A new collection from Now Sounds offers a most comprehensive look at blue-eyed soul band The Rascals.

It's Wonderful: The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings, released May 31, offers expanded editions of the group's seven studio albums issued between 1966 and 1971, including four albums in stereo and mono mixes and a selection of bonus tracks including single versions and 14 unreleased studio recordings. Produced and mastered by Alec Palao, the set includes a new essay on the group by Richie Unterberger and detailed session notes; the colorful package is designed by Steve Stanley.

Formed in 1965 in New Jersey and initially billed by Atlantic as The Young Rascals - the group changed their name from Them after becoming aware of Van Morrison's band of the same name - the quartet of singer/keyboardist Felix Cavaliere, singer/percussionist Eddie Brigati, guitarist Gene Cornish and drummer Dino Danelli enjoyed a stellar run of rock-meets-soul hits against the tide of the mid-'60s British Invasion. The immortal party rave-ups "Good Lovin'" and "Groovin'" topped the Billboard Hot 100, as did the impassioned anti-racist anthem "People Got to Be Free"; other hits included "I've Been Lonely Too Long," "A Girl Like You," "How Can I Be Sure" and the gorgeous pop classic "A Beautiful Morning." The quartet was inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and Cavaliere and Brigati's formidable pens earned inclusion into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.

The group earned acclaim among fans for their diverse arrangements (spanning soul, jazz and even Afro-Cuban influences) and their willingness to think in terms of albums over singles when that was a relatively new concept in the music business (as heard on 1968's Once Upon a Dream and 1969's Freedom Suite). Their final Atlantic album, 1971's Search and Nearness, was recorded without Brigati and Cornish, but the line-up would reunite over the years, most recently in a 2012-2013 Broadway residency (directed by Steven Van Zandt, who'd recruited Danelli for the original lineup of The Disciples of Soul) and national tour. The group still performs with Cavaliere and Cornish still in the mix; Danelli died in 2022.

It's Wonderful is available now, with Amazon links and full track list below. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases at those links.)

It's Wonderful: The Complete Atlantic Studio Recordings (Now Sounds QCRNOW7BX60 (U.K.), 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: The Young Rascals

1. Slow Down (Stereo)
2. Baby Let's Wait (Stereo)
3. Just a Little (Stereo)
4. I Believe (Stereo)
5. Do You Feel It (Stereo)
6. Good Lovin' (Stereo)
7. Like a Rolling Stone (Stereo)
8. Mustang Sally (Stereo)
9. I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (Stereo)
10. In the Midnight Hour (Stereo)
11. Slow Down (Mono)
12. Baby Let's Wait (Mono)
13. Just a Little (Mono)
14. I Believe (Mono)
15. Do You Feel It (Mono)
16. Good Lovin' (Mono)
17. Like a Rolling Stone (Mono)
18. Mustang Sally (Mono)
19. I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore (Mono)
20. In the Midnight Hour (Mono)
21. Mustang Sally (Unedited Version) *

Tracks 1-10 released as Atlantic SD 8123, 1966
Tracks 11-20 released as Atlantic 8123, 1966

Disc 2: Collections

1. What is the Reason (Stereo)
2. Since I Fell for You (Stereo)
3. Lonely Too Long (Stereo)
4. No Love to Give (Stereo)
5. Mickey's Monkey/Love Lights (Stereo)
6. Come On Up (Stereo)
7. Too Many Fish in the Sea (Stereo)
8. More (Stereo)
9. Nineteen Fifty-Six (Stereo)
10. Love is a Beautiful Thing (Stereo)
11. Land of 1000 Dances (Stereo)
12. What is the Reason (Mono)
13. Since I Fell for You (Mono)
14. Lonely Too Long (Mono)
15. No Love to Give (Mono)
16. Mickey's Monkey/Love Lights (Mono)
17. Come On Up (Mono)
18. Too Many Fish in the Sea (Mono)
19. More (Mono)
20. Nineteen Fifty-Six (Mono)
21. Love is a Beautiful Thing (Mono)
22. Land of 1000 Dances (Mono)
23. Good Lovin' (Alternate) *
24. Marryin' Kind of Love *
25. Temptation's About to Get Me (Early Version) *
26. I've Been Lonely Too Long (Mono Single Edit)

Tracks 1-11 released as Atlantic SD 8134, 1967
Tracks 12-22 released as Atlantic 8134, 1967
Track 26 released on Atlantic single 45-2377, 1967

Disc 3: Groovin'

1. A Girl Like You (Stereo)
2. Find Somebody (Stereo)
3. I'm So Happy Now (Stereo)
4. Sueño (Stereo)
5. How Can I Be Sure (Stereo)
6. Groovin' (Stereo)
7. If You Knew (Stereo)
8. I Don't Love You Anymore (Stereo)
9. You Better Run (Stereo)
10. A Place in the Sun (Stereo)
11. It's Love (Stereo)
12. A Girl Like You (Mono)
13. Find Somebody (Mono)
14. I'm So Happy Now (Mono)
15. Sueño (Mono)
16. How Can I Be Sure (Mono)
17. Groovin' (Mono)
18. If You Knew (Mono)
19. I Don't Love You Anymore (Mono)
20. You Better Run (Mono)
21. A Place in the Sun (Mono)
22. It's Love (Mono)
23. I'm So Happy Now (Underdub) *
24. I Don't Love You Anymore (Alternate Take) *
25. If You Knew (Rehearsal) *

Tracks 1-11 released as Atlantic SD 8148, 1967
Tracks 12-22 released as Atlantic 8148, 1967

Disc 4: Once Upon a Dream

1. Intro: Easy Rollin' (Stereo)
2. Rainy Day (Stereo)
3. Please Love Me (Stereo)
4. Sound Effect (Stereo)
5. It's Wonderful (Stereo)
6. I'm Gonna Love You (Stereo)
7. Dave and Eddie (Stereo)
8. My Hawaii (Stereo)
9. My World (Stereo)
10. Silly Girl (Stereo)
11. Singin' the Blues Too Long (Stereo)
12. Bells (Stereo)
13. Sattva (Stereo)
14. Finale: Once Upon a Dream (Stereo)
15. Intro: Easy Rollin' (Mono)
16. Rainy Day (Mono)
17. Please Love Me (Mono)
18. Sound Effect (Mono)
19. It's Wonderful (Mono)
20. I'm Gonna Love You (Mono)
21. Dave and Eddie (Mono)
22. My Hawaii (Mono)
23. My World (Mono)
24. Silly Girl (Mono)
25. Singin' the Blues Too Long (Mono)
26. Bells (Mono)
27. Sattva (Mono)
28. Finale: Once Upon a Dream (Mono)
29. It's Wonderful (Mono Single Mix)

Tracks 1-14 released as Atlantic SD 8169, 1968
Tracks 15-28 released as Atlantic 8169, 1968
Track 29 released on Atlantic single 45-2463, 1968

Disc 5: Freedom Suite

1. America the Beautiful
2. Me and My Friends
3. Any Dance'll Do
4. Look Around
5. Ray of Hope
6. Island of Love
7. Of Course
8. Love Was So Easy to Give
9. People Got to Be Free
10. Baby I'm Blue
11. Heaven
12. Adrian's Birthday
13. Boom
14. Cute
15. A Beautiful Morning
16. Let Freedom Ring *
17. My Love for You *
18. Share Your Love with Me *

Tracks 1-14 released as Atlantic SD 2-901, 1969

Disc 6: See

1. See
2. I'd Like to Take You Home
3. Remember Me
4. I'm Blue
5. Stop and Think
6. Temptation's 'Bout to Get Me
7. Nubia
8. Carry Me Back
9. Away Away
10. Real Thing
11. Death's Reply
12. Hold On
13. See (Single Edit)
14. Hold On (Mono Single Version)
15. Nubia (Alternate) *
16. You Gotta Try aka Hold On *

Tracks 1-12 released as Atlantic SD 8246, 1969
Track 13 released on Atlantic single 45-2634, 1969
Track 14 released on Atlantic single 45-2695, 1969

Disc 7: Search and Nearness

1. Right On
2. I Believe
3. Thank You Baby
4. You Don't Know
5. Nama
6. Almost Home
7. The Letter
8. Ready for Love
9. Fortunes
10. Glory Glory
11. Hey Bo *
12. Silver Dollar Lady *
13. Groovin' (Italian Version)
14. Groovin' (Spanish Version)
15. Groovin' (French Version)
16. Sentirai La Pioggia
17. Corri Nel Sole

Tracks 1-10 released as Atlantic SD 8276, 1971
Track 13-14 released as Atlantic single 45-2428, 1967
Track 15 released as Atlantic French single 650052, 1967
Tracks 16-17 released as Atlantic Italian single ATL-NP 03124, 1969