The Drivin' Dynamics are the sound of early-'60s Nebraska freshman mixers, supermarket openings, and drive-ins. The sound of Anytown, U.S.A., rendered in lo-fi glory, covering all the staples (
Chuck Berry,
Jimmy Reed, Larry Williams,
the Ventures) and all the bases ("Tequila!," "You Send Me," "Kansas City," "Do You Wanna Dance"). The band features future country rock/soft rock paragon
Randy Meisner on bass and vocals. That is the main reason this disc collecting the band's recordings is on the shelves now. A few of the tunes like the sweet ballad "Hurt Me" and the chiming "Stick With Me Baby" would sound pretty good on a Nuggets-style comp, though the rest are nothing too special. 1001 Nights is nonessential but fun, a document of an innocent era that barely existed. Next time you throw a kegger or a toga party with Bluto, Boon, and the crew, give the Drivin' Dynamics a call. Just keep the giant lead singer (identity uncredited in the liners) away from the keg if you want there to be enough to go around. [The Sound City Music and Rev-ola collections are basically the same, with the former having two extra tracks.] ~ Tim Sendra