Another look at the Everly Brothers career, this time from the point of view of the British collector, compiling their London Records' releases, right down to the different edits on the UK versions.
The Everly Brothers are two of rock'n'roll's foundation stones. At the peak of their powers in the late 50s and early 60s, they had it all - flawless vocal harmonies, simple but skilful instrumental support, memorable songs and good looks. Their highly distinctive vocal harmony sound had been influenced by earlier brother duet traditions in country music but their songs and delivery were contemporary and populist (and their appeal has endured down the years). "The Original British Hit Singles" assembles 22 brilliant releases which all saw the light of day in Britain as singles on London Records. The earliest is Bye Bye Love (which surprisingly only reached No 6 in the UK and No 2 in the states) and the latest is 1960s Leave My Woman Alone. In between lies the No I classic All I Have To Do Is Dream, the three No 2s Wake Up Little Susie, Bird Dog and 'Til I Kissed You and the No 4 When Will I Be Loved (a song that strikingly and stylistically predates the British beat sound of four years later).The sleevenotes to this mid-price CD are by Roger Cope and he evocatively relates what it was like to be a teenager in 1950s Britain and the impact that these American records had on the youthful imagination of the day. Outside of that context, suffice to say this album contains some of the very best rock'n'roll ever made - there is no finer recommendation.
