Fats Domino – This is fats domino! (1956)

„This is fats domino!“ released in 1956 is a compilation of singles and their B-sides.

This rock n roll album is more one the roll side of the rock n roll, since it´s more bluesy and less rocking. It contains Piano, Saxophon, Guitar and Drums.

Fats vocals are okay, not more. Whats cool on this album are some of the piano parts like on „La-La“ and the saxophon lead parts like on „Troubles my own“. The best track is „You done wrong“, „Fat mans Hop“ is also pretty cool and the closer „Trust in me“. But listening to it, it doesn´t really get to move me.

So after all I would say that this album is just mediocre. I think a Chuck Berry/Bill Haley/Eddie Cochran album would be better inclusion to an „albums you must hear before you die!“ list.

The crickets – The chirping crickets (1957)

„The Crickets“ was the name of the band of Buddy Holly under which he also release some albums. I must say that I am looking forward to hear this, since I once buy´d a best off Buddy Holly in the supermarket which does not get me at all. After I listened to it I discovered that the most songs were from the posthume Buddy Holly. Also the album reviewed was an important influence for the development of the rock music in generall, because Holly was one of the first using the standard Guitar/Bass/Drums user. He influenced bands like „The Beatles“ with his sound. So let´s see, if „The Crickets“ can do better.

With „Oh Boy“ the album starts with a very fast dancing rock`n`roll number. His voice is good especially when he sometimes have some hints of aggression hidden in it.

The A side hold the very high quality, except for the slow ballad It´s to late. It finish strong with „Tell me how“ and the B side starts very strong with „That´ll be the day…“. But after that the most track on side B are ballads, which is sad, because the rock`n`roll tracks are pretty decent.

With rock me baby the album ends with a faster country-influenced rock`n´roll track with a great instrumental part and solo in the mid. The chorus of this track is pure energy.

If I could change the album I would replace the background vocals which creating the rhythms with an electric guitar because I really dig that sound it has when playing solo.

After all I would say my impressions of the album are mixed. The rocking tracks are pretty cool but the ballads are lame. Although this is an album which need to be listen to at least once, because it has very cool tracks and because of it´s big influence it had (Beatles, Stones).

Little Richard – Here’s Little Richard (1957)

So this is the first album I also own on CD as a Re-Release. It´s one of the first rock `n´roll albums to ever be released and also the first album to be released on speciality records.

 

The opener Tutti Frutti is the most popular song of Little Richard. The „Woopdabidodapdapdubab“ maybe the first form of Tom Warriors (Hellhammer/Celtic Frost) simple and efficient UH!

The album is the most aggressive you´ll get out of the technology of the 50´s. It´s just simply sheer aggression

 

Richards Vocals are dominant without pressuring the instruments to much into the background. The full potential of his Voice can be heared on the tracks „Tutti Frutti“, „Long Tail Sally“, „She´s got it“, where the instruments have a break except the drums supporting him with some hard and single hits to create such an energetic atmosphere.  With a voice like this he also could be a punk singer if he would be born 20 years later.

But also the other instruments have their genious parts. Listen to the aggressive piano triplets at the beginning of „True, fine mama“ or the piano part in „She´s got it“ or the aggressive sax parts in „Jenny Jenny“

 

Even the ballads are strong on this album. Richards dirty voice simple give you the idea that he have some dirty thoughts while singing.

 

This album is just pure badass and was the best pickup music in the 50´s. Call it Über, call it killer, there aren´t enough words to describe how awesome it is.

There can´t be any reason to not listen to it.

Elvis Presley – self titled debut album (1956)

The debut album of the King of rock `n´ roll was released in 1956, two years after he released his first single and should be his first no. 1 album. It was the first rock `n´ roll album ever to get the top position of the charts. 

 

The album contains a wide variety of tracks, going from faster rock songs to slower songs which are more emotional and back. This fact let the album seem to be a bit unnatural in his flow. It also seems to be a bit random and might be explained with the fact that Elvis have never written a song by himself. 

 

The faster tracks are pretty cool, have a nice entertaining atmospheres, contain some nice solos and bring you in a dancing mood.
The slower and more emotional songs are like the songs on the Sinatra album before based on Elvis vocals with instruments in the background.

 

The A side of the album is also stronger than the B side except for Money Honey, which creates high intensity with a very fast and aggressive piano playing a single note the whole time and a slow bass in the strophe. The tension is released in a short break and a drum switchover into a bluesy rhythm. 

The tutti frutti cover can not hold on to the original of Little Richard, which might be a bit slower, but is more filthy, because Richards voice is more sleazy. Also the instrumentation of saxophon and piano fits better to the song. 

Overall a strong album. Need to listen to at least once.