Search - Matchbox :: Platinum Collection

British rockabilly revivalists

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 04/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Between 1979 and 1982, Matchbox (not to be confused with Matchbox 20, a completely different and unrelated outfit), had eight entries in the UK pop chats, though the last three were very minor hits. Seven of those eight hits occupy the first seven tracks of this budget compilation. Oddly, the missing track is one of their top twenty hits, a medley of Over the rainbow / You belong to me. Their only top ten hit, When you ask about love, was a cover of a Crickets song that peaked at number four, but Rockabilly rebel and Midnite dynamos both made the top twenty, while Buzz buzz a diddle it (a cover of a Freddy Cannon song) just missed the top twenty.



I used to have four albums by Matchbox, but got rid of them as part of a mass clear-out in the early nineties. I can't remember those albums in detail, but I do remember that I liked their covers of Lord Mr Ford (Jerry Reed) and Setting the woods on fire (Hank Williams), neither of which made this compilation, although their cover of Heartaches by the number (Guy Mitchell), which I also remember fondly, is here along with some other great tracks including Love is going out of fashion.



As far as I know, this is the only compilation of Matchbox's music ever released on CD, but let's be thankful for small mercies. Perhaps the lack of choice is because most of their material comprised cover versions, and there are plenty of compilations of original rockabilly music out there. Nevertheless, for those who remember Matchbox (and who may have got into rockabilly because of their music), this is a most welcome reminder of their achievements."