Raw, raucous R&B gem! The Isley Brothers are one of the most enduring and influential acts in American music, building a prodigious body of innovative, infectious work that’s broadened rhythm and blues’ creative boundaries while keeping the combo at the forefront for more than half a century. For many listeners, though, there’s no beating the Isleys’ raw, raucous early work, which combined gospel fervor and roadhouse grit to create rousing, transcendent music. The Isley Brothers’ 1962 hit “Twist & Shout” marked a crucial breakthrough for the legendary trio. Recorded with producer/songwriter Bert Berns for Scepter Records’ Wand subsidiary, the song became a major pop/R&B crossover hit. It also became a cultural anthem whose influence extended across the Atlantic and caught the ear of the Beatles, whose version of the song also became a transatlantic smash. The Isley Brothers LP bearing “Twist & Shout” is a killer encapsulation of the group’s early brilliance. In addition to the title track, the album features a passel of tunes in the same wild vein, with the brothers’ wailing vocals driving such infectious numbers as “I Say Love,” “Right Now,” “Hold on Baby” and “The Snake.”This timeless ’60s masterpiece has been sourced from the original stereo tapes, pressed on 180 gram vinyl and decked out with complete original cover art.