I came across this album when I was trying to put together some Halloween music to get in the right mood to assist in the dispensing of candies to costumed visitors (when I would rather be saving the candy for myself) and I came across the Mighty Echoes cover of "Monster Mash." We are talking about the definitive Halloween song with "Monster Mash," but it was refreshing to hear a slightly different version of the classic novelty hit done by a quartet of guys who can really sing and sing a cappella.

Actually, while all of these albums are done in the Doo Wop style of four-part harmony, very few of them were originally considered Doo Wop songs (e.g., "Sh-Boom" and "Blue Moon"). Yet you will be hard pressed to remember that songs like "Fools Fall in Love," "Teenager in Love," and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," were not always considered Doo Wop songs once you hear them done by the Mighty Echoes. "Monster Mash" is a prime example of a song that you could well like a lot better than the original, while "Remember When" and "What Time Is It?" are other candidates as well. As you would expect, this is a fun album, and if you are like me you can pick and choose which of the four vocal parts you can try and sing along with (I can never stick with one for long and usually end up touching on all four by the time the song is done). The Mighty Echoes also push the envelope a bit in terms of the Doo Wop style on songs like "Do You Love Me," where the lead vocalist goes off of his own a bit more.

The Mighty Echoes been performing since 1986 and the current line up for the group consists of bass Charles Davis, tenor John Lathan, high tenor Jon Rubin, and baritone Harvey Shield. "Doo Wop Til You Drop" is apparently a re-released of the group's third album, "A Cappella Doo-Wop, Vol. 2," which was originally released on Primarily A Cappella. Hopefully the move to a new label will result in their other albums getting a second chance with a bigger audience as well. If you have enjoyed the Doo Wop style for a long time, and it is not exactly a musical approach that is continuing to gain fans today, then you will want to check out this album.

So what is the best a-capella album I've ever heard? That would be "Strike 3" by the Alley Cats. These two albums are heads and tails above the rest. Once you have listened to these songs, you'll realize that they contain the most pure, the most polished, and the most authentic doo wop sound you've ever heard. With these two albums you will hear deep resonant bases, incredible falsettos, and beautiful ballads. The best versions on this album are "What's Your Name", "Fools Fall in Love", and "Under the Boardwalk", but they're all great! Other rival doo wop groups can harmonize, but usually lack a top notch soloist. Trust me on this one! You'll love these albums so much, you'll be tempted to buy a more powerful stereo just so you can crank these songs to a new level! On a side note, the Mighty Echoes were featured on an episode of "Who's the Boss" with Tony Danza many years ago. One warning though: When making future purchaces by this group, be aware that the Mighty Echoes have experienced numerous personnel changes over the last five years.