Dobie Gray

This is one of several Dobie Gray compilations on the market, all of which have something to recommend them, but Out on the Floor With the In Crowd is particularly notable for featuring all of Gray's '60s sides for Cordak, Charger, and White Whale Records in one place. That includes not only the two cuts referred to in the CD's title, but also the ethereal "No Room to Cry" and his rousing debut Cordak single, "Look at Me"; the Motown-style dance number "See You at the Go-Go"; and "In Hollywood," a semi-autobiographical song that vaguely resembles "On Broadway" in its tempo and arrangement. The White Whale sides, coming a couple of years after the Charger singles, offer smoother sounds, more elaborate production, and a looser, freer definition of soul, encompassing numbers such an early recording of Joe South's "Rose Garden," which subsequently became a hit for Lynn Anderson; the string-accompanied "Where's the Girl Gone?"; the horn-dominated, ebullient "What a Way to Go"; and the achingly beautiful and dramatic "Guess Who." The sound is excellent throughout and the notes by Chris Bolton are nicely detailed, and as a mid-priced item it's a bargain on every level. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide