I started listening to Dusty Springfield in mid-February 2022. The first few are the American versions of her albums, mostly because that's what Spotify carries.
The Springfields: Hits' Spring (2021): C+
Stay Awhile/I Only Want to Be with You (1964): B+
Dusty (1964): C+
Ooooooweeee!!! (1965): C
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (1966): B
The Look of Love (1967): B
Dusty in Memphis (1969): A-
The Springfields: Hits' Spring (2021):
Before Dusty became a huge success as a solo artist, she was a folkie in the British trio the Springfields, who had several hits on both sides of the Atlantic from 1960 to 1963, and pioneered the British invasion before the Beatles, Stones, etc. For 60s folk music, I'll usually chose an authentic American folkie who busked around New York cafes and probably never broke into the mainstream. But when I'm in the mood for a folk vocal group, I'll choose Peter, Paul, and Mary every time over the Springfields, whose repertoire is boring and whose singing is much too strong. C+
Stay Awhile/I Only Want to Be with You (1964):
Like most albums of this period, there's a few throwaway tracks that add pretty much nothing to the album. But surprisingly, everything else plays like a classic. Taking production notes from Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, Springfield's covers consistently sound wonderful and though her shift from British folk to American pop (with flavors of R&B and soul) was rapid, Springfield is perfectly at home and convincing in the new genre. Heck, the first side is almost flawless--maybe I'll bump it up a grade with a bit more perspective. B+
Dusty (1964):
Springfield and many of her fans criticize the American versions of her first few albums because their track-lists differ so much from the UK versions. Though I certainly understand the frustration, it gave us the quite consistent Stay Awhile, which complied the best cuts off her first UK release and her earliest solo hit singles, so they've got to be worth something, right? This time, the American LP is thoroughly botched and sounds more like an album of its time. The hits included--"All Cried Out," "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself," "Live It Up," and "Guess Who?"--might sound fresher in the company of Stay Awhile but here they're drowned out by the ever-lasting filler. C+
Ooooooweeee!!! (1965):
Even more so than Dusty, there's just not a lot to take from here. Little of it is ever downright unlistenable but with the only two good songs already available on the far superior Stay Awhile, it's a monumental waste of time. C
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me (1966):
This US release very closely resembles its UK counterpart with the only difference being the addition of the hit title track and "Little by Little." Because it represents a standard studio album more than her best album so far Stay Awhile--which was more or less a compilation--it suggests that Springfield is becoming a more consistent pop singer. But as a pop singer, her pleasures should be more immediate and simple. Stay Awhile was immediate; this could be more focused and catchy. B
The Look of Love (1967):
This is supposedly a mixed bag and one of the weaker American releases from Springfield but I find this to be her strongest album besides Stay Awhile. The production has kept getting better and by now the orchestra and horns sound clear as day. Meanwhile, Springfield's voice is rich and flawless. With the title track, "Sunny," and "Come Back to Me" as the best songs, the track-list is pretty consistent and despite a few novelty songs, it's all pleasant enough to pass by undisturbed. B
Dusty in Memphis (1969):
Finally coming around to modern-day trends, Springfield has released her first wholistic, no-filler album. Produced and creatively led by Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin, Dusty in Memphis was recorded mostly in Tennessee by a group of pro session players. Because Springfield has always been able to carry a tune when the melody is right, this without a doubt represents her best work yet and similar to Pet Sounds, the beautiful vocals are backed by wonderful studio work and thoughtful production. Hey, there's even two songs written by a young Randy Newman. A-