Early 1960s fans will recognize the Tokens as the group that topped the charts in 1961 with 'Lion Sleeps Tonight.' While the group never did replicate the success of their African-styled hit, they are by no means "one-hit-wonders." The band continued to record well into the 70s, enjoying mild chart success between the Billboard #30's and #50's, and turned their attention onto producing other acts such as the Happenings ('See You In September #3, 1966, 'I Got Rhythm' #3, 1967), Randy and the Rainbows ('Denise' #10, 1963), and the Chiffons ('He's So Fine' #1, 1963). Additionally, the group also had its own recording label, B.T. Puppy, from 1963 to 1972. In Wheels, the group tries its hand at the hot rod sound, infusing it with East-Coast sensibilities.

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A heavily percussive beat kicks off the Four Seasons-esque 'Let's Go To the Drag Strip,' with a nice falsetto to boot. A cover of the Beach Boys' 'Little Deuce Coupe' stands fairly well against the countless other versions that were out at the time. The excruciating bad 'Two Cars' is basically a rewrite of the civil war poem 'Two Brothers' and details a drag race between 4 and 8-cylinder vehicles. 'Little Hot Rod Suzie' kicks the album back into gear and was also released the following year on a single by Randy and the Rainbows on the small Rust label. Another Beach Boys tune, 'Shut Down' gets a strong spin while the spoken-word novelty 'My First Set of Wheels' outlines the comic perils of buying a beater car. Both 'Dirt Track Twister' and 'My Friend's Car' are strong tracks all the way from their grooving beat to the ultra-Brooklyn vocal stylings. 'My Candy Apple Vette' is as mushy a car tune as there ever was but somehow turns out to be a sweet ballad in the same vein as the Beach Boy's 'Ballad of Ol' Betsy'. '409' is one of the album's weaker moments, while the folksy 'Little Snow White Coupe' is yet another tender ballad that has the group very close to home. Closing out the album is a fine cover of Jan & Dean's 'Drag City.'

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While Wheels may lack the familiar West Coast sound that gave groups like the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean their unique sound, everything here is performed so expressively that it makes the album an East Coast treat. Whichever coast sound the Tokens have here, these five guys take a worthy stab at the genre, which is why I feel it's deserving of any surf rock collection.

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NOTE: Interestingly, the cover photo is from the same photoshoot as Hal Blaine’s Deuces, T’s, & Roadsters and Drums album. I assume the big black circle is covering Hal and his drum set. Curious if anyone has ever noticed that before.