The Everly Brothers Rock

One of two companion Everly Brothers compilations Bear Family released in early 2013, Rock contains exactly what the title promises: 30 rockers from the greatest harmony duo of its time. The 30 songs on this single disc were recorded between 1957 and 1962, meaning it favors their big '50s hits for Cadence but also has a smattering of sides for Warner, and its lengthy running time means this doesn't just have hits ("Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up, Little Suzie," "Claudette," "Bird Dog") but also digs deep into their catalog, offering covers of Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, and Gene Vincent, some originals by the Everlys, some alternate takes, and a bunch of lesser-known hit singles, many of which are excellent. There's more variety here than on its companion Ballads, partially due to the definition of "rock & roll" also encompassing pop songs like "Cathy's Clown" and "Till I Kissed You" -- superb singles that don't rock as hard as much of the rest of the material here -- but also because the '60s Warner material has wilder production, including the fuzz guitar on "I'm Not Angry" and the wild run through Roger Miller's "Burma Shave." The Everlys could pretty much do it all -- and they did even more in the back half of the '60s, which isn't chronicled here -- but this does a wonderful job of distilling their brilliant prime. It may not have the softer singles like "All I Have to Do Is Dream" but that just means that the accompanying Ballads should be acquired along with Rock, resulting in a near-definitive double-disc overview of the Everlys' popular peak. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine