Rave On Buddy Holly

After seeing the artists attached to this project, I had to pick up the CD from my local record store. Overall, it's growing on me. I've only listened to it once or twice, so these are initial reactions.

I am definitely not a diehard Buddy Holly fan (or should I say Holley since that's the correct spelling of his surname). I like the edgier sound of these modern interpretations. Even when Buddy Holly was singing about loss and longing, he sounded so perky; these versions convey more real emotion to me.

So obviously I'm not a purist at all when it comes to covers. In fact, if you're not going to personalize it, I'm not sure why it's worth recording. Modest Mouse's cover of "That'll Be the Day" isn't the light-hearted boppy tune of the 1950s, and that's just fine with me. It's true to their sound, which is more important to me.

Track Listing:
1. Dearest, The Black Keys
2. Everyday, Fiona Apple
3. It's So Easy, Paul McCartney
4. Not Fade Away, Florence + The Machine
5. (You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care, Cee Lo Green
6. Crying, Waiting, Hoping, Karen Elson
7. Rave On, Julian Casablancas
8. I'm Gonna Love You Too, Jenny O.
9. Maybe Baby, Justin Townes Earle
10. Oh Boy!, She & Him
11. Changing All Those Changes, Nick Lowe
12. Words Of Love, Patti Smith
13. True Love Ways, My Morning Jacket
14. That'll Be The Day, Modest Mouse
15. Well All Right, Kid Rock
16. Heartbeat, The Detroit Cobras
17. Peggy Sue, Lou Reed
18. Peggy Sue Got Married, John Doe
19. Raining In My Heart, Graham Nash

The Bad: 
Paul McCartney's cover of "It's So Easy" is one of those things that make you feel embarrassed when you listen to it. Definitely the worst song on the album. I know some people hate Lou Reed's version of "Peggy Sue," but it's not as bad as "It's So Easy." McCartney's is over-the-top; Reed's is uninspired. Kid Rock's "Well All Right" will probably always be skipped when it shows up on the iPod.

The Good:
Everything else is decent, but Florence + the Machine, The Black Keys and Karen Elson's versions might be my favorite tracks. I would also like to note that She & Him must have been exhausted after almost having energy for "Oh Boy."

Overall, buy this if you like the artists. If you're a huge Buddy Holly fan, I'm not sure this is for you.