The Best Of Buddy Holly: 20th Century Masters Of The Millennium Collection

Performer: Buddy Holly
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Recorded between February 25, 1957 and October 21, 1958. Includes liner notes by Joseph Laredo. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (MCA Music Media Studios, North Hollywood, California). This is part of MCA's 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection series. Composer: Buddy Holly. Like any record company worth their salt, MCA knows a good gimmick when they see it, and when the millennium came around...well, the 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection wasn't too far behind. Supposedly, the millennium is a momentous occasion, but it's hard to feel that way when it's used as another excuse to turn out a budget-line series. But apart from the presumptuous title, 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection turns out to be a very good budget-line series. True, it's impossible for any of these brief collections to be definitive, but they're nevertheless solid samplers that don't feature a bad song in the bunch. For example, take Buddy Holly's 20th Century volume -- it's an irresistible 12-song summary of his Decca/MCA recordings. There may be a couple of noteworthy songs missing, but many of his best-known songs for the label are here, including "That'll Be the Day," "Words of Love," "Peggy Sue," "Everyday," "Not Fade Away," "Maybe Baby," "Oh Boy!," "It's So Easy," "Rave On," "True Love Ways," "Think It Over," and "It Doesn't Matter Any More." Serious fans will want something more extensive, but this is an excellent introduction for neophytes and a great sampler for casual fans, considering its length and price. That doesn't erase the ridiculousness of the series title, but the silliness is excusable when the music and the collections are good. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Buddy Holly's achievements and influence are immeasurable. He is a seminal singer-songwriter, a father of rock and roll, a brilliant pop innovator, and the first alt-geek-rock icon. Though squeezed out in a mere three years before Holly's death at the age of 22, nearly the entire output of Holly and his backing trio, The Crickets, is worthwhile. It is therefore no surprise that this BEST OF collection is wonderful from beginning to end. Every one of these twelve songs is hit single material, including "That'll Be The Day," "Words of Love," "Peggy Sue," "Oh Boy!," and "It's So Easy." Holly's stupendous melodic hooks are only half of the music's appeal. His band's unique, minimal style--marked by such delightful touches as the click-track and bells that back "Everyday" and the punctuating backup vocals of the driving "Maybe Baby"--sounds as fresh today as it did in the late '50s. These are perfect pop masterpieces made even better by the intervening years. THE BEST OF BUDDY HOLLY is an essential addition to any pop music library.

Part good ol' boy, part rockabilly rebel, Buddy Holly was one of the most innovative and influential of 1950s rockers, both on his own and as a member of the Crickets, rock's first truly self-contained combo. Originally rooted in country music, Holly leaned towards rock & roll after opening up concerts for both Bill Haley and Elvis Presley. Holly was amazingly prolific in the last few years of '50s, penning a string of hits, including "That'll Be the Day," "Not Fade Away," "Peggy Sue," and "Rave On." This remarkable creative streak was only halted by his death in the infamous plane crash that also claimed the lives of Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Although he only lived to the age of 22, Holly produced a memorable body of work that has inspired numerous artists.

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