Dream Babes Volume One: Am I Dreaming?

It’s not quite the first proper 60s UK girl group and women pop singer compilation effort – the Malcolm Baumgart and Mick Patrick-overseen Here Come The Girls series kicked things off in 1990 – but 1994’s Dream Babes Volume One was absolutely an early landmark when it came to digging deeper into the wake of famed names like Dusty Springfield, Marianne Faithfull and their peers. It was also Bob Stanley’s first formal effort as a compiler and liner note writer and his emphasis on depth of research and imaginative range was evident from the start. The specific focus of this first volume was work released on EMI Records across the decade, though the selections aren’t themselves arranged chronologically. Starting with the strong lovebirds and prying neighbors lament “They Talk About Us” by Cindy Williams, the collection clearly showcases the massive impact Phil Spector, Bacharach/David and Motown had in particular on the UK pop scene. Other standouts include the perky breeze of “Cry to Me” by the Track and “Am I Dreaming?” itself, delivered with sassy panache by the mononymic (and non-US) Tiffany.