Dr Hook: Hits And History

9:43am Thursday 29th March 2007

(Capitol/EMI) ****

DENNIS Locorriere is right on song when it comes to value.

Founder member and The Voice of Dr Hook, Locorriere offers a 23-track CD plus a further 14 in DVD format, as he traces the band's development from the late Sixties until they went their separate ways after the heady days of Sylvia's Mother, Cover Of The Rolling Stone et al, to the hard-up times which spawned the wickedly ironic album, Millionaire. From the heart-wrenching (The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan) to the heart-warming (Years From Now) with bags of humour and masses of conviction, Dr Hook's songs are graced by the gloriously sexy, husky-tremulous voice of Locorriere, the working-class lad from New York.

Here he pays tribute to the musicians who made Dr Hook such a musically distinctive band.

Most of the best songs are featured including When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Sexy Eyes, A Little Bit More, More Like The Movies and my gut-wrenching favourite, Carrie Me, Carrie. Is he just cashing in on old success? No, he is paying his dues to a motley crew of fine musicians and even finer songs. What the hell? Get Hooked!

• Tony McKinstry

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