Rave On Buddy Holly Explained

Rave On Buddy Holly
Type:compilation
Artist:Various artists
Cover:Rave On Buddy Holly album cover.jpg
Genre:Pop rock
Label:Hear Music, Fantasy/Concord Music Group
Producer:Randall Poster, Gelya Robb

Rave On Buddy Holly is a compilation album by various artists released on June 28, 2011, through Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group and Hear Music.[1] [2] [3] A tribute album to musician Buddy Holly, who died in a plane crash in 1959 at age 22,[4] the title refers to the song "Rave On", one of his biggest hits. Contributing artists included Paul McCartney, who owned Holly's publishing catalog at the time of the album's release, and Graham Nash, a former member of The Hollies, who were named in commemoration of Holly.[5]

Critical reception of the compilation album was positive overall; many reviewers appreciated the album in its entirety but criticized select performances. Rave On Buddy Holly reached a peak position of number 15 on the Billboard 200 and also charted on the Top Canadian Albums, Top Digital Albums and Top Rock Albums charts. "Dearest", performed by The Black Keys, received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards (2012).

A similar 75th birthday tribute album, , was issued just over two months later. It contained a similar range of songs, but by a different group of artists—although Zooey Deschanel appears on both albums (as a solo artist on Listen to Me and as a member of She & Him on Rave On).

Composition

The album opens with The Black Keys' "Dearest", just over two minutes in length.[4] Cee Lo Green's vocals on "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care" last just ninety-three seconds; the song has a total length of just over one minute and thirty seconds.[4]

Reception

Overall, critical reception of the album was positive, though many reviewers criticized select tracks. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine complimented the artists involved for not settling for "mere replications" of Holly's song, for playing "fast and loose", and for "radically reinterpreting the original" recordings.[1] However, Erlewine described Karen Elson's cover of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" as "overly ornate" and categorized Lou Reed's "Peggy Sue" as "turgid grind".[1] David Fricke of Rolling Stone lauded McCartney's "It's So Easy" and Nash's "Raining in My Heart", describing the latter as a "deft balance of folk-rock sparkle and overcast-afternoon sigh". Fricke also appreciated the contributions by Nick Lowe, Justin Townes Earle, and especially Patti Smith's "Words of Love", which he claimed was delivered as a "precious wish" just as Holly had written. BBC Music contributor Mischa Pearlman complimented performances by Smith, Lou Reed, Cee Lo Green, and Julian Casablancas, as well as Kid Rock's "soulful" cover and Modest Mouse's "hushed reimagining" of "That'll Be the Day". Pearlman also criticized McCartney's performance, writing that he "trie[d] a little too hard", and was disappointed by Fiona Apple and Jon Brion's cover for sounding "almost a carbon copy" of the original. She summarized the album as a "wonderful testament to [Holly's] songwriting prowess, longevity and legacy".

Paste magazine's Jeff Gonick positive review highlighted The Black Keys' "beautifully minimalist" cover, Casablancas' "rich and rocky" title track, My Morning Jacket's "beautifully crafted croon", as well as Modest Mouse's performance. Marc Hogan of Spin magazine gave Rave On Buddy Holly an eight rating on a ten-point scale and described Green's performance as "so good it'll give you hiccups". The Washington Posts Allison Stewart preferred artists whose performances were more similar to the original, including Apple, Elson and Earle; she criticized Modest Mouse and McCartney, whose covers differed greatly from the original, though she complimented Kid Rock's "Detroit soul rave-up" despite its differences.[6] NPR contributor Stephen Thompson wrote a positive review of the album, claiming that the featured musicians "prove to be a nice fit for Holly's timeless words and tunes" and "give this collection the sweetness its source material demands, without losing sight of the melancholy that lies beneath."[4] One reviewer for The Salt Lake Tribune expressed similar sentiment, describing the album as a "fitting, often avant-garde and unusually fun tip of the hat to one of the best penners of melodies ever", specifically highlighting contributions by Green and McCartney.

Personnel

Chart performance and recognition

Rave On Buddy Holly peaked at number 15 on the Billboard 200. The album also reached number twenty-one on the Top Canadian Albums chart, number thirteen on the Top Digital Albums chart, and number two on the Top Rock Albums chart.[7] "Dearest", performed by The Black Keys, received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards (2012).[8]

Chart (2011)Peak
position
Canadian Top Albums21
U.S. Billboard 20015
U.S. Top Digital Albums13
U.S. Top Rock Albums2

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog
United StatesJune 28, 2011Hear MusicCD3267002
FantasyLPFAN33123[9]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rave on Buddy Holly. June 30, 2011. Allmusic. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. September 6, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110906041931/http://www.allmusic.com/album/rave-on-buddy-holly-r2114083/review. live.
  2. Buddy Holly Tribute Album to Feature My Morning Jacket, The Black Keys, Paul McCartney and More. Nathan. Spicer. Paste. 1540-3106. June 7, 2011. April 28, 2011. June 9, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110609055903/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/04/buddy-holly-tribute-features-my-morning-jacket-the.html. live.
  3. Web site: Buddy Holly Tribute to Feature Paul McCartney, Lou Reed and Cee Lo Green. Spinner. June 7, 2011. April 28, 2011. Jason. MacNeil. March 10, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120310151656/http://www.spinner.com/2011/04/28/buddy-holly-tribute-paul-mccartney-lou-reed-cee-lo-green/. live.
  4. Web site: First Listen: 'Rave On Buddy Holly': Hear Covers By Paul McCartney, Fiona Apple, The Black Keys, Cee Lo And More. Stephen. Thompson. NPR. June 30, 2011. June 21, 2011. July 2, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110702154744/http://www.npr.org/2011/06/21/137220161/first-listen-rave-on-buddy-holly. live.
  5. News: Holly's influence will not fade away. March 14, 2009. William. Kerns. July 13, 2011. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Lubbock, Texas. July 13, 2012. https://archive.today/20120713063411/http://lubbockonline.com/stories/031409/fea_409573233.shtml. live.
  6. News: Album review: "Rave on Buddy Holly". Allison. Stewart. July 1, 2011. July 13, 2011. The Washington Post. 0190-8286. November 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121112184319/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/album-review-rave-on-buddy-holly/2011/07/01/AGxDimtH_blog.html. live.
  7. Web site: Rave on Buddy Holly: Charts & Awards. July 24, 2011. Allmusic.
  8. Web site: Nominees and Winners. February 22, 2012. The Recording Academy. May 17, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170517094145/https://www.grammy.com/nominees. live.
  9. Web site: Rave on Buddy Holly. June 30, 2011. Allmusic.

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