Various Artists: Great Drums at Sun
Take note, it takes more than a great vocalist to make a great song. The underlying musicians are just as important as the front man (or woman) but it is often the singer that is thrusted into the limelight. Here we have a new disc brought to us by the good folks at Bear Family Productions.
This compilation compiles twenty-eight tracks, taken from a pool of almost three thousand tunes recorded on Sun Records. This disc stands as a tribute to those early rock pioneers from the '50s, most notably the drummers who often seem to get overlooked. Artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Gene Simmons, Carl Perkins and many others are featured along with their respective drummers. Tracks like the spry rockabilly of "Lovin' Up A Storm", the balladic shuffle that is "I Forgot To Remember To Forget", the early Johnny Cash tune "You're My Baby", turned into a rockabilly classic by none other than Roy Orbison and many more are excellent examples of '50s rock. It is really cool to give these songs a listen as these and other classics of the era laid the foundation for rock and roll music.
The packaging is also worth a look as the booklet contains a synopsis for every track including some historical accounts that certainly make for an interesting read.
If you are into '50s rock and roll and appreciate these early musicians of the period you should really give this record a listen. It is both refreshing and nostalgic at the same time. Those interested in rock and roll from an historical perspective should also take note.
