Chuck Berry - Anthology 2 (50 tracks) +Album Reviews

Hail, Hail, Chuck Berry

R. Riis | NY | 07/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a given that an anthology of Chuck Berry is essential to any well-rounded rock and roll collection. This one, with pristine sound and attractive packaging, may be the one for you if you want more than just the mega-hits. That being said, here's what you need to know : Forget the MCA "Millenium Collection" CD, which is criminally skimpy. The two Chess Best-ofs, taken together, total 40 tracks, and if you have those already, you're in good shape, although you'd be missing some 12 essential tracks from this new set. If you have the out-of-print "Great 28", not only are you missing 24 of these tracks (including "Wee Wee Hours", "You Never Can Tell", "Promised Land", "Don't You Lie to Me"), but the sound quality here is much improved, so it's time to upgrade. The question comes down to : this new collection or the "Chess Box", with 3 discs and 71 tracks. Hard call : "Anthology" has four tracks not on the box set, but they're fairly dispensible ("Guitar Boogie", "Do You Love Me", "I Got to Find My Baby", and "I Want to Be Your Driver". The box set has 21 tracks not on "Anthology", including some goodies like "Anthony Boy", "Merry Christmas Baby", "Run Rudolph Run", "Little Marie", and "Have Mercy Judge", but also some clunkers (in relative terms; this is Chuck Berry, after all), and excellent sound as well, but you have to shell out more and have a coffee table available to keep the box on. My advice : go with this new "Anthology" and send the money you save to the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and feel good about both."

Well picked double-disc of rock 'n' roll roots

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 11/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MCA's latest compilation, expanding upon and replacing the double-LP/single-CD "The Great Twenty-Eight," is a nearly perfect stop between single-disc collections and the more inclusive "Chess Box." Nearly all of Berry's seminal sides are present, including his first single (1955's "Maybelline" b/w "Wee Wee Hours"), hits from the peak chart years of '57 and '58 ("School Days" "Rock and Roll Music" "Sweet Little Sixteen" "Johnny B. Goode" "Carol"), post-jail hits from '64 ("Nadine" and "No Particular Place to Go"), a few sides from the waning years of the Chess label (e.g., "Tulane" and "Bio"), and Berry's last #1, "My Ding-A-Ling."Also included are numerous lower-charting singles, and superb, lesser-known songs like "Jaguar & Thunderbird" (perhaps known to modern-day pop audiences through its inclusion in Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker's live set) and "I Want to Be Your Driver" (covered by the Blues Project, among others). The double-disc configuration provides room for a trio of cover versions Berry recorded in the 60s: the eight-bar boogie-woogie "House of Blue Lights," the oft-recorded "Down the Road Apiece," and Little Walter's "Confessin' the Blues." Touches of saxophone ("Too Pooped to Pop") and harmonica ("Tulane") also turn up to compliment the usual lineup. A seven-minute live version of "Reelin' and Rockin'" (a hit in the UK taken from the same show that produced "My Ding-A-Ling") also turns up here.The bare-bones packaging of "The Great Twenty-Eight," has been greatly enhanced on "The Anthology" with vintage photos, an illuminating essay on Berry's career and influence, and session information that unlocks some of the details of the supporting players (e.g., the superb bass line on "I'm Talking About You" - a strong influence on The Remains' mid-60s cover - is thought to have been provided by Reggie Boyd).The audio on these discs, while cleaner than "The Great Twenty-Eight," still shows several of the earlier compilation's problems with the underlying masters. E.g., the vocal on "Roll Over Beethoven" is driven into clipping and the guitar solo on "Come On" has the same distracting noise underneath. Oddly, "Around and Around" seems to have its bassline exaggerated compared to earlier reissues. On the positive side, there is a good deal of stereo here: "Nadine" "You Never Can Tell" " "Promised Land" "No Particular Place to Go" "Dear Dad" "I Want to Be Your Driver" and "Tulane." "Nadine" "No Particular Place to Go" and "I Want to Be Your Driver" appeared in mono on "The Great Twenty-Eight."Audio quality on Berry's CD reissues has often been problematic. At the time the music was waxed, Chess Records did not seem to live up to the recording standards of some of its well-known contemporaries (e.g., Atlantic). This resulted in inconsistent engineering that produced recordings of highly variable sound quality. In some cases the results (perhaps complicated by poor subsequent archiving) were masters that often evidence poor equalization (causing vocals to sound tinny), as well as occasional clipping distortion and electrical noise. To further complicate the reissue producer's task, no one connected with the original releases thought that the exact configurations would be important 45 years later. Bits of reverb or EQ added to the original 45s, as well as the physical technologies used to actually cut masters and press vinyl were left mostly undocumented.The result of this poorly kept history is that CD collections such as this must be built from what's available. And what's available, though transcendent in its songwriting, performance, and historical and artistic significance, has its cheap production spot-lit in the bright light of digital audio. And perhaps that's the central issue with respect to fidelity: these songs were recorded for release on vinyl 45s, for play on juke boxes, or through AM car radio speakers. Piping them through digital remastering and today's high fidelity electronics exposes deficiencies that weren't audible in the music's original context.With "The Great Twenty-Eight" out of print, those new to Berry's catalog must choose between lesser single-disc collections, this anthology, or the triple-disc "Chess Box." This is clearly the superior pick to any single-disc collection currently in print, and perhaps a better pick than the "Chess Box" for anyone who's at all tenuous about price. Though a few valuable tracks are missing from "The Anthology" (e.g., "Run Rudolph Run"), the experience of these two discs will fully immerse the listener in Berry's greatness. For those who already own "The Great Twenty-Eight," this anthology is a worthwhile step-up, if not quite as all-encompassing as the Chess box."

The Father of Rock And Roll

J. E FELL | Carterville, Illinois United States | 04/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chuck Berry's influence is widespread and he influenced such bands as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Animals, the Yardbirds, Jimi Hendrix and George Thorogood among many others. This remastered 2 cd set is excellent. The sound on these classic tracks is the best yet. New Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Johnnie Johnson sounds great along with Chuck. Nearly every song on this set was a hit for Chuck or covered by another band. Highlights are too many to mention. Everyone has their own favorites. I was glad that the compilers included the instrumental track "Chuck's Boogie". It later became "Jeff's Boogie" when played by Jeff Beck in the Yardbirds. My only quibble is that a few of the minor singles "Anthony Boy", "Little Marie", "Run Rudolf Run" and "Merry Christmas Baby" were left off this set. These songs could have been easily added as the first disc is approximately 70 minutes and the second 65 minutes. I also wish they could have included Chuck's smokin' cover of "Route 66" and "It Wasn't Me" at the expense of the obscure "Do You Love Me". However, if you have the cash you might want to pick up the Chuck Berry 3 cd box set before it goes out of print as it contains most of the songs I just mentioned. The only drawback with the box set other than expense is that the sound is not as good as on this set. This is an ESSENTIAL purchase for those interested in rock and roll guitar and songwriting. It also provides a reference point for fans of some of the many bands Chuck Berry influenced."

The true pioneer of rock'n'roll

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bill Haley was the first to have a major hit with a rock'n'roll record and Elvis Presley was the man who made the music popular, but Chuck Berry was the man who really pioneered the music. Listen to Maybelline (the opening cut here) to dispel any doubts. Of course, music was racially segregated in those days and that explains why Chuck receives less credit than he deserves for his contribution to musical history. On this collection, you get to hear all the essential Chuck Berry songs and many other highly desirable songs. Many of his songs have been covered enthusiastically down the years including by Elvis, who covered several of Chuck's songs.The classic songs featured here include Maybelline, Brown eyed handsome man, Roll over Beethoven, Too much monkey business, School days, Rock and roll music, Sweet little sixteen, Reeling and rocking, Johnny B Goode, Memphis, Sweet little rock and roller, Back in the USA, Nadine, You never can tell, Promised land and No particular place to go. The only classics omitted are Run Rudolph run and Merry Christmas baby, but although I love Christmas music, I don't mind their omission - I like Christmas songs best on their own CD's.My ding a ling is a novelty song that became a huge hit for Chuck in the early seventies, going all the way to number one in Britain. Many of Chuck's fans don't like it at all and I can understand why, but I love it.If you are interested in rock'n'roll, you need at least one Chuck Berry collection. Committed fans may prefer to go for a more comprehensive collection with more CD's - one that includes those Christmas songs - but for most people, this is the best choice."

Superceded by more recent inexpensive collections, but still

Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 06/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In October of 2006 Chuck Berry will be 80 years old. Of the founders of rock `n' roll, he is today the one whose honor and esteem is most out of whack with his actual contributions. By any standards, Chuck Berry is one of the founding titans of rock. Musically, he contributed more than any other of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elvis put rock `n' roll on the map, but Chuck is the one who drew it. Before Bob Dylan and the rash of great rock `n' roll song writers to spring up in the wake of Beatlemania, Chuck Berry was hands down the finest rock songwriter, with the lone exception of his equal Buddy Holly. It is only a slight over implication to state that most rock since Berry has been a variant of his original adaptation of rhythm and blues. And lyrically Berry was the most gifted lyricist before the advent of Bob Dylan. Of all the rock and roll performers, Berry was the easiest to understand when he sang, precisely pronouncing every word and for a very good reason: they were good words. Indeed, his diction was so superb that his earliest listeners refused to believe that he was a black man; they were convinced he was white. Chuck Berry has long been criticized for his lack of involvement in the Civil Rights movement and for reinforcing some negative images of black males, but by presenting himself as an undeniably intelligent and gifted black at a time when many whites were denying that blacks were as intelligent was itself an important contribution. Besides, working as a black crossover artist he was sometimes able to get his own back by subtle messaging. We all know, for instance, that in "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" he wasn't really talking about eye color. My hope is that for his birthday Berry will be recognized for what he was: the equal of anyone in making rock the popular musical form it became.

Apart from Berry's musical contributions, which were formidable, he brought a sense of playful theatricality that was key in defining early on that rock `n' roll, whatever else it was, was fun. Many of the early rock `n' rollers were great, great showmen in a way that few today aspire to be. Most contemporary performers rely on light shows, gimmicks, and props for their shows, but several early performers were precisely that: performers. To this day few guitarists have been as much fun to watch as Berry, not just during his legendary duck walks, but in a myriad of minor antics onstage.

But most of all, Chuck Berry has established a legacy of great, great songs. Most people know that the lone rock `n' roll song put on Voyager's data disc for any extraterrestrial who happens upon it was none other than Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode." Perhaps one day it will be as big a hit in Alpha Centauri as it has been on earth. What many today may not know is just how much very great music he produced. In fact, his string of hits outstrips nearly any of his contemporaries other than Elvis. His notorious stint in prison probably kept him from charting a few more hits (that he transported an underage girl across state lines is undeniable, but it is hard today to realize how vigorously he was prosecuted by St. Louis authorities and he certainly seems innocent of incitation to prostitution charges), but he eventually recovered from his ordeal to generate a second run of hits in the sixties.

Luckily, though in my and others' opinion Berry is not today given the credit he deserves for his major role in creating rock `n' roll, he has been exceedingly well served by a host of absolutely first rate anthologies. What I would like to do here is map out the five Chuck Berry collections I would most recommend. Each has its virtues and none any vices and it would be very hard to go wrong with any of them. I do think a couple of choices are better than others. Here are the main Chuck Berry collections available today:

CHESS BOX--If price is no consideration and you want almost all of the great music that Chuck Berry, this is unquestionably the one to get. The 3-CD set collects over 70 songs and has every one of the songs that the vast majority of music fans will have heard, all the way to his Christmas hit "Run Rudolph Run." There are a few cuts that are less than essential, but no current collection gives such a great view of his work as a whole, except for the complete collection of his Chess work, but in my opinion it collects too much that is of at most secondary interest.

ANTHOLOGY--Chess released this superb 2-CD culling from the larger CHESS BOX. Though less than half the price of the box, it collects over two-thirds of the songs, though without the Christmas songs that I frankly find endearing. But if you are willing to live without "Run Rudolph Run," this has just about all the Chuck Berry that most fans could crave.

GOLD--This is the big bargain of Chuck Berry anthologies. It contains all the major hits and familiar songs--though, again, without "Run Rudolph Run," which for some reason is omitted from almost all hits collections--and several nice extras as well. Though its 50 songs are slightly different than the one from the ANTHOLOGY, the heart of both collections is the same. If you don't own any Chuck Berry and are not sure that you want to spring the bucks for the CHESS BOX, this is probably the safest best. Lots of Chuck Berry for not very much money.

THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION--Well, no, this isn't definitive, but this newest Chuck Berry is arguably the finest single-disc edition. But here is the problem: The GOLD collection is only a buck more and contains 20 more songs. Plus, one of the 30 songs on this disc is the dreadful gimmick song "My Ding-A-Ling," a slightly ribald and not very good song that was Berry's last hit in the early seventies. My own belief is that shorter anthologies are improved by its exclusion.

THE GREAT TWENTY-EIGHT--This is back in print after being unavailable for a long time. Unlike THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION, this is pretty much definitive. Most anthologies basically take the songs off this disc and then add to it. It is canonical in a way that none of the other discs is. Nonetheless, while I think it deserves five stars simply for the role it has played in introducing fans to Berry and for its historical importance, I think it has been surpassed by other collections. Also, the sound on the later discs is better than what you will find on this disc. (Caveat: I own an earlier version of this disc, and it is not impossible that on its re-release the remastered versions of the recordings have been utilized.) Still, for a long, long time this was the Chuck Berry disc to get.

So, if I were buying my first Chuck Berry disc and couldn't afford the CHESS BOX, which one would I go for? I would probably go with the GOLD collection. It is cheap, contains a heap of songs, and has decent sound quality. Then, if I were sufficiently moved to the point where I wanted more, I would go for the CHESS BOX. That really is the best one to get, but there are some really inexpensive compromises that one can make and still get a lot of music by one of the towering figures in rock `n' roll."

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