"Buddy Holly" [1958 Solo Debut LP] by BUDDY HOLLY (April 2004 Universal/Geffen 'Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition' Expanded CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review and hundreds more like it can be found in my downloadable 
SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series:

Check out the e-Book Blues, Vocals Groups, R'n'B and R'n'R 

Available from my Author's Page at...

"…Words Of Love…"

After decades of waiting for a half-decent remastered CD - Buddy Holly fans finally had their hero receive some serious appraisal with this gorgeous 2004 US CD reissue and its companion piece "The "Chirping" Crickets" (his debut album). Both of his two official albums were given a proper dusting off audio-wise and 'expanded' as part of Universal's "Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary" CD Series (original artwork used too). And man - are these beauties good! Here are the 'rave on' details...

US released April 2004 - "Buddy Holly" (1958 Debut Solo LP) by BUDDY HOLLY on Universal/Geffen B0001592-02 (Barcode 602498129524) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ in the "Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary" CD Reissue Series and breaks down as follows (30:49 minutes):

1. I'm Gonna Love You Too [Side 1]

2. Peggy Sue

3. Look At Me

4. Listen To Me

5. Valley Of Tears

6. Ready Teddy

7. Everyday [Side 2]

8. Mailman, Bring me No More Blues

9. Words Of Love

10. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care

11. Rave On

12. Little Baby

Tracks 1 to 12 are his debut solo Mono album "Buddy Holly" - released 20 February 1958 in the USA on Coral CRL 57210 and July 1958 in the UK on Vogue Coral LVA 9085

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Take Your Time

14. Now We're One

15. Early In The Morning

Using the 3 bonus tracks listed above this CD reissue allows fans to sequence his first five American 7" singles on Coral Records as follows:

1.  Words Of Love [9] b/w Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues [8]

Released 20 June 1957 on Coral 61852

2. Peggy Sue [2] b/w Everyday [7]

Released 20 September 1957 on Coral 61885

3. I'm Gonna Love You Too [1] b/w Listen To Me [4]

Released 5 February 1958 on Coral 61947

4. Rave On [11] b/w Take Your Time [13]

Released 20 April 1958 on Coral 61985 (B-side was non-album)

5. Early In The Morning [15] b/w Now We're One [14]

Released 5 July 1958 on Coral 62006 (both tracks non-album on release)

The 16-page booklet has liner notes by genre expert BILL DAHL - a name familiar to and respected by all lovers of Rhythm 'n' Blues, Rock 'n' Roll and Vocal Groups (he's a Grammy nominee and winner). It reproduces the original US album artwork on both front and back of the booklet, the beautiful original label on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and best of all - stunning remastered sound quality care of ERICK LABSON - a Sound Engineer with over 1000 credits to his name. The attention to original detail is impressive.

There were only two albums really in his short but mighty career - the debut album  "The Chirping Crickets" (1957 USA, 1958 UK) which I've reviewed elsewhere - and this - his first solo album "Buddy Holly" released just one year prior to his untimely death in February 1959 aged only 22. And you forget just what a blast it is. Opening with "I'm Gonna Love You Too" - you hammered with two things - his amazing knack for a hit - and the gorgeous new Audio quality. While stuff like "Rave On" and "Ready Teddy" give you his Rock `n' Roll chops - others like "Listen To Me" and the lovely "Everyday" show us his softer side. And one of the album's hidden-nuggets surely has to be "Little Baby" - a really great dancer and a brilliant tune that rarely gets Radio play over the bigger hits like "Peggy Sue" and "Words Of Love".

There are seven releases in the Rock 'n' Roll "50th Anniversary Series" and eleven in their "Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited" Series and I've loved the lot - great sound, clever title choices and all bumped up with bonus tracks and decent booklets (I'm reviewed almost all of them). Fans of Holly, Haley, Berry, Diddley and Rock'n'Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs (use the Barcode numbers provided below to locate the right issue). They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations...and Buddy Holly deserved nothing less...

Universal's "Rock 'n' Roll 50th Anniversary" CD Reissue Series:

1. After School Session by CHUCK BERRY (1958 Chess debut LP)

2. St. Louis To Liverpool by CHUCK BERRY (1964 STEREO LP on Chess)

3. The Chirping Crickets by THE CRICKETS (1957 Debut LP on Decca)

4. Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger by BO DIDDLEY (1960 STEREO Chess LP)

5. Rock Around The Clock by BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS (1955 Decca LP)

6. Buddy Holly by BUDDY HOLLY (1958 1st solo LP on Coral)

7. Rock, Rock, Rock! - Original Soundtrack by VARIOUS (Chuck Berry, The Flamingos and The Moonglows) (1956 Chess 'Rock'n'Roll Movie Soundtrack LP)

Universal's "Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited" CD Reissue Series:

1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON (1972 USA LP with 4 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 56:10 minutes) (Barcode 044001340727)

2. Luther's Blues - LUTHER ALLISON (SUHA GUR Remaster) (1974 USA 9-track LP with 3 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 70:28 minutes) (Barcode 044001340925)

3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1961 USA 12-track LP on Duke with 2 bonuses, 35:12 minutes)  (Barcode 008811251628)

4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (October 1966 and September 1991 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 79:44 minutes) (Barcode 008811282127)

5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1966 on Chess and January 1967 on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 66:45 minutes) (Barcode 008811282028)

6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet - Tracks 13-22 being bonuses, 57:11 minutes) (Barcode 008811251826)

7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1990 13-Track Compilation on MCA, no extras, 64:11 minutes) (Barcode 008811251727)

8. At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess with 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from June 1960 as bonus tracks, 44:43 minutes) (Barcode 008811251529)

9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS & Friends (ERICK LABSON Remaster)

(Tracks 1-10 and 15-20 is the August 1969 2LP set on Chess in Full with Tracks 11, 12, 13 being previously unreleased - and 14 previously unreleased in the USA). (77:38 minutes) (Barcode 008811264826)

10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS (ERICK LABSON Remasters - 2LPs on 1CD) (Barcode 008811282226)

11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (ERICK LABSON Remaster) (January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 65:28 minutes) (Barcode 008811282325)