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The "Chirping" Crickets

Buddy Holly - The "Chirping" Crickets Audio CD

A fair review of the Buddy Holly "The "Chirping" Crickets" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Buddy Holly reviews here, or go back to the Buddy Holly tabs.

Band: Buddy Holly
Title: The "Chirping" Crickets
Rating:

Release Date: 2004-03-23
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Oh, Boy! - Buddy Holly 2: Not Fade Away - Buddy Holly 3: You've Got Love 4: Maybe Baby 5: It's Too Late 6: Tell Me How 7: That'll Be the Day 8: I'm Lookin' for Someone to Love 9: Empty Cup (And a Broken Date) 10: Send Me Some Lovin' 11: Last Night 12: Rock Me My Baby 13: Think It Over [#][*] 14: Fool's Paradise [#][*] 15: Lonesome Tears [#][*] 16: It's So Easy [#][*]

Essential Rock-and-Roll
the crickets would also solidify the archetype for the "rock band" ; bass/drums/rythm gtr/lead gtr. An essential rock and roll album, in my opinion the first true cohesive rock and roll album and the template for what would follow for many years.

Holly was a pioneer in the studio, being very creative and experimental for the 50's, a genius taken before his time and a true music legend.

If you don't own this album already, go buy it. You Need It.
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Buddy Holly with the Crickets
It contains all of his big hits and then some great but less known songs. This Cd is from one of Buddy Holly's best albums ever recorded. You will enjoy each and every track on this CD if you are a Buddy Holly fan.

The CD features Buddy Holly lead singer and the Crickets which were an essential part of his big hits. This is full of tracks with the characteristic sound and rythmns of Buddy Holly at his best.

Each and every track was either a number 1 hit for BH or one of his often requested songs. Many of the songs were written by Buddy himself. If there is only one buddy Holly CD in your collection this has to be the one. The absolute best example of the fabulous Buddy Holly and his music.

just the crickets
I remember vividly the first time I heard "Thatl'e Be The Day" when I was 18 years old. this recording introduced the world to the Crickets. Too bad Buddy Holly decided to break up the group.

27 November 1957 to 27 November 2007. 50 Years On. And His Debut Album Is Still Stunning!
(It was released March 1958 in the UK on Vogue Coral LVA 9081). A full half century ago, "The Chirping Crickets" by The Crickets was released in the USA on Brunswick Records (BL 54038) and it stands to this day as one of the great debuts of all time. Holly had had several 7" single releases on Decca throughout 1956 and 1957, but this was his first album proper. His group `The Crickets' are credited on the back of the album sleeve as a `Vocal Group With Orchestra' Yikes! Not very Rock'n'Roll is it!!

This 2004 Universal CD reissue gives us all 12-tracks of the original Mono album remastered to gorgeous sound quality from the 1st generation master tapes by Erick Labson and then tags on 4 bonus tracks at the end. The extra tracks are the A&B sides of two singles in and around the release of the album. So this allows the listener to sequence The Crickets' first five US 7" singles as follows (all featuring Buddy Holly):

1. That'll Be The Day/I'm Looking For Someone To Love (Brunswick 55009, 1957)
2. Oh, Boy!/Not Fade Away (Brunswick 55035, 1957)
3. Maybe Baby/It's Too Late (Brunswick 55053, 1957)
4. Think It Over/Fool's Paradise (Non-Album A&B sides) (Brunswick 55072, 1958)
5. It's So Easy/Lonesome Tears (Non-Album A&B sides) (Brunswick 55094, 1958)

(Note: the version of "That'll Be The Day" put out on a Decca 7" single in June 1957 credited to Buddy Holly as a solo artist is different to the version featured on The Crickets album above. The 1st issue is more rockabilly and is rarely heard above the more familiar re-issued version. The song only became a hit second time around - a number 1).

The artwork is also a treat. The album's iconic front cover colour shot of the Lubbock young bucks is reproduced in gorgeous colour on the front page of the booklet with the liner notes of the rear sleeve on the last page. The other 12 pages are given over to a brief history of the album, discography information and re-issue production credits. Very tastefully done. Another nice touch is that beneath the see-through tray holding the CD is a gorgeous reproduction of the original album's chocolate brown label (an original of the album is $800 + if you can find one!).

There were only two albums really in his short but mighty career, this his debut, followed quickly by his first proper solo album, "Buddy Holly" (released in Feb 1958 just one year prior to his untimely death in February 1959 at only 22). Universal have re-issued both of these and not the subsequent compilation albums that made up all of his 60's output (see my review of "Buddy Holly" also). Listening to them again, you're struck even now by the brilliance of his song writing - and what a crime it was that the world was robbed of him at such a young age. There's a classy feel to these issues and I recommend both albums without hesitation.

PS: It should also be noted that this issue is part of the "Rock'n'Roll 50th Anniversary Edition" series issued in 2004 by Universal. This secondary series title is displayed vertically on the side inlay beneath the see-through tray, but unfortunately, if you try to search the Amazon database for ANY titles in the series, it doesn't recognize the 'name' at all. For those interested in a visual, I've placed a full list of all seven titles in Listmania called "Rock 'N' Roll 50th Anniversary Edition Series". Other goodies in the series include "Buddy Holly" ('58) by Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry's "After School Session" ('58) and "St. Louis To Liverpool" ('64), Bo Diddley's "Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger" ('60), Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around The Clock" ('56) and the "Rock, Rock, Rock!" soundtrack from 1956 featuring Chuck Berry, The Moonglows and The Flamingos. I can't recommend these titles enough - each album remastered to beautiful sound quality, colour artwork lovingly restored and each bolstered up with 3 or 4 relevant single releases from the time (some previously unreleased).

Fans of Holly, Haley, Berry, Diddley and Rock'n'Roll in general should quickly acquire all of these exemplary CDs. They make for the best basis of a collection in a minefield of lesser compilations. Enjoy!.

Like Owning A Piece Of History
I would just like to reiterate that the AAD sound quality is excellent, and that in the liner notes you get the original LP sleeve notes, another vintage b&w photo of Buddy with drummer Jerry Ivan Allison and Joe B. Reviewer redtunictroll provides an excellent overview of the contents of this historic album, first released on vinyl by Brunswick in late 1957. Mauldin on bass, a new page of background notes written by reissue compiler/producer and vice president of catalog development and A&R for Universal Music Special Markets Andy McKaie, and a listing of the tracks showing recording dates and back-up vocalists.

Certainly a must-have album to complement any serious collection of R&R oldies.

You can see a complete list of all Buddy Holly discography, or go back to the Buddy Holly tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.