Search - Various Artists :: Rock 'n Roll Relix (Series): 1959

A good year for rock 'n' roll!

Lee Hartsfeld | Central Ohio, United States | 03/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the more literate among us, "relix" is "I Can't Spell" for the more dictionary-friendly word, "relics." And these are very fine rock 'n' roll "relix," even though the liner-notes writer wants to make sure we know that 1959 was a VERY bad year for rock. The rebels had been silenced, you see, and the "old guys" were busy sweetening up the music. Whatever. There are some great sides here for those of us open-minded enough to enjoy Frankie Avalon AND Wilbert Harrison, including a superb example of late-50s doo-wop in the Admirations' "The Bells of Rosa Rita." And there's the original, raucous version of Frankie Ford's "Sea Cruise" (beware the remake floating around) and Mark Dinning's memorably maudlin "Teen Angel." Ignore the hype--1959 was a great year.The "Relix" series is to be praised for first-rate sound quality and truly representative samplings of each year in question. Good buys, all."