ARTIST: The Archies       

TITLE:  The Archies

YEAR RELEASED: 1968

CHART ACTION: #88

SINGLES: Bang-Shang-A-Lang (#22)

OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Everything’s Archie

LINEUP: Ron Dante, Toni Wine, Ellie Greenwich, Andy Kim and session pros

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: An album from the cartoon band featuring real songs played on their cartoon show.

SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: This is the first release from Riverdale High’s favorite band, and sound extremely slick and professional for a band with two guitars, a keyboard player, a tambourine banger, and a drummer. Oh, wait…

These songs are pure bubblegum concoctions mostly written and produced by Jeff Barry, recorded by crack session players, and with lead vocals by Ron Dante as Archie Andrews. They’re all bright and catchy tunes, of course, though their slow songs are a bit overwrought like teenage love.

Not essential at all, but I’m a bubblegum fan so I dig this. Your mileage may vary.

NOTES & MINUTIAE: Don Kirchner was the executive producer, and he learned from his debacle with the Monkees – cartoons can’t exercise creative control over their song choices.

IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No

GRADE: C+: It’s first rate bubblegum. Slight, yes, but some songs really rip (well, as ripping as a cartoon band can be….)