Search - Buddy Holly :: Buddy Holly Collection

Dayna C. from LOS ANGELES, CA
Reviewed on 10/1/2010...

While the songs are timeless, the sequence on this 2-disc set leaves a lot to be desired. The first disc starts off with 2 tracks that are non-hits and have awful sound quality. The vocals are lost behind the music. Bad masters! The big hits are buried deeper within the first CD.

Glad to have the tracks, but I would steer clear from this particular release if given a second chance.

"Buddy Holly 101": all the hits, and then some

Scott MacGillivray | Massachusetts, USA | 06/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Today's "oldies" radio stations seem to recognize only two Buddy Holly hits, "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue," but the rest of the Holly catalog doesn't seem to get much play. This collection is a welcome reminder that Holly was one of the recording industry's most prolific singer-songwriters, and the music of Buddy Holly and the Crickets is as enjoyable today as it was 40 years ago. The 50-song compilation opens with a fair sampling of Holly's pre-stardom recordings, heavily influenced by Elvis Presley. Then come the hits ("Rave On," "Oh Boy," "Maybe Baby," etc.), some terrific B-sides ("Everyday," "Tell Me How"), and the more sophisticated "strings sessions" ("True Love Ways," "Raining in My Heart"). This writer's one complaint about this collection is that Holly's last recordings, released posthumously, are largely overlooked. The few that are included have "surf guitar" overdubs and edits which were added in the mid-'60s. That's the only false step in this otherwise commendable anthology tracing Buddy Holly's too-brief career. Casual fans will like it; confirmed Holly addicts will love it."

Not Fade Away: Holly's Influence Lives On

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 02/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Buddy Holly's influence on rock 'n' roll cannot be measured by chart success (he had only three top ten singles) nor by a lengthy recording career (only three years: his first Decca single "Blue Days" was recorded April 1956 and his final New York apartment recordings were done January 1959--days before the fatal Feb. 3 plane crash). Until MCA rereleases The Complete Buddy Holly (which included EVERYTHING Holly recorded, including demos and some interviews over six CDs), the 50-track on The Buddy Holly Collection does a superb job of summing up Holly's career. This collection begins with two demos cut while he was still in his teens: the rockabilly "Down the Line" and country ballad-influenced "Soft Place in My Hear." In addition, there's the instrumental "Holly Hop" recorded in the Holley family garage in Lubbock (with overdubbing provided by the Fireballs).Holly's first studio recordings were produced by the legendary Owen Bradley and clearly shows the influence of country music on Holly's early recordings like "Blue Days," while "Love Me" and "Midnight Shift" point the direction Holly would go during the rest of his all too short career.Holly and the Crickets became the blueprint for self-contained groups--writing and recording their own music. With his trademark "hiccup" vocal style and impeccable guitar leads, Holly recorded numerous rock classics: "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," "Well...All Right," "Think It Over." But his album tracks are just as good: "Words of Love" (lovingly covered by the Beatles), "Learning the Game," "Wishing," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," the list goes on and on.In addition to all the great music, the informative 28-page booklet has track-by-track notes and numerous photos. If your budget can afford only one Holly album, this is the one to get. ESSENTIAL"