The 5th Dimension - Let The Sunshine In: The Soul City & Bell Albums 1967-1974 /

The 5th Dimension were one of the most interesting groups on the late-'60s pop scene. Straddling easy listening and soul, with strong elements of Baroque pop, sunshine pop, and show tunes, they had an outtasite visual sense, teamed with the best writers and players, and had indelible voices, whether singing in luscious harmonies or on their own. They scored giant hits -- "Up. Up and Away," "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In," "Wedding Bell Blues," and "One Less Bell to Answer" -- and with the help of Jimmy Webb released one of the era's best concept albums (1968's The Magic Garden), while playing concerts in places as varied as Las Vegas, the White House, and 1969's famous Harlem Cultural Festival. 

Strawberry Records' 2026 collection Let the Sunshine In: The Soul City & Bell Albums 1967-1974 captures the group during their prime, collecting all ten albums they issued on those labels, plus bonus tracks and songs recorded in the early days of the group when they were going under the name the Versatiles. In those early days, the band tried to get a contract from Motown, but the label passed. No doubt Berry Gordy was kicking himself after the band racked up hits; they would have sounded good on the same label as the Temptations and Supremes, and it's fun to think about how they would have sounded with Norman Whitfield in the producer's chair. They did work with fine producers and arrangers from the start, getting a perfect blend of softness, depth, and soul. They started off on early records with giant arrangements full of strings and horns, and as they continued, the voices came more to the forefront and the production got less busy. There are still the same brilliant voices throughout, singing in perfect harmony or going it alone. While they all sound great, Billy Davis, Jr. emerges as the true star. His versatility is beyond impressive; he can sing the tricky Jimmy Webb songs like they were written just for him while also belting out pure soul ballads that could bust a heart into a million pieces. That points out the true brilliance of the group, which is their range and ability to be the best no matter the style they are singing or mood they are creating. 

This isn't the first time their music has been reissued, but it is the first time all the excellent records from the first phase of their career have been put together in one set. Casual fans are probably good with a hits collection, but for the full story of one of the great, sometime overlooked and underrated, pop acts of all time, Let the Sunshine In is a required listen. AllMusicGuide