Bear Family Records have added yet another entry to their long-running Rocks series; This one focuses on the rocking sounds of Eddie Bond. Containing 35 tracks recorded in the 50s, 60s, 70s and early 80s; Is this compilation worth picking up?
I must admit that I had not heard of Eddie Bond before reviewing this compilation. It seems as though I have missed a lot, as he was at the forefront of Memphis Rockabilly at the beginnings of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and others. The story of a Country singer who turned to Rockabilly isn’t unusual, but I looked forward to hearing what Eddie uniquely brought to the table.
The album starts with (arguably) his biggest recording, the rip-roaring Rockin’ Daddy. The composition fits into a certain format, but has a lot of unique qualities. I love Eddie’s vocal delivery, along with the guitar solos with a hint of Country twang.
Eddie’s pure Country origins are still present through much of this compilation. The beautiful slide guitar on Love Makes a Fool Everyday, the storytelling Running Drunk and the musicianship in Hey Joe are just a few of the stand-out country moments in this collection of songs.
The tracks are fairly eclectic in style, ranging from bouncy rockabilly to the previously mentioned traditional country and even gospel. This is not too surprising when you realise that they were recorded at various times between 1955 and 1982. Bond works with a range of musicians, record labels and producers, as detailed in the song notes, where as much session information as possible is included for each track individually.
My highlights include Juke Joint Johnny, Fool About You, Memphis Tennesse and Slip, Slip, Slidin’ in. I also appreciated the mid-60s recording of Here Comes The Train, a genre-hybrid that sounds like a mix of early Presley and peak Cash.
Sound Quality
The quality across the whole compilation is generally very good. The 1950s tracks have that full overloaded sound that one would expect from this genre and era, There are maybe a couple of minor sound issues for a second or two on a few tracks, but these are mostly unnoticeable.
A Little Something Extra…
As with other entries in this series, the album comes as a digipak. Inside it is a 38-page booklet featuring liner notes by Martin Hawkins. There is also information on each individual track, including a short write-up. Lastly, there are rare photographs and illustrations.
Tracklisting:
- Rockin’ Daddy
- Blue Suede Shoes
- Juke Joint Johnnie
- Boppin’ Bonnie
- Here Comes The Train
- Monkey Business
- Broke My Guitar
- Fool About You
- Look Like A Monkey
- Flip Flop Mama
- One Way Ticket
- Big Boss Man
- Candy Kisses
- No. 9 Train
- Running Drunk
- The Monkey And The Baboon
- Tore Up Over You
- Slip, Slip, Slidin’ In
- Talking Off The Wall
- I’ve Got A Woman
- Love Makes A Food (Every Day)
- Hey Joe
- Love, Love, Love
- Baby, Baby, Baby (What Am I Gonna Do)
- This Old Heart Of Mine
- Long Tall Sally
- Memphis, Tennessee (Feat. Cousin Bo-Jack)
- Gonna Rock My Baby Tonight
- Show Me (Without Sax)
- Satisfied
- When The Juke Box Plays
- Boo Bop Da Caa Caa
- I Can’t Quit
- Let The Good Times Roll (Feat. Cousin Bo-Jack)
- Rockin’ Daddy
In Conclusion…
Although there is perhaps more swinging than rocking going on here, with a decidedly country flavour, Eddie Bond Rocks is a collection of songs which does indeed move the listener. Many of the songs have a very tempting rhythm. The regular injection of steel guitar and the scattering of well-known songs among the lesser-known works make this compilation a pleasant listen-through.
Bond is a strong performer who, along with his producers and musicians, makes each song his own. Although there is a country flavour to much that is going on here, it would still sit alongside the rest of the …Rocks series from Bear Family Records without issue.
Eddie Bond Rocks is available now from Bear Family Records.
Eddie Bond Rocks
