Pop Prodigy John Carters ''Beach Babys'': The First Class - The First Class - SST...Plus 1996 ( See For Miles Records) (2 Albums On 1 Disc)

Best remembered for the smash "Beach Baby," '70s pop group First Class was the studio creation of British singer/songwriter John Carter, who had previously enjoyed success with Ken Lewis under the guises of the Flowerpot Men, Carter-Lewis & the Southerners, and the Ivy League. For "Beach Baby" -- a slice of richly harmonic pop in the mold of classic Beach Boys -- Carter enlisted the services of singer Tony Burrows, the voice of other pre-fab hitmakers including the Edison Lighthouse ("Love Grows [Where My Rosemary Goes]"), White Plains ("My Baby Loves Lovin'"), the Brotherhood of Man ("United We Stand"), and the Pipkins ("Gimme Dat Ding"); upon its release in 1974, the single reached the Top Five on the U.S. pop charts and also scored in the U.K.

A self-titled album and follow-up singles including "Dreams Are Ten a Penny" and "Funny How Love Can Be" tanked, however, and after releasing a second LP, The First Class SST, Carter dissolved the project in 1976.(allmusic.com)

Those who loved John Carter's work from the 1960s will not be disappointed with his songs and productions, which he delivered in the 1970s. Carter has always attached great importance to quality. His pop compositions do not need to fear comparisons with works by other pop prodigies of that time. Carter always produced his songs with fantastic arrangements. Everything was worked out down to the last detail, but it conveyed a lightness that was simply fun. Many of the songs were written in collaboration with wife Jill Shakespeare, including the 1974 song' Beach Baby', which climbed to the top 3 of the U. S. charts, conquered all of Europe and made it to 12th place in the UK. Those who like John Carter's pop music and don't own these two albums shouldn't miss them, and it might be interesting to note that the John Carter Anthology only contains four songs from these two albums. So this is a really a fine extension. I would like to mention here once again that I consider John Carter to be one of the most talented pop musicians of his time. :-) (Frank)

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