For fans of Lil’ Bob and the Lollipops’ individualistic soul, swamp pop and rhythm and blues, the compilation of 26 super tunes recorded from the period of 1963 to 1969 is pure bliss. The uninitiated should easily be won over by leader Camille Bob’s strikingly pure vocals and distinctive songwriting as well as the solid, no frills backing by the Lollipops. These were, after all, the elements that sparked the group’s great hit, Bob’s “I Got Loaded,” and later led major artists Robert Cray and Los Lobos to seize the song and bring it to the top once again. With some honkin’ sax by the late John Hart, the original “I Got Loaded” really pops. This one CD—most of the cuts run between two and two-and-a-half minutes—contains all of the band’s recordings from the La Louisianne and Tamm labels including a satisfying number of Bob’s original gems. On his 1963 self-penned “The Way It’s Got To Be,” Bob achieves a wonderfully haunting aura through his use of melody and vocal phrasing. A master balladeer, Bob also works out when the rhythm picks up, bringing in that Louisiana lilt to his “Look Out Mr. Heartache.” The leader is equally capable when covering songs made famous by others as heard on his rendition of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s classic “Cry Cry Cry” and killer version of Eddie Bo’s “Please Don’t Leave.” Bob’s voice just rings clear and grabs you. That the music is masterfully reproduced is another positive. With its short tunes and smart attitude, this disc flies by and ends with the explosion of the hard-hitting “Stop.” Not to worry, just start at the top and give it another go.