Search - Buddy Holly :: Buddy Holly

A Genuine 5-Star Masterpiece Given 5-Star Treatment At Last!

Mark Barry at Reckless Records, Lon | UK | 09/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MCA - who've had charge of his catalogue for years now - have been lambasted by Holly fans for decades both here in the UK and elsewhere. Why? Well, back in the day, they released two seminal compact discs when CDs were completely new. They were both called "From The Original Master Tapes" - one for Buddy Holly and the other for Bill Haley & His Comets. And they weren't just good - they were outstanding! An absolute wow - both of them! Stereo tracks in some cases, studio chatter, and sound quality that was mind-blowing. These issues in the UK single-handedly went a long way to convincing music lovers that there really was something in this new format other than hype by the industry. Remastered by STEVE HOFFMAN, they featured sound that for 1985 was a sensation. So why mention this now - because having had their appetites whetted, fans expected more - and then - well nothing. For nearly 20 years - zip. No follow ups of the same calibre - nothing. No sign of the magnificent 1979 6LP Box Set "The Complete Buddy Holly" - which to this day is still unreleased - one of the last great box sets to be so on CD.



However, everything changes with this gorgeous 2004 re-issue. It reproduces the original US album artwork on both front and back of the booklet. There's a repro of the beautiful original label on the inlay beneath the see-through tray, a nice booklet with detailed notes - and best of all - stunning remastered sound quality care of Erick Labson. Tracks 1-12 are the original US album supplemented by 3 non-album relevent bonus tracks, "Take Your Time", "Now We're One" and "Early In The Morning". The 3 bonus tracks allow you to sequence his first five 7" singles on Coral Records.



1. Words Of Love/Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (1957 Coral 61852)

2. Peggy Sue/Everyday (1957 Coral 61885)

3. I'm Gonna Love You Too/Listen To Me (1958 Coral 61947)

4. Rave On/Take Your Time (1958 Coral 61985) (B-side Non-Album)

5. Early In The Morning/Now We're One (1958 Coral 62006) (Non-Album A&B)



There were only two albums really in his short but mighty career, the debut album, "The Chirping Crickets" (1957 USA, 1958 UK) and this - his first solo album, "Buddy Holly" (released in Feb 1958 just one year prior to his untimely death in February 1959 at only 22). So Universal have re-issued both of these and not the subsequent compilation albums that made up all of his 60's output.



It should also be noted that this issue is part of the "Rock'n'Roll 50th Anniversary Edition" series issued in 2004 by Universal. This secondary series title is displayed vertically on the side inlay beneath the see-through tray, but unfortunately, if you try to search the Amazon database for ANY titles in the series, it doesn't recognize the 'name' at all. For those interested in a visual, I've placed a full list of all seven titles in Listmania called "Rock 'N' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition Series". Other goodies include "The Chirping Crickets" ('57) by The Crickets, Chuck Berry's "After School Session" ('58) and "St. Louis To Liverpool" ('64), Bo Diddley's "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" ('60), Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around The Clock" ('56) and the "Rock, Rock, Rock!" soundtrack from 1956 featuring Chuck Berry, The Moonglows and The Flamingos. I can't recommend these titles enough - each album remastered to beautiful sound quality, colour artwork lovingly restored and each bolstered up with 3 or 4 relelevant single releases from the time (some previously unreleased).



Fans of Holly, Haley, Berry, Diddley and Rock'n'Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs. They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations.



Enjoy!



PS: Dear Erick Labson - and the terribly nice folks at Universal - more of these great titles please!"