Speak Easy: Rpm Records Story-1954-57 2/ Various - Speak Easy: RPM Records Story-1954-57 2 / Various

2014 collection, the second and final volume in Ace Record's overview of the Modern subsidiary label RPM picks up where the first one, NO MORE DOGGIN', left off in December 1953. It continues through to the label's closure in early 1957 in order to make way for the new Kent subsidiary. As with the first volume, the focus here is on quality blues, R&B and doo wop, with occasional forays into rockabilly and rock 'n' roll representing the repertoire from the end of the label's life. The vast majority of the tracks have been mastered from fresh transfers of the original master tapes. In keeping with both the previous volume and their earlier overview of Modern subsidiary, Flair, Ace have tried to use alternate takes wherever possible, of tracks already available on an Ace CD. Sixteen of the tracks and takes have not been issued before, while almost three dozen of the 54 tracks have never appeared on an Ace CD. All of the label's major artists of this period are represented.