Rave On, Buddy Holly

This one nearly slipped under the radar: a fresh compilation of classic Buddy Holly songs covered by modern artists. Released a couple of weeks ago on Fantasy Records, ‘Rave On, Buddy Holly’ includes current big-hitters such as The Black Keys, Florence and the Machine, Cee-Lo, She & Him, and Modest Mouse, and also aging legends Paul McCartney and Lou Reed. Intrigued? Me too. And so, with a little digging around, I managed to preview all the tracks and it is a rather impressive LP. The musicians chosen all manage to strike that fine balance between paying tribute and putting their own stamp on the chosen track.

Paying tribute is an important part of the release: Buddy Holly was a true Rock and Roll pioneer, and his influence is often underrated. His untimely death in 1959 meant that his career may not have touched as many of the record buying public as he could have, but he certainly sowed the seeds in youth and pop culture that would grow to produce The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and other icons of the 1960s. Just imagine what it was like to hear this kind of music in 1957, it must have been unlike anything you could possibly fathom, as if he were from outer space…

The artists chosen to cover Holly’s hits are very well selected; they span a range of sounds but all seem to get across the spirit and emotion of the simple melodies and lyrics. The Black Keys add their stripped back spooky sound to ‘Dearest’, alongside Modest Mouse’s grainy folk spin on ‘That’ll Be The Day’. Also of note is The Detroit Cobras’ modern pop twist on ‘Heartbeat’. Even Cee-Lo Green, who, when first looking at the tracklist I had suspicions of, contributed a jostling samba-Elvis combination of ‘(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care’, and it really works. If anything, I’d pick on She & Him’s version of ‘Oh Boy’ being far too similar to the original, but that is simply their sounds being a good fit, and so not necessarily a bad thing, I just personally enjoy a little bit more of a mix up of styles (I’m actually a big She & Him fan).

All in all, an intriguing album that is definitely worth checking out. You can now buy it from Amazon, among others…

Tracklist
01 The Black Keys – Dearest
02 Fiona Apple and Jon Brion – Every Day
03 Paul McCartney – It’s So Easy
04 Florence and the Machine – Not Fade Away
05 Cee-Lo – (You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care
06 Karen Elson – Crying, Waiting, Hoping
07 Julian Casablancas – Rave On
08 Jenny O. – I’m Gonna Love You Too
09 Justin Townes Earle – Maybe Baby
10 She & Him – Oh Boy
11 Nick Lowe – Changing All Those Changes
12 Patti Smith – Words of Love
13 My Morning Jacket – True Love Ways
14 Modest Mouse – That’ll Be the Day
15 Kid Rock – Well… All Right
16 Detroit Cobras – Heartbeat
17 Lou Reed – Peggy Sue
18 John Doe – Peggy Sue Got Married
19 Graham Nash – Raining in My Heart

Florence and The Machine

by Lee Jarvis.

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Tags: Buddy Holly, Cee-Lo, Fantasy Records, Florence and the Machine, Lou Reed, Modest Mouse, rock n roll, She & Him, The Black Keys