The Box Tops

Somewhere between gritty Memphis soul and sunshine pop exists the music of the Box Top. Bolstered by some top-notch songs from ace songwriter Dan Penn and the unusually gruff vocals of a teenaged Alex Chilton, the group hits pay dirt on "The Letter," "Cry Like A Baby" and "Soul Deep," all of which are found on this fine comp.

Alex Chilton's first vehicle went deeper than "The Letter" and "Cry Like a Baby," but I won't fib about how deep until "You Keep Me Hangin' On" makes CD ("I Met Her in Church," "Choo Choo Train"). (Grade - ***)