Before Rock and Roll
Alfred Johnson | boston, ma | 06/26/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Yes there was a musical world before 1956 and the Elvis explosion. That musical world, however, was the world of the parents, including mine, of the Generation of '68. For those who came of age during the Great Depression and fought World War II it is all here for you. Bing Crosby (doing a great job on the title track), The Andrews Sisters (without Bing but ripping the joint up with Rum and Coca Cola), The Mills Brothers (damn, if Paper Dolls is not one of the theme songs for that era, what else beside Sentimental Journey is?), The Ink Spots (doing a misty-eyed job on If I Didn't Care) and on and on for Disc One. Almost nothing but beautiful tunes there. Disc Two is later material and a bit more spotty, refelcting a shift in musical tastes to the more ephemeral. Stick outs here obviously are Louis Armstrong and Patsy Cline. The others like Three Coins in the Fountain are so-so. Buy this for Disc One, really."