One gets the feeling that, as 1966 drew to a close amid an incredible acceleration of innovations in the pop and rock world, the Hollies felt the need to prove themselves capable of artistic growth despite having established a very winning formula. For Certain Because… was their first album entirely composed of original material, and it echoed pop's increased sophistication with fuller, more adventurous arrangements and more personal, folk-rock-influenced compositions. Such was the intense competition of the time that this record couldn't hope to take on Revolver, Aftermath, or Face to Face, but it nevertheless remains an admirable effort that may stand as the group's most accomplished album (greatest-hits packages excepted) of the '60s. The Hollies were very much a pop group and didn't let their somewhat more sober and introspective compositions stand in the way of their glittering harmonies and jangling guitars…

Ferry Cross The Mersey is the historic, definitive original soundtrack album by the iconic British Invasion trailblazers Gerry and the Pacemakers, capturing the creative apex of the Liverpool beat scene. Originally released in 1965 to accompany the group's smash-hit musical film of the same name, this stellar 1994 reissue by the prestigious German collector label Repertoire Records delivers a pristine, expanded look at their timeless catalog. Anchored by the elegant acoustic strums and beautifully wistful melody of its legendary title track, the first half showcases front-man Gerry Marsden's finest songwriting efforts alongside sharp, driving, melodic guitar work and crisp Merseybeat arrangements. For collectors, this reissue is a massive treasure chest, adding fourteen incredible rare bonus tracks that range from energetic, rhythm-and-blues-soaked covers like Ray Charles' What'd I Say to brilliant independent singles and studio gems. Richly capturing the energetic, hopeful, and melodic British sound of the swinging sixties, this comprehensive high-fidelity release is an indispensable addition to any serious classic rock or pop library.

Original Hits is an essential, high-fidelity compilation of the definitive works of the legendary British Invasion outfit Gerry and the Pacemakers, released in 1995 by the renowned Dutch reissue specialist label Disky. Hailing from Liverpool alongside their contemporaries The Beatles, the group spearheaded the infectious, melodic guitar-driven Merseybeat sound that defined the early 1960s pop landscape. Led by Gerry Marsden's famously charming, expressive vocals and backed by a crisp rhythm section, this 18-track retrospective brings together their biggest career-defining chart-toppers. The running order features historic hits like I Like It, How Do You Do It?, the bittersweet melodic anthem Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying, and their timeless, soaring rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone—which grew into an iconic, worldwide football anthem. Capturing the pure, energetic, and optimistic spirit of the swinging sixties, this beautifully preserved digital release stands as a brilliant monument to classic British pop history.

At Abbey Road 1963-1966 is a comprehensive archival compilation album by the legendary British invasion group Gerry and the Pacemakers, released in 1997 by EMI Records. This exceptional 28-track anthology meticulously documents the band's peak creative years inside London's iconic Abbey Road Studios, capturing the infectious melodies and driving rhythms that defined the historic Merseybeat movement. Led by the charismatic Gerry Marsden, the collection brings together their legendary chart-topping anthems including How Do You Do It, I Like It, Ferry Cross The Mersey, and their definitive, globally celebrated rendering of You'll Never Walk Alone. Beyond the essential commercial hits, the compilation serves as a goldmine for collectors by incorporating rare studio banter, alternate takes, and previously unissued gems like an unreleased master from the Rip It Up sessions. Offering flawless audio fidelity restored directly from the original EMI multi-track session tapes, this package stands as a crucial historical document of the classic sixties British pop landscape.

The Hollies' third album saw a band in the throes of transition between the Merseybeat and rock & roll with which they established themselves, and the folk-rock and soul music that was blowing the strongest winds of change in 1965. They clean up their backlog of cover staples with versions of tunes by Lloyd Price, Buddy Holly, and Roy Orbison, and delve into soul by taking on the Miracles' "Mickey's Monkey" and Curtis Mayfield's "You Must Believe Me." Their attempt at "Fortune Teller" won't make you forget the Rolling Stones' version; nor, for that matter, are any of the other covers impressive. That leaves five reasonably good originals, the best of which are the gorgeous "So Lonely" and the excellent Merseybeat knockoff "When I Come Home to You." They also sound Beatlesque on "I've Been Wrong," but "Too Many People" and their cover of Peter, Paul & Mary's "Very Last Day" hearken to a folk-rock direction.

Released only ten months after their debut album, Stay With the Hollies, their second album was a huge leap forward in every respect. Their famous airtight harmonies were now in place, and the sloppiness of the instrumental attack gone. Most important, the group developed enormously as songwriters. Eight of the 12 tracks were Hollies originals and quite skillful in their mastery of the British Invasion essentials of driving, catchy melodies and shining harmonies. A couple of the covers are duds, but the "Nitty Gritty/Something's Got a Hold of Me" medley is first-rate, and the version of "It's in His Kiss" (retitled "It's in Her Kiss") respectable. The Hollies weren't from Liverpool (though Manchester is fairly close), but this nonetheless ranks of one of the very best Merseybeat albums not released by the Beatles themselves…

In The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock'n'Roll, Lester Bangs wrote of the Hollies, "During the British invasion, they were mostly just bad, grinding out sloppy covers of 'Stay, ' 'Do You Love Me, ' 'Lucille' and 'Memphis' in the most shamelessly churn-'em-up, bash-'em-out Liverpudlian manner." While this is an unfair overgeneralization, it's basically an accurate assessment of their first album, which contains all of the above-mentioned cuts. The group stuck to the tried-and-true rock/R&B cover staples of dozens, if not hundreds, of British bands circa 1963 on this 14-cut LP, which featured only one original composition. The Hollies' harmonic blend had yet to fully coalesce; there's plenty of energy, but the voices are adenoidal (and not always in perfect key) and the performances almost embarassingly callow. Nonetheless, the album was a huge hit in Britain, reaching number two and staying in the Top Ten for 18 weeks…

The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a self-evident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers, from the Byrds to the Who, have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a long-overdue revamping of the band's entire catalog into the stores on 9-9-09. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day, albeit in two separate box sets…

The Beatles always stood apart from their peers, a self-evident statement that sadly extended to the treatment of their catalog in the digital age. Where all their peers from the Byrds to the Who have had their catalogs remastered and reissued in deluxe editions, sometimes several times, the Beatles remained stuck in the early days of digital, their 14 albums plus Past Masters singles collection remaining untouched since 1987. Anniversaries came and went, but no remasters arrived until the release of the video game The Beatles Rockband pushed a long-overdue revamping of the band's entire catalog into the stores on 9-9-09. This reissue campaign corrects almost all the problems of the original 1987 CDs: the sound and artwork are improved, and all the original mono and stereo mixes finally see the light of day. Naturally, it's possible to quibble about some details of the presentation, particularly the decision to split the reissue into two separate box sets…

There are already so many "best-of" collections of Gerry & the Pacemakers – including previous releases from EMI, Capitol, and Collectables – that this double-CD set from EMI's U.K. division probably won't seem very impressive or important. Actually, very little of the band's history is left out, at least in terms of the various facets of their music – the hits are all present, along with a brace of engaging B-sides and LP and EP tracks that greatly broaden the range of music at hand. The quartet's best-known songs are well-crafted pop/rock in a Merseybeat mode, but they had a harder side as well, and even traded in some R&B and country sounds, and those aspects are represented here in between the hits. Some listeners who like their more rocking sides, such as "Jambalaya," "Maybellene" or "Pretend," may not appreciate the presence of such string-laden pop as "Walk Hand in Hand" or "Girl on a Swing," but this is a valid representation of their sound. And the sound is optimal, to put it mildly, with lots of presence on all of the instruments.

When all is said and done regarding the most influential power pop bands of the '60s, Herman's Hermits and Tommy James & the Shondells emerge as the clear-cut winners for the same reason: Their music was so diverse and well constructed that it showed the different dimensions of a genre that inspired music smart enough to respect its roots which, in turn, inspired music too hip for its own good – the modern rock movement that was not half as much fun as "the new wave," or as essential as anything found on ABKCO's perennial release of Herman's Hermits' Their Greatest Hits.

One of the most popular Merseybeat singers, Billy J. Kramer (born Billy Ashton) was one of the most mild-mannered rockers of the entire British Invasion. He wasn't that noteworthy a singer, either, and more likely than not would have never been heard outside of northern England if he hadn't been fortunate enough to become a client of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Even more crucially, he was gifted with several Lennon-McCartney songs in 1963 and 1964, several of which the Beatles never ended up recording. That gave him his entrance into the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, but Kramer couldn't sustain his success after the supply of Lennon-McCartney tunes dried up. Significant? No. Enjoyable? Yes. Even tossing aside the considerable value of hearing otherwise unavailable Lennon-McCartney compositions, his best singles were enjoyably wimpy, melodic pop/rock, offering a guilty pleasure comparable to taking a break from Faulkner and diving into some superhero comics.