Copyright 1997 by Michael "Doc Rock" Kelly

This album has been long awaited by Jan & Dean fans. About 30 years. Because that is how long it has been since the tragic car crash that nearly ended Jan Berry's life and his career as a rock singer, writer, producer, and arranger.

Since his amazing albeit incomplete recovery, Jan has toured and recorded both with and without his old pard Dean Torrence. But this is Jan's first solo album, and it is an intriguing mix of old and mew material, all presented with a new spin.

First the old. Of the 14 tracks, four are new recordings of classic Jan & Dean hits "Surf City," "Dead Man's Curve," "Honolulu," and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena." Wisely, Jan did not try to recreate the old "Wall of Surf" records he made with Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew. Instead, he made totally new recordings, with a fresh approach and modern instrumentation. He even wrote some new verses and additional instrumental breaks, making each song up to a minute longer than it was before.

It's fun to have a new twist on some old songs, and Jan shows that he recognizes the novelty-nature of these songs as he opens the first one, "Little Old Lady," with a giggle! The modern arrangements bring a fresh perspective to the old songs.

For my part, I can't help but wonder if these versions will someday be played by mistake on oldies stations?

The bulk of the CD consists of new songs written by Jan and his friend and associate producer, Rob Kuropatwa. "Spring Break" is obviously inspired by the many Spring Break concerts Jan & Dean have performed on Padre Island over the decades. The song is a highlight of the disc, and a bonus track on the CD is an alternate mix of "Spring Break."

"Get That Girl," which opens the CD, is extremely catchy. The kinds of hooks and changes that Jan used to build into his old records are immediately apparent in these new compositions.

And Jan can still build amazing harmonies. "Hawaiian Isles" for one has been running through my head since I got the CD and played it though. It is classic Jan.

There were always one or two slow songs on every Jan & Dean album. Here, "Oh, the Love Inside Me" and "Love Her Tonight" are the ballads.

"She's Dancing" was written by Jan on an airplane flight with Dick St. John of Dick and Deedee fame. It is one of the more uptempo songs of the set, with a catchy drum beat and chorus of "Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing." When Jan intones the spoken line, "Her moves are out of sight," it is 100% Jan Berry.

A couple of the songs feature Randy Crenshaw performing a line or two of rap. This sure ain't the '60s -- although there was that prophetic recitation in the middle of "Dead Man's Curve," come to think of it.

There are two other surprises on this CD that in itself is quite a surprise. The first is "Get A Job," on which Jan performs his most nimble vocal. It was a hit by the Silhouettes back when Jan and Dean were first starring their career, and was done solo by Dean in the late '70s. Jan's version has a new, updated rhythm, and stands out as one of the most pleasing cuts on the album, once the listener's ears let go of the original.

The other is the finale, a Baskin-Robbins commercial featuring both Jan & Dean called "31 Flavors, 31 Years." It is an extremely rare Jan & Dean item, available to most fans here for the first time.

Jan's strong suit was always as a writer/arranger/producer, not as a vocalist. He always used background singers freely, including the Honeys, the Beach Boys, the Fantastic Baggies, and the Matadors. He performs all of the lead vocals here, and his voice still carries appeal for his fans. There are also a lot of supporting voices on the CD, including three males and two females.

The CD is impossible to categorize. Suffice to say that it is a tribute to Jan's perseverance and talent that this project was possible. After decades of hearing the old Jan & Dean sound, the thoughtful listener quickly gets over the differences in Jan's new sound (it has been 30 years, after all!), and soon realizes that Jan "still has it."

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