The genre of vocal and romantic R&B, called “Doo Wop” never sounded better than with the group The Five Keys, consisting in 1951-58 of brothers Rudy and Bernie West, Maryland Pierce, “Dickie” Smith and Ripley Ingram. Eventually Rudy Dickie were replaced by Ramon Loper and Ulysses Hicks once the former went into the army, but much wasn’t lost. Here, you get not only the gorgeous vocal harmonies of the gents blending together like Duke Ellington’s sax section, but the lead vocals of Smith, West and Pierce are reminiscent of Clyde McPhatter or Ben E King.
At times the band sounds like a modernized take of The Mills Brothers as on the fun “Old MacDonald” “I Cried For You” or “These Foolish Things”. They show how to boogie on the hip “Hucklebuck with Jimmy” and hit the blue notes on “Too Late” the crooning “Teardrops In Your Eyes” or the ballad “With A Broken Heart” . Other times you get a feel that they are reaching back to The Ink Spots as on the cool “Just For The Thrill”, while more pop sounds with a orchestra are produced on the Five Keys On Stage album, as they deliver cool tones on “Who Do You Know In Heaven” and “The Gypsy” . Their biggest hits are included here, such as the gospel tuned “Glory Of Love” and the wonderfully politically incorrect “Ling Ling Tong” where the music and accents are all in kitschy Chinese. No one could get away with that today, and we’re the worse for it.