights an edgier Valli than you'll generally find on Vol. 1. This CD ranges from Four Seasons hits such as 1964's "Rag Doll," 1966's "Working My Way Back to You" (which is so Motown-ish that it was a logical choice for the Spinners in 1979), and 1975's Beach Boys-influenced "Who Loves You" to solo favorites like "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (1967), "My Eyes Adored You (1974), the disco-ish "Swearin' to God" (1975), and the funky "Grease" (1978). Rock critics hated the fact that much of Valli's solo output was so unapologetically sentimental, but then, he never made records to please critics or intellectuals. Commercial pop was Valli's forte, and Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 points to the fact that he could do it with likable if less-than-stunning results. ~ Alex Henderson