VA - Chartbusters USA Special Edition: Sunshine Pop

With “oldies radio” becoming more and more a relic of the past, this collection is not as superfluous as it may seem at first. While previous sunshine pop digs have focused on rarities of the genre, Ace has gathered an excellent cross-section of canonical artists (The Lovin' Spoonful are perhaps most tied to the tag, along with Donovan, the Association, and the Beach Boys), more recently-acknowledged classics (Cass Elliot’s impossibly beautiful “It’s Getting Better”), and brave inclusions that challenge definitions of sunshine pop (black groups like the 5th Dimension and The Friends of Distinction are often ignored in favour of all-white track listings). The timing could not be better for this savvy set as a giddily optimistic, feel-good soundtrack to lazy summer days. Your reunion with melody starts here.