Fifty years ago, Phil Spector cemented his reputation as the “Tycoon of Teen” by founding his own label, Philles Records. Philles became the vehicle for Spector's evolving “Wall of Sound,” the production values that made maximum use of the monophonic recording technology of the day. The hits he generated through a set of Latin and R&B-tinged singing groups became a signature sound in pop music in the year preceding the Beatles.
Spector's personal reputation has long since fallen but his ability in the studio remains remarkable. The Philles Album Collection represents the first time the six original LPs released by the label have been reissued in their entirety on CD. Like similar collections devoted to Dave Brubeck and other artists, the Album Collection packages each disc in a miniature replica of the original LP cover. Although Philles focused on singles, the albums afforded Spector the opportunity to repackage hits by the Crystals (“Uptown,” “He's a Rebel”), Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans (“Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”) and the Ronettes (“Be My Baby,” “Walking in the Rain”) as well as work out his ideas on other numbers. Contrary to reputation, the non-single tracks weren't necessarily filler. Most were excellent in their own right, even if deemed less commercial in the early 1960s.
The surprise for most aficionados of '60s pop is the collection's seventh disc, Phil's Flipsides, the first time all of Spector's instrumental B-sides have been assembled on CD. These recordings were intended as filler, conceived so they would not distract DJs from the A sides, and yet they showcase the instrumental skills of Spector's acclaimed house band. There is even some hot jazz in the mix. The Philles Album Collection also includes a richly illustrated booklet describing the label's early years in great detail
