Thanks to exposure via television's Nat King Cole Show,
the Hi-Lo's Columbia debut proved to be the group's commercial breakthrough, a somewhat surprising distinction given that it's also their most eclectic and challenging effort to date. Reuniting with conductor
Frank Comstock, the
Hi-Lo's continue to challenge the formal limitations of the group harmony aesthetic -- their vocals go up, down, and side-to-side, yet
Gene Puerling's arrangements are unerring, walking the tightrope between chaos and control with absolute assurance. However, for all its flights of fancy
Suddenly It's the Hi-Lo's remains a human and heartfelt affair, never substituting acrobatics for emotion. Renditions of perennials like "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries," "Stormy Weather," and "Love Walked In" are both innovative and immediately accessible.