It's been said before, but it bears repeating: much of the history (and soul) of early rock & roll resides not only in the recordings of giants like
Elvis
,
Little Richard
Chuck Berry
, and
Buddy Holly
, but in the literally hundreds of acts who managed to produce one or two great singles, in an incredible variety of styles. You can't claim to have a comprehensive rock & roll collection without seeking these out, and you'll have a surprising amount of fun doing so. The fifth volume of the
Golden Age of American Rock'n'Roll
series shows no signs of flagging in its mission to document these important sounds. Big hits by stars (
Freddie Cannon
Jan & Dean
Gene Chandler
); huge one-shot hits like
Dale & Grace's
"I'm Leaving It Up to You,"
and
Johnnie & Joe's
"Over the Mountain, Across the Sea," and
Jimmy McCracklin's
"The Walk"; treasured cult classics by
the Showmen
("It Will Stand") and
Eddie Fontaine
("Nothin' Shakin'," covered by
the Beatles
on
Live at the BBC
); all are here, and more. ~ Richie Unterberger