Various Artists

Perhaps the most fun release of the year - and certainly the sweetest - is this entry in Cherry Red's ongoing series of themed compilations.  Pour a Little Sugar on It: The Chewy Chewy Sounds of American Bubblegum 1966-1971, on the Grapefruit imprint, brings together 91 tracks from the golden age of bubblegum music.  Naturally, there are plenty of songs with food allusions ("Yummy Yummy Yummy," "Candy Apple Cotton Candy," "Gingersnap," and, of course, "Chewy Chewy" among them)...and artists with food in their names, too (1910 Fruitgum Co., Salt Water Taffy, The Rasberry [sic] Pirates, The Peppermint Trolley Company, Cartoon Candy Carnival, The Pinneaple Heard, The Marshmallow Highway, and even the Pastrami Malted...yuck!).  But this compilation is more than just another excuse to write off bubblegum as some lesser form of pop; instead, it's the genuine craftsmanship behind these songs that shines through.  Compiler David Wells has dotted every "i" and crossed every "t," including artists both expected (The Archies, Ohio Express, 1910 Fruitgum Co., The Lemon Pipers, Bobby Sherman) and some less so (Neil Diamond, The Electric Prunes, Sparks, The Beach Boys, The Monkees, and...The Velvet Underground?!), and the collection flows seamlessly.  There are rarities from Rupert Holmes (The Street People's "Jennifer Tomkins" and "Thank You Girl"), Ron Dante ("Let Me Bring You Up," "How Do You Know"), the Jeff Barry-produced Globetrotters ("Cheer Me Up," "Bouncin' All Over the World"), and numerous cuts from the Kasenetz-Katz factory.  While this offering might be too sugary for some, it's just right for anyone with a taste for pop music at its well, chewy-chewiest!  (And the 48-page booklet with detailed, track-by-track annotations is worth the cost of admission.)