27th November - The Crickets' The "Chirping" Crickets

Artist – Album: The Crickets – The “Chirping” Crickets

Released: 27^th November 1957

Sounds Like: Ooo-ee-oo, just like Buddy Holly

Music is full of big what-if questions: What if, instead of his first guitar, Elvis had received a bicycle or a rifle for his tenth birthday, as he had wanted? What if Dylan had never gone electric? What if The Sex Pistols hadn’t played that legendary Manchester gig? What if God was one of us? Another biggie is raised by today’s blog – what if Buddy Holly had lived?   

It’s hard to overstate the influence of Holly – The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan all cited him as a massive inspiration on their burgeoning careers. His brand of rock and roll may have been a little more clean cut than that of a few of his contemporaries, but he had a huge hand in bringing underground black music to a wider, whiter audience. He played with the likes of Little Richard and Chuck Berry, and he incorporated the Bo Diddley shuffle into a number of his songs. He was the subject of two brilliant tunes in the form of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’ and Weezer’s ‘Buddy Holly’. He even made glasses cool. In the wake of Elvis’ forced hiatus for national service, the space was open for Holly to become a worldwide superstar. But then he died aged just 22. 22! An unbelievably young age – when I was that old I was sleeping in my mate’s spare room, performing menial odd jobs like stuffing letters into envelopes for the local university.

Released just a year and a half before his fatal plane crash, The Crickets’ only album was also Holly’s first, but it makes a fine argument for him being music’s most tragic loss. ‘Oh, Boy!’ and ‘Maybe Baby’ stand as two of the finest cuts from the era, whilst the attitude-tastic ‘That’ll Be the Day’ and the stuttering, funky ‘Not Fade Away’ (a personal favourite) belong with the best of all time.
Albumaday... rating: 10/10

1.       Oh, Boy! – 2:07

2.       Not Fade Away – 2:21

3.       You’ve Got Love – 2:05

4.       Maybe Baby – 2:01

5.       It’s Too Late – 2:22

6.       Tell Me How – 1:58

7.       That’ll Be Day – 2:14

8.       I’m Looking for Someone to Love – 1:56

9.       An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date) – 2:11

10.   Send Me Some Lovin’ – 2:33

11.   Last Night – 1:53

12.   Rock Me My Baby – 1:47 

Listen to ‘Not Fade Away’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyTtFNGzFsE

Also released on the 27^th November:

1970: The Kinks – Lola versus Powerman and the Money Go Round

Also released on the 27^th November:

2000: The Avalanches – Since I Left You

26th July - ZZ Top's Tres Hombres

Artist – Album: ZZ Top – Tres Hombres

Released:  26^th June 1973

Sounds Like: It’s got legs

This morning I woke up at the foot of the bed, still wearing my tie and suit (although I had at least managed to unbutton the shirt), with the lamp still on and the laptop, fresh from a last minute Albumaday... posting, still on and snuggled up next to my head. Evidently it was quite a heavy one and I just couldn’t be happier that I had the foresight to book today off work. Not to sound too smug, all you unfortunate workmates...

I don’t remember much about the walk back from the pub, but I do recall playing the Arctic-cool ‘La Grange’ on my ipod far too loudly over and over again. Its John Lee Hooker-influenced blues and throaty A haw, haw, haw, haw, a haw are damn near perfection. And I’m pleased to report that the rest of the album attains a similarly high standard – the opening couple of ‘Waitin’ for the Bus’ and ‘Jesus Just Left Chicago’ which together saw frequent radio airplay, the heavy, heavy sound of ‘Master of Sparks’ and the soulful ballad ‘Hot, Blue & Righteous’ are all worthy companions to the standout single.

I used to think ZZ Top were a bit of a gimmicky band, with their matching beards large enough for a flock of birds to make a nest in, MTV-ready music videos and shiny, synthy singles such as ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’. It’s a pleasure to find out that they actually have roots in much purer, undistilled blues rock, and it’s a hell of a lot easier for my hungover brain to deal with.

Albumaday... rating:  8/10

1.       Waitin’ for the Bus – 2:59

2.       Jesus Just Left Chicago – 3:30

3.       Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – 3:23

4.       Master of Sparks – 3:33

5.       Hot, Blue & Righteous – 3:14

6.       Move Me on Down the Line – 2:32

7.       Precious and Grace – 3:09

8.       La Grange – 3:52

9.       Shiek – 4:05

10.   Have You Heard? – 3:15

Listen to ‘La Grange’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vppbdf-qtGU

Also released on the 26^th June:

1974: Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom

23rd March - Elvis Presley's Elvis Presley

Artist – Album: Elvis Presley – Elvis Presley

Released:  23^rd March 1956         

Sounds Like: Rock and Roll

At 57 years young, Elvis Presley’s Elvis Presley is the oldest album I’ll be listening to during this whole silly project, and there could hardly be a more fitting golden oldie to hold that crown.

This album, the King’s debut, marked the moment that the nascent rock and roll genre really became a phenomenon. It also stands as one of the first great music albums of any genre; the album being a medium that had hitherto taken a back seat to the common garden variety single (and, before that, music sheets – way back when, a songs popularity was measured by how many sheets of piano music had been sold for people to play at home). Studio albums had been around for a while but they tended to be a loose collection of greatest hits or live recordings, and lacked the focus or drive of this effort. Admittedly Frank Sinatra’s In The Wee Small Hours (the first concept album) was released a year before, but this was the first time a bright new star had released a landmark record. And it was good.

It could have been the case that this album’s legend had arisen as a result of his enduring infamy or subsequent greatness – this is why The Beatles’ and The Rolling Stones’ earliest albums are lauded – but, the truth is, this is a fantastic album by its own merit. Kicking off with his magnificent cover of Carl Perkins’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, the record proceeds to electrify, woo, and lament the listener in whirlwind turns. His may not be the best ever versions of ‘I Got a Woman’, ‘Tutti Frutti’ and ‘Money Honey’, but that’s no disgrace as these are stone cold classics and he makes them all great fun. Meanwhile, the soulful balladry shown ‘I’m Counting on You’ displayed a light touch and heart that had not before been seen in his early hits.

It may be the oldest album i’ll listen to, but it’s still amongst the best.

Albumaday... rating: 10/10

1.       Blue Suede Shoes – 2:01

2.       I’m Counting on You – 2:24

3.       I Got a Woman – 2:26

4.       One-Sided Love Affair – 2:11

5.       I Love You Because – 2:44

6.       Just Because – 2:34

7.       Tutti Frutti – 1:59

8.       Tryin’ to Get to You – 2:33

9.       I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You) – 2:01

10.   I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) – 2:24

11.   Blue Moon – 2:41

12.   Money Honey -  2:33

Listen to ‘Tryin’ To Get to You’:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SRRRhdtzY89P41Qdkk6OA

Also released on the 23^rd March:

2004: Madvillain - Madvillainy

Also released on the 23^rd March:

1973: Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure

Also released on the 23^rd March:

1978: Bob Marley – Kaya