Chirping Crickets

Fun drive in music. Oldies. Oh boy, maybe baby, and that will be the day are classics

I like Buddy Holly's voice but could have done with less cheesy background lyrics echoing - but overall a fun listen

Not my cup of tea but I can appreciate this album. Good harmonies and song variations that kept it interesting.

As a personal preference I love this. I love the harmonies and the variation in soft, slower numbers with the faster paced sock hop songs. Buddy Holly was gone way too soon.

These old albums are a bit hard to rate. It’s very doo-wop sounding, but I honestly enjoyed it and it’s still pretty impressive given it was released in 1957 (compared to what else was getting recorded around then). You can definitely hear the influence on like early Beatles sounds in here. I did legitimately enjoy listening to it and I really respect that Holly wrote the songs here (lots of covers from other albums around this time). It comes in with 12 songs at only 26 minutes, so it’s compact and to the point. It would have been interesting to see how his sound would have evolved if not for his tragic death. Favorite song: Oh Boy! Other: Not Fade Away, You’ve Got Love, Maybe Baby, I’m Looking For Someone To Love, Send Me Some Lovin’

Bit samey!

I enjoyed hearing what sounds to be an early album from Buddy Holly & The Crickets. I've listened to a variety of songs from the band artists before, but Chirping Crickets might be the first studio album I've listened to. I liked this album, but nothing stood out. My favorite tracks were the tracks with a little more energy ("Oh, Boy!", "That'll Be the Day", "Rock Me My Baby"). I was a little disappointed that "Not Fade Away" was a lower energy recording of that song. Buddy Holly & The Crickets have higher energy music, and that difference in energy is probably what keeps this album at 3 stars.

Orginal rock n roll. You can't underestimate the importance of Buddy Holly on 20th Century music culture. Four piece band, writing and singing your own songs and then a career tragically cut short. Any number of these tunes are classics. Deserves to be on this list just through it's cultural standing alone - luckily the tunes are good too. Best Tracks: Oh Boy; Not Fade Away; That'll Be The Day

Not for me

Some classic songs and some fluff.

It's Buddy Holly. Unbelievable what he did for music in such a short time on this planet.

I could do with less chirping from the Crickets. A little too much barber shop harmonization / doo wop sounding for my taste. But that’s a nit pick. Otherwise, it’s clear why Holly is a rock and roll legend with the number of gems here.

Some quality early rockabilly. Will listen again.

Do I really like this as a 5 star album? I guess I do. Sure, it's dated, it's 65+ years old at this point. But without music like this, we wouldn't have any of the music that we get today, either. So it's pretty great.

Still part of the water we swim in, which is shocking considering how long ago this record came out. I've heard the hits I haven't heard the album; now I know why. But man, the hits!

Good wholesome rock and roll :) Fave track: That'll Be The Day.

Of more historical interest than actively pleasurable to listen to, but fine I guess. Fave track - "Not Fade Away" for the ones I recognized, "Rock Me My Baby" for the nursery rhyme shenanigans!

Mid 3.5

Greit

Ooo-wee-ooo Nolan looks just like buddy Holly, Oh-Oh and Jim's Mary Tyler Moore

You’ll never catch me copas. meh

Super Mid. How does a 26 minute album bore me that much? It’s not horrible, but it’s just so god damn boring.

just not my jam.

Don't really dig the period harmonies here - some great songs others not so memorable. This one might've burst through the wall like the big Kool-Aid jug but I think Rave On is Buddy Holly's definitive statement. Some great guitar though!

Not my favourite type of music but can see how it has progressed into what music is today and its influence is prevalent

With a lot of these 50’s albums you pretty much know what you’re getting and this is exactly that. It’s never unpleasant on the ear and the songs essentially revolve around a single line/idea. Fine for a single listen but not catchy/dancy enough for be to be any more interested in this. 5/10

Album Notes: - cute nerdy bops - weezer of the 50s - raw sound but stands out for its time - That'll Be The Day is a certified bop - i like it more knowing more about punk and amateur music - overall a decent effort - likable and doesnt overstay its welcome, but still feels just okay in the grand scheme of things Best Tracks: Oh Boy!, That'll Be The Day, Maybe Baby, Not Fade Away Worst Tracks: Last Night, It's Too Late

A little rundown about each track from this 1957 album, along with individual ratings: "Oh Boy" is a nice opener. To be honest, I love how the 1950s mindset made it impossible for the audience to perceive how there could be different ways to interpret its lyrics. Pretty sure Buddy Holly himself never understood how said lyrics (and the way they are phrased) could provide the content of a gay anthem today. Am I the only one who could see it, perverted as I am??? A queer band should cover that song, lol. Rating: **** "Not Fade Away" is a gem. Love the barebones production values, and the discreet and charming mood that results out of them. Background vocals are great as well, and the instrumentation is so cool. That double bass... And what is the drummer hitting on to make that nicely subdued sound? His own lap? Cardboard boxes? I wish this album had more tracks like that--animated, yet also subtle and very relaxed somehow. Rating: ***** Conversely, "You've Got Love" is a textbook mid-tempo 50s number that has nothing interesting to it, except that it was partly written by Roy Orbison. Hard pass. Rating: * As other shrewd reviewers noted in here, Buddy Holly sounds like a prototype of John Lennon in "Maybe Baby". Well, everyone knows that's not exactly the right way of explaining how things went... But I get what those reviewers are meaning here (and I'm pretty sure you do too, reader). A very cool track. Rating: ***** "It's Too Late" is a nice ballad that holds its own pretty well, thanks to its acoustic guitars and the reverb on its chorus vocals. This could be played in the soundtrack of David Lynch film, and be background music for a tender-yet-pretty-weird scene taking place in his loony, paranormal universe...Rating: **** "Tell Me How" is another borefest, however. Buddy Holly didn't have songwriting duties on this one. And you know what? The songs he didn't contribute to as a writer are the least interesting ones, generally speaking. I wish those producers of his had not given him so many songs written by others. This LP would probably have been more striking as a result. Rating: * It's nice to listen to the ultra-famous "That Will Be The Day" in context, even though people usually didn't care a lot for the album format during the fifties, and were more interested in singles. One can see why this song was singled out in Buddy Holly's repertoire. Those background vocals are the key detail that struck me this time around. They're doing some pretty weird stuff in the background if you pay a little attention. And the drums are pretty neat, too. Rating: ***** I like the vocal parts of "I'm Looking For Someone To Love", especially towards the end, when it bounces against the rhythm section. Apart from that, this track is just a decent early r'n'r number. Rating: *** "An Empty Cup..." bored me to tears. Predictable 50s ballad, with predictable doo wop background vocals, this time. Another Roy Orbison-penned number, by the way. But I prefer other songs he wrote (for himself). Rating: * Interesting chord progression on "Send me Some Lovin'" at some point, but pretty much the same criticism as for "An Empty Cup...". This one is also on Little Richard's second album. Rating: ** And, once again, I have the same sort of complaint against "Last Night". I like the picturesque image of Buddy dreaming about his lover at the window of his house, though, as he looks upon the stars. It evokes the more "innocent" times of the 50s like no other lyrics on the album. Yet the music itself is pretty bland. Rating: ** Insanely great guitar hook on "Rock Me My Baby", foretelling Beatles-like harmonies, along with future jangle pop acts such as the Byrds. And the *weird*, off-kilter type of background vocals are back as well, which is another asset. This album needed more lively tracks like that, instead of all those lovelorn ballads. Especially on the second side. There's a misssed opportunity here, I have to say. But at least the album closes on a high note. Rating: **** Conclusion: I love half of the tracks, but overall, this "historical" LP is a little hit-or-miss for me, even if you take it back into a 50s context. Speaking of which, here is a dozen 1957 albums I find more important than *The Chirping Crickets* (or at least, *as* important): John Coltrane - Blue Train Little Richards - Here's Little Richard Johnny Cash - With His Hot And Blue Guitar Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners Miles Davis - Birth Of The Cool Paul Chambers - Bass On Top Sun Ra - Jazz By Sun Ra Miles Davis - Round About Midnight Billie Holiday - Songs For Distingué Lovers Sun Ra - Supersonic Jazz Miles Davis - Miles Ahead Chuck Berry - After School Sessions So am I gonna include Buddy Holly And The Crickets in my own list? "Maybe baby, maybe baby...". I just need to make sure there's enough room for them at the end, as small as those little critters are... Number of albums left to review: 553 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 216 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 105 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 128

Boring

Old school rock, nothing that really jumped out at me

Okay

Not of my era, but still sounds fun today, we used to sing comedy versions of some of these in the playground as kids. "All my life, I've been kissing, her left tit cos the other ones missing, oh boy" Hilarious, I know. Interesting listen, but not something I'm likely to want to listen to again.

This album shows the big talent of Buddy Holly. He has the roll in rock'n'roll.

Better than I expected, some real catchy bits

The epitome of formulaic music isn't it? And don't give me it's 1957, Gabe Vincent made better rockabilly in the same year. Two math textbooks out of five. 📔📔

Son los de That'll Be the Day (when I'll die). Un 3.

Seminal album that definitely has every merit, but definitely feels oldie.

Doesn't hold up, but a good effort.

a short and sweet feature of old school American Graffiti pop. basic ideas of love and dance with some catchy vocals and rhythm guitar. feels kind of empty without chatty diner background noise. 3.5/5

This is the first time I’ve ever actively listened to Buddy Holly so that’s cool. “Oh Boy” has a very catchy hook and is a fun listen, even though a lot of the instrumental production is a little quiet compared to the vocals and didn’t age super well. “Maybe Baby” is also a lot of fun, the crickets’ background vocals really make the song for me. A little too many lovesick songs in the middle. Like it’s cool for a record to have a theme, but these all have very similar moods and it feels like they’re just trying to cash in on a formula. “Just like this coke, my love is gone” is a funny lyric because haha cocaine, but it may be even funnier to picture buddy holly drinking soft drinks to cope with heartbreak. Glad the run time is nice and short because this one got old fast. Cover Art: 5/10 that is a picture of the band

Hard to rate this one cuz of how old it is. At this point the songs are like a novelty which is fun to hear once in a while but I can’t really take it too seriously. Gonna give it a 3 cuz I see how it’s important for music history and hearing a song or two once in a while is fun but I wouldn’t ever listen to the whole album. I think I would just put on an oldies playlist cuz this is really before albums were meant to be a cohesive piece of work anyways. That being said, I did enjoy the album a lot and the simplicity of the songs gives off a nostalgic feeling. The reverb on it’s too late sounds cool. 👍:that’ll be the day, maybe baby, it’s too late

This following review was written by Ai conversation bot, ChatGPT: Sure, here's a 2/5 star review for Buddy Holly's album "The 'Chirping' Crickets": While Buddy Holly's album "The 'Chirping' Crickets" is considered a classic of the rock and roll genre, I found it to be underwhelming. While there are certainly some standout tracks like "That'll Be the Day" and "Not Fade Away," the rest of the album is forgettable and lacks the same energy and excitement. The production quality is also subpar, even for its time. The instruments and vocals often sound muddy and indistinct, making it difficult to fully appreciate the music. Additionally, some of the songs feel formulaic and unoriginal, lacking the unique sound and personality that made Holly's music so special. Overall, "The 'Chirping' Crickets" may be an important piece of rock and roll history, but it doesn't hold up well as a standalone album. There are certainly some enjoyable moments, but they are few and far between. If you're a hardcore Buddy Holly fan, this album may be worth a listen, but for the average listener, it's likely to disappoint.

Kinda knew what to expect here. Obviously extremely dated, but then again for 1957 some songs really don’t sound too bad. Honestly liked it more than i thought I would. It was only 25 minutes so that’s probably a big part of it, I’m sure I would get sick of it if it was much longer. Also did The Who just totally rip off “Not Fade Away” with “My Generation” or what? Best: Not fade away, that’ll be the day MMM: 🎶MAYBE BABY ILL HAVE YOU, MAYBE BABY YOULL BE TRUE🎶

Having the buddy holly on here makes me miserable that weezer aren’t on here, and yeah buddy holly does look like a nerd so I guess he does look like the guy from weezer. Anyway the music, it’s solid but a bit boring compared to music after the 50’s but this is one of the best you’re gonna get from this time, that’ll be the day is the clear standout but some other tracks are solid. 3/5

Chirpy upbeat rock pop from a bunch of goony middle aged yanks. Perfectly fine.

Takes me back to my childhood, my parents used to listen to Buddy Holly all the time.

Not bad but before my time

I get the influence and historic importance. Just not my kind of jam

Doo wop

Poor man’s little Richard

2/5 I hate to be a party pooper, but I found "Chirping Crickets" by Buddy Holly & The Crickets to be a bit of a snoozefest. Sure, the album is considered a classic and has been influential in the development of rock and roll, but to my ears, it just sounds sleepy and boring. The songs are all pretty much the same, with a slow tempo and a twangy guitar sound that never seems to change. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, with nothing particularly interesting or thought-provoking to say. I found myself nodding off halfway through the album and struggling to stay awake until the end. Even the upbeat tracks, like "That'll Be the Day," fail to get me excited or energized. The production is flat and uninspired, with no real dynamic range or interesting textures to grab my attention. I know that "Chirping Crickets" is considered a landmark album in the history of rock and roll, and that many people hold it in high regard. But for me, it just doesn't do anything. It's like a warm glass of milk - it might be comforting to some, but for me, it just puts me to sleep. If you're a die-hard fan of classic rock and roll and are looking for an album to add to your collection, then by all means, give "Chirping Crickets" a listen. But if you're looking for something with a bit more energy and excitement, you might want to look elsewhere.

Pleasant enough

Howzat! 🏏

Just good classic Rock-and-Roll! It's not anything special, but when you compare it to the music of its time you realize that it was a much more important and progressive than you'd think. Everybody has to like Buddy Holly just a little bit, Rivers Cuomo wrote a whole song about looking just like him. Jokes aside, this is still just a nice fun album to listen to.

everyone in the western world knows this album.... soooo... yeah. it's on the list and has those bubble gum bangers for 50's teenie boppers. and that's actually damn good fun today. clean, shiny, bright guitar tones, nice boyfriend vocals. cool, yeah, there it is.

Good! Nice Iowa connection right off the bat. Lots of bops

Kunnon meno! Ei kikkailla 3/5

Tätä kuuntelee oikein mielellään. Ehkei kuitenkaan herätä tarpeeksi intohimoja nelosta varten.

Musagenre itsessään. Yksinkertaistahan se on mutta tarttuvaa.

Early rock, quite geared towards love. Maybe Baby reminds me alot of the beatles

4.5

It's of an era, and to be fair the 50s was still quite a restrained era. Some well known tracks on the album, but for me it would be background music that's already playing, and not something I'd personally choose to listen to.

Not bas

A classic! Great mix of rock 'n roll and ballads.

No, not for me, my deceased Gran might find it too old fashioned

Pleasant enough

Old but gold - let down by the duller doo-wop tracks.

It's ok, wouldn't hurry back to it. Reminds me of the bloke selling all the cassette tapes at the end of llandudno pier.

I guess it's influential? But such an early iteration of rock is a bit dull on its own

7/10. This was pretty good

So extremely dated that it was hard for me to be interested in this album. I definitely prefer the energy of performers like Fats Domino or Little Richard for this old style rock and roll. 6/10

I think it’s quite obvious this album was made in the 50’s just from the sound of it and therefore it really isn’t tailored for streaming services. I don’t find this album interesting at all I’d say it’s more something you’d hear just passing by, you wouldn’t sit down and listen to it. The only track that stood out to me is “That’ll Be The Day” that had a pretty catchy chorus and some nice guitar but overall this is something I wouldn’t return to. I think for someone in the 50’s this probably was great but considering how much other music we’re exposed to now it’s hard to justify that opinion 70 years later.

Dated.

A fun half hour that made me feel like I was at the enchantment under the sea dance

Compact and enjoyable 26 minutes of nostalgia.

Classic Rock and Roll, you can't not like this. Would be good for a summer roadtrip!

Not really into this. It's fine for background music, but not really something I'd choose to listen to again start to finish.

Fun album. It's funny how songs were never more than like 2.5 minutes back then. Just powering through these little ditties. I like it. 3.75/5

The thing about rock n roll this vintage- especially the white kind- is how primitive it sounds compared to even just a decade later. Charmingly primitive, sure, but almost day and night from what I usually listen to. And ultimately, I prefer to listen to stuff like Buddy Holly intermittengly rather than frequently. Even though some of the album tracks are quite good, this is still ultimately singles music to be. But when they hit, it’s a lot of fun. The band sounds great and Buddy’s voice is just righy. B+

Better than expected

This is lost on me. I can't imagine a time when this was cutting edge or held deep meaning for anyone. Just seems like something you listen to while getting a burger and trying to get your hand up your girl's shirt.

Buddy Holly is an American musical treasure. This album was light and quick and enjoyed by me.

Just a fabulous album.

3/5. An enjoyable rockabilly album with some great hits and some definite misses. A lot of average as well. Not bad. A point up for influence.

26 minutes that felt like much longer... Just look at the cover. Whitest of whites! ...I appreciate that this type of music has a corny old-timey kinda charm, but if I would rather be listening to something else the whole time (like some blues!), then I can't actually claim to like it? Not the WORST thing I've ever listened to, but I don't think I'll ever be itching to put it on. Like, ever. It's got some catchy tunes, but so do The Beatles and they're way more interesting. Same for Howling Wolf or Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Yup, gonna go wash out my ears with some blues now. 🙃

This is a decent album of early rockabilly songs. It would have been interesting to see what else Buddy Holly would have done if he hadn't have passed away before his time. I feel like he has this iconic status because he died so young, which makes sense but also means it's untested. He's got a great urgency to his vocals on some of the songs (Oh Boy! for one) that doesn't match his buttoned up/nerdy façade. I liked a lot of the songs on here and it was an easy 26-min listen but doesn't quite reach the 4 star level, I'd have gone 3.5 if it were allowed. Standout Tracks: Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, That'll Be the Day, Rock Me My Baby

Listening to this feels like the most accurate representation of that rock n roll generation and feel. Bangers: Maybe Baby, Not Fade Away, You've got love. Would I listen again? Yes deffinitely 4/5

Late 50s early rocknroll. Culturally significant but itsxsll a bit twee. Doesn't do much for me

Life is kickin - my generational soundtrack of excellence

It’s fun but I guess feels a bit too one dimensional after all the music that succeeded this album. Still production and arrangement and harmonies are beautiful and some of the songs albeit done to death since still have some magic left in them - which is a mean feat in itself. The album being short also helps it be more digestible. The stalkery nature of the love songs hasn’t aged well though and well again this has all been done better since.

Its exactly as youd expect it to be. Outdated now.

From this album and the songs that followed in subsequent playlists, I can only determine that the 50s were extremely horny.

I think this was revolutionary at the time, but predictable now.

Who can dislike thought-provoking lyricism such as “dum di dum dum, ho boy”? I do love Buddy as a figure, but it’s tragic that his talent didn’t have time to develop to its full potential.

Classic Buddy Holly. Short, skittery beats and simple lyrics. All about love lost and love found. Well produced. My grandparent’s music!

50’er rock and roll, poppet, korte numre, simpelt, catchy

This is one of my father's favorite "Rock-n-Roll" albums. Perhaps because it was played to me relentlessly as a very young kid, I sort of love the vocals. From a critical standpoint, Not Fade Away is the really important track on here, although Jerry Garcia did a much better job with it (did Holly write it?). Overall, it's fun to briefly revisit this album and I do think Holly was a major innovator in the birth of "Rock-n-Roll". Dead far too young.

From a different era. Not sure if this would be as memorable if he hadn't died on the same flight as Lou Diamond Phillips.

Along with Bill Haley & His Comets, were The Crickets the first rock and roll bands? This is apparently a much debated and unclear thing, with everyone offering a slightly different opinion of what counts as rock and roll and what counts as a rock and roll band. But regardless, Buddy Holly and the Crickets were instrumental in the development of early rock and roll. Holly and Haley deserve more credit than Elvis, who was primarily recording other people's songs. Elvis was more of a manufactured pop star. The Crickets and the Comets were more what we think of as rock bands, usually writing their own songs. It's not really my thing, but "Chirping Crickets" gets an extra star for historical significance.

The 50s were a trip man. 12 songs. 26 minutes. Not Fade Away and That’ll Be The Day are highlights. The music sounds so square. Life was different.

Classic oldies…. 3.5/5

Just wonderful. This is my first time listening to Buddy Holly. The music feels pitched between an older 50’s style and a rougher rock sound. This is a great batch of catchy songs. The recordings capture the fun that Buddy Holly and the band clearly had in the studio. “Oh Boy!,” “Not Fade Away” and “Maybe Baby” were the highlights for me.

This album is a big nostalgia hit for me; my mom used to put this vinyl record on and we would dance around the basement to it for hours. This was most likely my first introduction to music along with car rides in the early 90s with grunge on the radio so I'm particularly fond of this kind of sound (why I haven't made grunge+50's doo-wop pop music yet is a mystery to me). I'm really surprised about the play times on this album. Nowadays a majority of the time you will see any kind of popular music record having most songs be over 3 minutes and this one's longest track is 2:36. It feels like they go by so fast. "That'll Be The Day" is the big hit on this one. Great tune with fun vocal techniques throughout and a super memorable hook. It's a 4/5 for me right on the dot.

3.5

Great

Great early rock & roll. Probably a 4.5/5. Favorite song: Oh Boy!

Loved!!

Never realised how beautiful Buddy Hollys voice was before this album. Fantastic vocals. Good old 1950s rock and roll. Songs are all decent, with some better than others, but there isn't a bad track on the album. Rock and Rolls problem is the lack of variety though, but the album is on the shorter side, negating this issue somewhat. This album is somewhere between good and great. If Buddy Holly hadn't had died at such a young age, it would have been so interesting to see how his career had progressed. Such a shame we'll never know. FAVORITE SONGS: - Oh Boy - Not Fade Away - You've Got Love - That'll Be The Day - Last Night 4.25/5

Highlights: "Maybe Baby," "Tell Me How" Unimpressed. Coming on the heels of Little Richard and Elvis, this feels derivative even at the best parts. Probably the most interesting thing is the jarring backup vocals, just because it comes across as growing pains of the period's pop music, trying to make sense of new sounds. Again, no points for mythmaking. Lots of mediocre and problematic artists in the 27 club. It's hard to see Holly changing the course of music history or even having a positive influence if he'd survived.

From the era of blissfully short songs, this is really catchy stuff.

it was just ok. kinda boring

The birth of rock n roll!

The foundation for all of the great rock and roll that came afterwards. Buddy Holly and the boys knew how to make the kids dance and the parents rage.

Short & sweet.

The start of greatness

That’ll Be The Day gets this to a 3. I’m sure the whole thing is very influential but too dated to get really into.

baita fadinho, ano 57

I liked the melodies but the lyrics were very questionable in this day and age and I don't have the nostalgia factor to combat that.

Boring. Favorite track: Oh Boy!

Oldie and fun. Appreciate the throwback.

Old and not gold. Sounds like your typical 50-60s american music that you will not care about unless you were born in the US

Can't really fault this for being what it is, just not something that I personally covet.

Am rating based on how much I enjoy listening right now, so have to say it's super dated. Still enjoyable mostly throughout, but can't sustain interest, despite obviously being a big impact on what came after.

first listen boring 50's rock n roll

I thought I would find this dull - but instead there was an clear eerie feeling to these simple songs - like listening through a David Lynch filter

Too old school for me

Very well performed 50's rock

Much edgier and shadowier than it seems on first listen. Yes, the classics are the ones to know – "Oh, Boy!" and "Not Fade Away" and That'll Be the Day" and " There's just the slightest link to Greil Marcus' "old weird America" in the edgy darkness of "It's Too Late." The authentic yearning of "Send Me Some Lovin" is trembly and a mite creepy. If "Last Night" or "An Empty Cup" weren't in David Lynch's Blue Velvet, they very well could have been. It's worth remembering that this must have terrified parents and moralists in the same way punk did. And strip out the barbershopy-quartet backing vocals and we're in proto-indie territory, the earliest known fossil of jangle. The simplicity of approach and directness yields real power. One is saddened to think of all the lost excellence and growth that was sure to come.

Buddy Holly was a rock and roll icon in the 50's! Another life gone too soon! I can imagine how scandalous his music must have been in that time period. Looking back at it now, it is more of a pop vibe, but back then, those Strat's would have been making rebellious music that parents of the day hated. Buddy blended his country roots with rockabilly, and pop, and came up with this good ol rock and roll, in line with what Roy Orbison or Elvis Presley were doing. Imagine what Buddy could have done if he had lived longer! Overall, a great album today! Very influential, and trend setting! Will definately listen again to this classic artist and album! Favourite songs: That'll Be the Day, I'm Lookin' For Someone to Love, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, Oh Boy!, Last Night, Rock Me My Baby Least favourite songs: If forced to pick, It's Too Late 5/5

Do like this, still fresh and cheerful.

The "Chirping" Crickets! First off, I love when things are put in quotation marks when they don't really need to be. We know they're singing and the Crickets are not actually actual crickets. You don't need to clue us in. Clocking in at a mere 25 minutes (I have gotten some shorties here recently!), I easily listened through to this one twice. On my drive to work, idk, I found it kind of boring, same-y, and annoying, though I do understand its importance and influence in other genres I really like, including rockabilly and psychobilly. Maybe I was just in a sour mood. On the second listen this afternoon, I liked it more. I liked how melodramatic "That'll Be the Day" and "An Empty Cup (And a Broken Date)" are. But I don't think I will go out of my way to listen to this one through again.

It's a really nice time, lovely jangly guitars, nice harmonies, some great toe-tapping beats in there. Lots of very short songs so it's over and done in no time at all - perfect to get in and out and have a perfectly enjoyable time in-between.

cheesy

Anticipated liking this more than I did.

4/5 great one classic

Nice in a cafe

You can see how this is the root of much that came after it.

pretty good

Cool

Nein danke

Very short and snappy, nothing bad but a bit repetitive.

Meh

Classic but lacking spunk.

Much like the Glorious Revolutioon of 1688, this is contextually important but ultimately not very interesting.

8/10 some of those lyrics were a little rapey but also Buddy Holly is the GOAT

This is a great album. The songs do exactly what they're meant to without any fat, and with a whole lot of personality. Buddy's performances are great, his energy is infectious, and the guitar playing is exquisite. The backing singing is also really good. Almost 5

This was a really good palate cleanser after the last two albums. I always like getting albums like this because they're snack-sized and doo-wop music is crack for me because I can never stop listening to it once I start. There are no bad songs on here and there were also no bad songs once the radio started playing. Sucks that he died in a plane crash.

Ooo wee ooo i look like buddy holly

2 Only that will be the day is my favorite. Other songs are okay.

Slow and boring

The Beatles made this shit better

Oh boy

I completely understand how important Buddy Holly is to music, and it is interesting to think if he would've continued to be this huge influential presence without his passing, but in the real world, he was. So, why is this album so non-interesting? I mean, it's good, don't get me wrong. Nothing here is bad, and some of it is relatively nice (extremely short and sweet), but most of it goes in one ear and out the other. It's pretty much middle of the road for it's good sound but lack of intrigue from a modern eye. It isn't like I just dislike this style of rock, there's plenty from this era that can become an earworm, but this isn't it. I think my significant other will like it way more, though.

ground breaking

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Oh Boy! (1) 2 - Maybe Baby (4) 3 - That'll Be the Day (7)

lovey dovey love songs but also quite repetitive

Very fun classic skiffle/rock n rock. No real notes here. Favorite tracks: "Rock Me My Baby", "Not Fade Away", "Maybe Baby"

Great album!

Sounds really dated, but interesting to listen to something so popular from such a different time. Mad respect for Buddy Holly and his impact on rock & roll music.

Damn. Did not expect this to be this good.

It's hard to state just how impactful Holly was with bringing a genre to the mainstream, even if his music is largely simplistic by modern standards. This light and quick record features fast pop songs that have a slight touch of Black music in the "more digestible" package of a white man with thick glasses. The real tragedy is not being able to see where Holly would have gone with his music career.

classic old stuff

Buddy Holly is a legend at this point, but he can be found in his music which features great guitar playing, great songwriting, and a distinctive and oft impersonated vocal style. He could sing slow songs or add a bit of grit to sing songs like 'That'll be the Day.' He was an unconventional rock star; we was clean cut and wore glasses. However, he standardized rock's two guitar, bass and drums lineup and wrote some of rock's most enduring standards.

I've read a bit about Buddy Holly lately - Greil Marcus said "Buddy Holly had something very different from the other great early rock n' roll stars, whether it was Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Bo Diddley. He came across as so ordinary, as such a nerd. You know, he was a big guy, and he carried a gun. He was anything but a nerd." I agree 100%. This album, while it fits neatly into the 50's rock'n'roll canon, does have something more in its arrangements, its variation, and its vocals. It's a great listen.

Muy años sesenta, algunas canciones las versionaron los Beatles.

ITS GOOD LOL

Buddy Holly wrote incredible, memorable and influential rock and roll music. This debut album already shows us what he could do: Oh Boy, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby and That’ll Be The Day are now standards. If the quality is a little uneven and some of the tracks feel as if they’ve still one foot in the past - falsetto male chorus and slow crooning ballad- let’s forgive Buddy for the sheer volume of great music he would later add in his tragically short lifetime.

Nothing here grabbing my attention. All very sparse, kind of feels like half a track most of the time.

Lots of solid songs, but like all they sing about is sex, without explicitly saying sex.

Some really good songs and some that were pretty skippable. Overall, not bad for a 65 year old album...

Not really my jam, but a classic

This is a great album with so many hits.

7/10

Thank God Buddy Holly was lucky enough to show the world his talent before his tragic death at 22. In “The Chirping Crickets”, he takes the newly emergent form of rock and roll and makes it well and truly his own through twelve tight, accomplished and exhilarating numbers. Listen very closely and you can hear Lennon, McCartney, Jagger, Richards and many more besides sitting up, taking notes, figuring out the chords. Generations of influence stemming from 25 minutes- not bad at all for a 21 year old. This is simple, pure and honest songwriting that sticks: almost every song here is written in the same key of A Major and sticks to the three major chords of the scale. Some are in a basic blues structure, while others go beyond that. It could be boring and repetitive, but somehow, Holly makes them all sound distinctive, with each of the melodies standing apart from one another. “That’ll Be The Day”, recorded in a different session with presumably a very different setup, sticks out from the others straight away as the clean, dynamic and instant hit. It earns its rightful place as THE Buddy Holly song almost any listener is bound to recall. “Maybe Baby” is another highlight, in particular the breathless backing vocal accompaniment in the break. Incidentally, I first heard it from a cover by Brian May, which is worth a listen and further evidence of Holly’s influence reaching across numerous rock icons. If any of the record starts to sag, it’s in the last third: three consecutive ballads feels a bit unnecessary and a tad safe. It’s as though the band are dialling themselves back into the pre-rock and roll era of traditional pop, in case too much excitement would blow up the speakers and summon the devil. Still, at a total running time of 25 minutes, it’s hard to complain about any dead weight, and the ending “Rock Me My Baby” is lively and punchy enough to send things out on a high note. Bravo!

Short, sweet and upbeat

not really bothered sorry

Boring old shit

The thing is, almost nothing about its sound is new to me. I already heard all of these blues, ballad, and rock-n-roll tunes. And I don't really mind, as I'm a sucker for pop songs of this age. The problem is, "Chirping Crickets" is a big hit-and-miss. I see the appeal: those guitars made me feel sunny no matter how rainy it is today, and that voice has that urgency that I always like with blues and rock-n-roll. But some of the songs unintendedly border into being a parody or a cheap copy of other tunes. And even if these tunes came after this album, it doesn't change the fact that they are at least more preferable to listen to. So kudos for the influence I guess, but I'll only come back for a handful of tracks.

chirp chirp chirp

2.5/5 *shrug*

You have to hand it to the pioneers for bringing us here. What would music have been if something else had been popular at the time? Similarly, what would music have been if Buddy Holly got to continue making it? These songs are short and simple, but the substance is there. Strong evidence of rock & roll of course, along with a lot of soul. It's a bit tamer than some of the other big names of the era - just look at our insurance salesman-dressed friends - but these are stone cold classics. Standout tracks are It's Too Late & That'll be the Day.

i love this rockabilly fifties sound. i just do! it's charming and easy to listen and dance to. buddy holly and the crickets excelled at this sound: every single song contains a super catchy chorus. because of the short length, i listened to the album a few times in a row; before long, i was singing along easily. several of these songs became popular covers over the past sixty-five years, which does not surprise me. and finally, what a little treat to find out roy orbison was a contributing songwriter on two songs.

I like a lot of music from this era. And I’m not sure what it is, but Buddy Holly has always been at the peak of that for me; I’m not sure what it is, but during a time when most music roughly sounded the same, Buddy Holly somehow always sounded a little bit different. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this album. I found the whole thing to just be fun, including the non-hits on the album. Buddy’s inclusion on this project is the right choice in my opinion. Few artists have made the impact he did in such a short career span. It’s really an unfortunate crime that we didn’t get decades more music from Buddy Holly.

Chirp

the best tracks are written by Holly and the Roy Orbison songs. The songs written by others seem to be written in the style of the time. Holly's songs seem to be something new and would influence artists of the future. Call me crazy, but I can hear Holly's songs influencing Mike Ness and Social Distortion.

Such a fun old album. Love this

I am sure this album was ground breaking in 57, still holds up.

I think I prefer the stuff released under just “Buddy Holly”

RIP Buddy Holly :( this album helped me understand why poodle skirts were a thing. Would have been so fun to bop around in at a Buddy Holly show

It's so strange that Buddy Holly is considered a rock n roll icon, I mean just look at the cover. I think my teddy bear looks more menacing. But that voice is so distinctive, so original and so natural sounding. The other thing is this was in the days when music was recorded live (probably over a couple of sessions) with minimum fuss. It's a good snapshot of a particular time and place. Music before technology and the media etc took over. One surprise for me was Buddy Holly only co-wrote 5 songs, considering his reputation as a songwriter. All the above said, it probably isn't that great an album as a whole and a Buddy Holly compilation would be a far better listening experience.

Well I guess you had to be there and I wasn't!

Hard to see what all the fuss was about really

Formulaic songs in simple language, Crowbarred into matching suits and ties, Torn between Rock n Roll and being christian virgins. I imagine it's still in the top hundred albums of the 1950s.

I'm still laughing at the Little Richard orgy anecdote. I like the few songs that were the big hits, overall the album is okay, but it's so short that it's inoffensive and you'd end up forgetting the rest of the tracks anyway.

Too proto-rock for me. I am sure they played a part in the evolution, but there is no way I would want to listen to this again.

So many good songs in such a short amount of time.

Quite liked my trip with Buddy, stands up pretty well to my ears.

Oh well, this is delightful. This is one of those albums that shows how something quite simple can be incredibly impactful. The sound is clean, crisp and melodic. The mood is sometimes infectiously jubilant, sometimes charmingly wistful. This is an album full of catchy hooks and engaging lyrics that is a joy to hear, even 60 years on. A real gem. Fave Songs: That'll Be the Day; Oh, Boy!; Not Fade Away; Maybe Baby; Rock Me My Baby; I'm Looking for Someone to Love

Livet var enkelt på 1950-tallet, gitt. Dette er familievennlig punk!

p31. 1957. 5 stars Stripped down, primeval white rock'n'roll at its finest. Instantly recognisable sound, packed with genuine classics. It still sounds great today.

This is here for the big songs isn't it. And sort of fair enough, though it's not a classic must-hear album, rather, Buddy Holly is a classic must-hear artist, and this is his only album. There's way better consistently good rock and roll than can be found here, but this is not the era of the album, it's the era of the hit single. So what are you gonna do?

- Too old to be my thing but enjoyed it more than I thought I would - Can see the influence on early Beatles - Fav songs: That'll be the Day, Not Fade Away, Oh Boy!

Buddy Holly kinda sounds like somebody sped up an Elvis song but only by like 10%. 4.5 stars

Early rock and roll that's aged OK. A little bit of Doo-wop and a dash of rockabilly that you can really hear influenced future rock bands. It would be interesting to hear how Buddy Holly would've evolved musically if he lived longer as he really helped lay a great foundation for rock and roll.

ok

Great inspiration for so many rock 'n roll, rockabilly, psychobilly bands.

Classic, rock owes a lot to these guys.

Distil what makes music good and capture the essence of pop and rock in a bottle, this would be on the same shelf. Music of a bygone simpler time, but hugely influential on what came after.

The music is dead simple but the effect this album had on popular music is almost immeasureable. And That'll Be the Day is a stone cold classic.

Half of these are all time greats. I’d say it’s similar to Elvis’ first album or a the Beatles’ in terms of quality and consistency—maybe even a little better than both. But even the oddities are cool. It’s kind of fun to hear him lament his bad luck in love with a reference to his empty Coke. Listen to this record if you need to be in a better mood and you only have 26 minutes to get there.

Really solid for the time. Buddy holly is a really great vocalist. Get a little samey but it's the 50s so whatever.

It feels a bit strange to give an album this foundational and influential anything less than 5 stars. Some of the songs are a bit basic and boring, but the album is short and punchy enough that none of them outstay their welcome. The best songs on it are pretty fantastic on the other hand. It's also surprisingly well produced for something that came out in 1957, apart from some weird/clumsy panning on a few of the songs. Having said that, it's not something I'd listen to on purpose very often.

It’s whatever

Great album. Short but sweet. Lots of fun songs and good tunes

A bonafide masterpiece full of the peppy rock n' roll staples that set the foundation for everything else to come. It is an absolute pleasure the whole way through, great album from long ago.

Can't help but judge the album cover here, haha. Whoever cut them out really gave disservice to their hair lol Never heard any of these to my knowledge and I'm surprised by how much I liked it. Having read up a bit on the history of the band and the influence they had on the music forward this definitely belongs on the list. Quite an easy, short listen, which I enjoyed. Saved songs: You've Got Love, That'll Be The Day, Oh Boy!

Rock 'n' Roll, that describes it. But more roll than rock

More bangers than expected. Most of the albums I associate with this period are pretty redundant but this had variety. Probably a 3.5 but I'll give it a 4.

quintessential 50's rock and roll album

An unbelievable debut. Somewhat inconsistent, but the highs are incredibly high and hugely influential. And no song over 2:30. The influence is sometimes taken for granted as is genre blending aspect of the tunes. Hits especially hard considering Holly's tragic death.

Boy, they sure crammed a lot of greatness into 27 minutes. This album is a blueprint for early rock and roll!

What an efficient 26 minutes. The entire blueprint for 60s rock and roll is here in one great collection. Buddy Holly was not the first rock and roller but he was one of the best (actually writing many of his own songs) and it’s tragic that we will never how how he would have grown as an artist over the course of his life. I do however find it astounding that Not Fade Away was track 2 instead of the final song here. What a missed opportunity.

Maybe a boomer take, but I really love a simple album like this. All songs are straightforward, short, and catchy. Just don’t make them like this anymore I feel.

Out of the 50s albums I've gotten so far, this one feels the least outdated and most likely would pop on and play. Feels very all-rounded and fits nicely on a chilled sunny afternoon. Not Fade Away is the highlight which I didn't know this was the original version. It's got a great rhythm behind it which peeps it up from the Rolling Stones version which is also enjoyable. I also liked That Will Be The Day, Oh Boy and It's Too Late a fair bit too.

Joyful classic that makes you go up on your feet and give yourself to the rock'n'roll.

Beatles hardcore

Not for me - I'm sure it was groundbreaking for the time but sounds all the same to me

Classic. Love this. Feels very old and is just really easy listening. Quite good.

As I was listening to all these we very familiar songs, that are as firmly embedded in my cultural zeitgeist as the Star Spangled Banner, I pondered whether it was all really up to the hype. Some of the recordings are fairly muddy; Holly’s voice, though he had no trouble carrying every tune and played to his strengths, was not something spectacular. Would it really still carry the same cultural weight without the tragic end looming over it? Ultimately (though his tale can’t of course be unwound from his untimely death) I do think it holds up: early rock/rockabilly classic, and a damned shame we lost everything he might have followed with.

Delightful early rock and or roll

THIS is what Don McClean was so upset about? JK, these are some nice boys doing some nice soft music that you can fall asleep to. Funny to think that this music was getting people WORKED UP 2/3 of a century ago

Really not my preferred genre. Very harmonic but that doesn’t make up the fact that the songs are just one liners and simple verses about relationships and ultimately relatively boring. Probably because they were mostly used to dance to. Solid listening experience if you’re in a specific kind of mood and feel nostalgic for a time I personally never experienced or have any kind of emotional attachment to. Probably explains my rating. Favorite Song: “That’ll Be The Day”

Enjoyable, catchy Oh Boy is my favourite

Fun stuff, got repetitive. Am always amazed at older albums. They have 12 songs and are only 25minutes long.

yowza! Those are some short songs! This was ok. Kind of fun to listen to some oldies. Pop music has always been vapid. This was no different. But Buddy Holly had a decent sound

I really like about half this crickets album… but I also like rockabilly including the dozens of shitty post-danzig rockabilly misfits songs jerry only churned out. 3/5

I'm glad I didn't grow up in the 50s 2/5

Kind of shows how much music (and, not less importantly, lyrics) have evolved over time.

Loved it! Listened to it a couple times in a row and will definitely be one I come back to again

Not my thing but I can imagine it was pretty good for its time

Like most musicians of their generation, Buddy Holly & The Crickets were geared towards singles much more than proper albums and it shows here. Four great timeless singles, some really good deeper cuts and a B side (minus the first song on it) that is still good but far less exciting than the rest of the album. This is still really pleasant to hear, but I'd rather spin my greatest hits than this if I have the choice.

A super important album and some really great arrangements. Sadly way too overheard

Legend of his time - great inspiration for a lot of muscian.

Buddy Holly always had a special place in my musical development. When I was a teenager, I saw the movie "The Buddy Holly Story" and really enjoyed it. It seemed to be a really great guy caring a lot for the music he was doing, and he was delivering with passion and honesty. At least, that's what the movie depicted and it was enough for me to learn from it. Anyway, this album contains so many hits that transform the futur of rock music. That'll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby and the great Not Fade Away, which was re-interpreted by countless groups. It was released in 1957. Buddy Holly is the definition of a rock'n'roll pioneer.

It has its legendary influential place in rock roll music and the hit singles are still singalongs and easy to cover in skiffle and rock bands, but sounds dated and a little boring to my relatively modern ears. Probably deserves 4 out 5 for influence, but I'm giving it 2 from my own taste. Sorry Dad!

A true genius, unconventional and fresh, even 60 years later!

good start to rock n roll

Of all the music albums I've ever listened to, this also meets the definition of music album

Hits are good songs. Unlikely to listen to again.

Grew up listening to some of this thanks to my dad.

So here's what drives me up a wall about this album - it has 0 swing. On every track the drummer sounds like a 6th grader joining jazz band for the first time and trying to play a swing beat but it comes out all jilted. Even Buddy's vocal phrasing is super square. Compare this original recording of "Not Fade Away" to the Grateful Dead cover (or even the Rolling Stones cover)

Such an influential artist.

So incredible. So sad. Several bangers in here.

Ooh wee ooh

You can really hear this one's age. It's OK for what it is, but good that it's so short. If it had went for much longer, it would have started to get annoying.

The music is good. The lyrics are all about the same thing. Boy + Girl = Love. Yawn. Very one dimensional in that sense.

Really enjoyed this one. Track number two especially had some unique drum sounds I wasn't really expecting.

Just some good old classic 50's rock.

Seminal in every way – from the basic song structure and central instrumentation to the nerd-cool vibe and lyrical tone and content. "Not Fade Away" is one of the most addictive (and powerfully so) melodies in all pop-rock. 4 straight-up all-time tunes is not bad at all for a debut. Perhaps not the first-first but awfully near and sounding suspiciously like the invention of a category in real time.

"Ooo wee ooo I look just like Rivers Cuomo. In 2020, a virus known as COVID-19 will cause a global pandemic" - Buddy Holly, 1957 How did he know? Who took a bite out of the second guy's haircut? So many questions! The music is good though. I've been really harsh on these 50s albums - this is probably my favorite one so far. "Oh Boy!" is a classic.

Loved it.

It was alright

Mélodieux, entrainant et agréable à écouter.

Definitely worth a listen. This music inspired much of the music that followed for decades. Listening to music from this era makes me feel a bit strange; the culture and values that produced this music has long since been destroyed and supplanted. It’s a artifact of a bygone time. That makes me a bit sad somehow. RIP Buddy

“Oh Boy” and “That’ll be the Day” are standouts that stand the test of time. Rest of this is ok for the50’s but dated now. Solid three, but not enough to bump it to a four imo.

Wee woo this was just some buddy holly. Wee woo I don’t wanna hear no more.

I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but I freaking hate this album. It reeks of shallow sentimentalism and blatant misogyny. Nothing about this album aged well. The music is basic, the lyrics are dull, the performances are utterly lacking in energy. It's the worst of mid-century white America and I can't with it. None of these songs stand the test of time if you make the effort to look past the rose-glasses sentimentalism and actually look at the lyrics. I would agree that this was a milestone record in American music. But mostly because it marked the last highway exit before rock-n-roll hit the gas and become something actually worth listening to. That's the only reason this doesn't get a single-star review.

Good for the background, very old timey

Weee ooooo this sounds just like Buddy Holly.

CD

I’m sure this is some ones like but this makes me so unbelievably bored

Not my cup of tea, not my favourite and, for me, hadn’t stood the test of time.

A mix of good songs and filler.

Pretty revolutionary in its day.

Comes off to me like a mix of Beach Boys and Elvis. Upbeat and tickles the ears nicely

Such a great record. Buddy holly was a very talented musician

How many Name and The Nouns rock and roll bands can you identify just from the guitar tone or a split second of the vo-hocals of any track? I'd guess one. This one. That clean slightly muted jangle and Buddy Holly's polite delivery make them possibly the first band you could be obsessed with. The album has the approach that I tend to credit good punk albums with. 12 songs. 26 minutes. No time to get bored of what's on offer - in fact, with a few tracks, I'd have let them have an extra verse and chorus they're that good!

I enjoyed - I do like a Buddy Holly track. But it was just a lil much, a whole album. Sad story though.

It's nice, it's cheerful, it's endearing and it's historically significant, but is it good? I'm not sure. The production is terrible, the performances are spotty and it often feel like I'm listening to a commercial for something. but still there are some genuinely good songs and it's short enough to let go how samey it feels.

A bit dated but groovy at times.

Not bad, probably wouldn't relisten. Can hear some of the early development of rock guitar sounds coming through.

Lol. Who gives a shit

This was your run of the mill 50s album by buddy holly. While it was enjoyable it really wasn’t anything special. Standouts include Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby, and That’ll be the day.

Such a legendary album. B.Holly die so young, but he left a huge mark in Rock and Roll history. Huge influence for the Beatles and many other bands. Favorite songs: That'll Be The Day, Not Fade Away,

It's ok, not much variety in lyrics/music. Performances are good. Prefer some of the other 50s stuff

The Day Music Died is how I was introduced to Buddy Holly. I've listened to their hits but haven't listened to a full album until now. The hits are definitely timeless classics, the rest are a better fit for the era. 1. Oh Boy! 2. Maybe Baby 3. That'll Be The Day

Eigentlich nicht schlecht aber die Lieder hören sich fast alle gleich an, ich würd es nicht noch einmal anhören wollen.

Not my sound, but not offensive.

Not bad, but somewhat repetitive. Now it seems rather bland in terms of complexity. May have been more daring/exciting when it was released.

1957 - Rock & Roll; Rockabilly

Sweet, but not for me.

is this an ironic performance? is this a concept album? pov: you are a boy-man who just wants to fuck. you have no idea what love is, but you do know how to play guitar and sing k standout track for me: not fade away. the arrangement on this track works for me. sparser, but still high energy (prolly helps that there're less lyrics on this one, so less chance to groan) this is fine mindless music in the background!

Aparte de Elvis o Gene Vincent no he escuchado mucho Rock clásico. Error. Siempre sorprende ver que en los 50 ya había estructuras y canciones tan válidas hoy en día.

Typische rockabilly van weleer waar we nu duidelijk invloeden in hedendaagse muziek van blijven plukken. Ik vond het eerder wat achtergrondmuziek

+++

I don’t think you can’t deny the talent here but you also can’t deny that this is a very dated album. Don’t think I’d listen again but it also definitely belongs on the list. 3.75 stars.

This is fun and energetic album. I love the style but I have to admit it gets a bit tiresome by the end of the album. There are some great songs in there though!

Some stand out classics on it. But the album as a whole does not stand the test of time

Brilliant and important, must have been startling at the time. Probably the shortest album on this list - 25 minutes! I loved it.

A fun look at the beginning of popular rock n roll. Lots of songs about wanting girls to love them.