The Classic Recordings 1956-59

Ask any cat and they'll tell you that was one of the greats. He's somebody the hardcore love, not just because he produced the frenzied and not just because he cut the definitive version of but also because he was a passionate, powerful singer, wrenching enough emotion out of the traditional to make it seem like his own. He also had great mid-tempo sides like written by and , and As great as these songs are -- and, decades later, they retain their vitality, thanks to both 's performance and the spare, vibrant sound of -- they were not big hits, with only scraping the bottom reaches of the Top 100; but they are among the finest of the late '50s, as 's stellar proves. This single-disc, 31-track collection contains everything cut at the studio, including several alternate takes and unreleased material. Instead of cluttering the disc, these rarities show 's depth and range, as he sounds equally comfortable with hardcore as he does with down and dirty . The remarkable thing about the disc is that the songs and performances are all of consistently high quality. Unlike many of his peers, either at or elsewhere, cut almost no dross, and his sides for rank among the finest at the studio, holding its own against the work of , , which is high praise indeed. Needless to say, belongs in the library of any serious fan of '50s , or . ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine