Chain Reaction is essentially a CD reissue of the Spellbinders' sole album, the 1966 LP The Magic of the Spellbinders, with the addition of four bonus tracks from their two subsequent 1966-1967 singles, as well as historical liner notes. As that 1966 LP was built around both sides of the first three of their five singles, Chain Reaction thus includes all 15 songs released by the group, and proves the definitive document of their career to date. Listening to the record, it's easy to tell why they didn't become chart stars; they lacked the songs, or even the one song, that had undeniable hit appeal. That shouldn't scare off serious soul collectors, however, as it's a likable collection of uptown New York pop-soul, sung well by the four-man-one-woman quintet. The big attraction is actually not within the group, but in the presence of Van McCoy, who produced everything and wrote four of the tunes (including their 1965 Top 30 R&B hit "For You"). All four of those songs, as well as some of the others, have the hallmarks of what made McCoy a notable '60s soul producer: somewhat unusual melodies that owed more to pop and less to R&B than much soul of the period, as well as full production with strings and brass that was pop-rock-friendly without selling out. It does sound like he and the group couldn't quite find an original direction, some of the tracks audibly echoing Motown, the Drifters, the Impressions, and other bigger acts and trends. There's no denying the likability of much of the material, however, though the attempts at soulifying the standards "Danny Boy" and "I Believe" on their final two singles aren't impressive. ~ Richie Unterberger