Monthly Archives: January 2014

Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #420: Buddy Holly & The Crickets – The “Chirping” Crickets

#420

Buddy Holly & The Crickets,  The “Chirping” Crickets

Release Date: 1957 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
Looking sharp, Crickets.
Impressions: Early nerd rock and roll. Let's do this… This album blasts to life with "Oh Boy!" and then the rumbling, much covered "Not Fade Away." Holly, who was 21 when he recorded this, has a real nervous energetic delivery that gives the songs a little edge. Love the choppy percussion of "Not Fade Away." Their mix of R&B, rockabllly and country is so natural and set the stage for, well, everybody. Songs like "That'll Be The Day" and … Continue Reading ››
Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #421: Various Artists,The Best of the Girl Groups

#421

Various Artists, The Best of the Girl Groups

Release Date: 1990 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
The Best of the Girl Groups
Groups of Girls singing songs. What did you expect?
Impressions: This somewhat difficult-to-find collection of the best tunes of'60s girl groups finishes off a run of three similar collections in a row on this list. Let's put it on… The familar motorcycle themed "Leader of The Pack" by the Shangri-Las starts off with cooing voices, screeching tires, revving motorcycle … Continue Reading ››
Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS# 422: The Ronettes – Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica

#422

The Ronettes, Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica

Release Date: 1964 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
…presenting the fabulous Ronettes, featuring Veronica.
Sorry, no Betty...
Impressions: This album comes in a middle of a pocket of three '60s girl-group entries on this list. A coincidence? Or just some weird thematic grouping by the editors? Who knows? Let's put it on… Immediately recognizable Phil Spector "Wall of Sound" production style,  in "Walking In The Rain" which won a Grammy for Best Sound Effects for it's rainstorm noises. Some of these songs suffer a little in comparison to … Continue Reading ››
Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums

RS #423: Diana Ross and The Supremes, Anthology

Diana Ross and the Supremes, Anthology
Another anthology… sigh
Release Date: 2001 Previously Owned: No First Time Listen: Yes
Impressions: A sprawling 2-disc anthology of the, well, supreme Motown group that has at least three different versions that were released. Let's dive in!… The earliest songs are mostly new to me and range from novelty tunes about a man who only eats "Buttered Popcorn" to weird moody organ/flute driven doo-wop of "I Want A Guy." The singing is already top-shelf from the get go and the dreamy Latin-accented, Smokey Robinson production "Your Heart Belongs To Me" shows everything all coming together … Continue Reading ››