Frankie Ford's one big hit, "Sea Cruise," may rank him as a one-hit wonder, but his tenure at Ace produced other material in the fine Crescent City tradition, loaded with
Ford's exuberant vocals and great playing from the New Orleans 1950s A-team of session stalwarts. The collection opens with take one of
Ford's great hit, different enough but really great, a true hit in the making. Both sides of his first Ace single ("Cheatin' Woman" b/w "Last One to Cry") follows that in fine fashion, and of course, the issued version of his big hit is here too. The majority of
Ford's later recordings find him trying for
Sinatra respectability via the
Bobby Darin route, but tunes like the undubbed take of "Hour of Need," "Watchdog" and "Morgus the Magnificent" (with a young
Mac Rebennack on lead guitar) are fine rocking and soulful additions to complete the big picture on this 27-track collection. ~ Cub Koda