Buddy Holly- Best Of

This 1995 compilation, contains 20 songs from Buddy Holly's tragically short yet highly influential career.

Regarding the recording quality, initially I was planning on using some EQ tweaks to cover up some of the flaws and then cutting it some slack for the remainder (on the basis of the songs being recorded in the early 1950s). But even back then, the boomy double-bass, harsh vocal reverb effect and occasional distortion during drum fills shouldn't be tolerated. Also, the tonal balance of this 1995 re-release is quite inconsistent between songs, as if some record company just slapped the songs onto a CD without even checking how they sounded (not to mention the errant sub-bass from plosives and random thumps, which gets a modern subwoofer pounding pointlessly).

While I'm moaning, there are some horrid cheesy songs dripping in violins, such as True Love Ways, Peggy Sue Got Married, Maybe Baby, Wishing and It Doesn't Matter... but let's move on and focus on the good stuff...

Oh Boy is one of his faster songs, and an all-time classic of rock'n'roll. The song feels a bit too "wholesome" for rock'n'roll, but Buddy was always more the gawky nerd music whiz than the firebreathing rock'n'roll frontman. Peggy Sue is another classic in this style. My two favourite songs happen to both be covers- Rave On and Brown Eyed Handsome Man. Both hammer along at furious pace with fantastic energy.

The lyrics of Midnight Shift are horribly sexist (the notion that a girl being out late must mean she is unfaithful!) but this sped-up blues is quite catchy. This song is just one example of the variety of influences with which Buddy Holly experimented. Think it Over incorporates rhythm and blues elements wonderfully. Meanwhile the use of knee tapping for the percussion section of Everyday is genius. It makes for a simple and wonderful, yet unique, lovesong.

Favourite songs

Oh Boy, Think it Over, Peggy Sue, Rave On, Heartbeat, Everyday, Brown Eyed Handsome Man

Worthwhile?

Over fifty years later, it is a bit of an effort to overlook the old-fashioned daggy bits. But it's well worth the effort, there is some great wholesome early rock'n'roll to be enjoyed here.