The Bottom Line
You won't find a cheaper series of oldies compilations, but the completely random selection means you take your chances.
Pros
- At about 6 bucks a pop, these are very inexpensive collections
- Some "rare" hits that don't usually appear on comps
Cons
- Extremely short running time
- Very random selection
Description
- Compilation
- Fifties and Sixties
- Top 40 hits
Guide Review - "I Love Rock and Roll," Volumes 1 - 10 (Collectables)
The Collectables (sic) label has just reissued these ten compilations in its "I Love Rock And Roll" series, and they sort of remind one of those old grab bags you'd find at carnivals. What's inside? No one knows, but at about six bucks a pop, it's hard to go wrong. These are indeed the original hits by the original artists from the Fifties and early-to-mid Sixties, representing rock's gold era. The total running time of each is about half an hour, but they're still a bargain if you're not too particular about WHAT oldies you're listening to. Fact is, these are all top 40 hits, just not necessarily the ones that have entered the rock canon. For example, Volume Three incongruously places Freddy Cannon's "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" next to Dion's "Abraham, Martin and John," and it gives equal weight to acknowledged classics like the Chiffons' "He's So Fine," little-known gems like the Turbans' "When You Dance," and nearly-forgotten novelties like Sue Thompson's "Norman." Sunny pop-rock is the order of the day for most of the selections, making this a good representation of AM's wild, weird glory days.
