Black Cat: Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight

Illustrators: R.A. Andreas; Tommy Collins.
Photographers: R.A. Andreas; Tommy Collins.
The purpose of this compilation is, according to the liner notes, to present 30 of Collins' "earlier, for the most part more lighthearted sides." Since Bear Family already has a five-CD Collins box, and since the single-disc The Capitol Collection does a good job of collecting his most popular work, this less focused anthology is of less immediate appeal to either general fans or collectors. That's especially the case considering it has some but not all of his biggest hits, though it boasts Bear Family's typically fine packaging. If you favor the more upbeat and energetic side of 1950s hillbilly, however, this could make a good starter package or sampler. Spanning 1951 to 1960, it showcases a country singer who might not have been as seriously ruminative as the top honky tonkers, or as rowdy as the most boisterous of his peers. But he was skilled at generating consistent, energetic early exponents of the Bakersfield sound, seldom approaching rockabilly, yet steering clear of the more polished country-pop gaining traction as the '50s progressed. Collins actually did get a little raucous and raw on the earliest (and only pre-Capitol) recording here, 1951's "Campus Boogie"; "Black Cat" has a hint of a rock & roll influence; and the latest sides, recorded after his brief retreat into religious life and music, is a bit more pop crossover-conscious. Yet mid-paced numbers would be his primary calling, cleanly produced by Ken Nelson and often featuring sterling picking by top guitarists like Buck Owens, Ferlin Husky, and Billy Strange. He won't displace the likes of Owens as a kingpin of the Bakersfield sound, but those who want to dig a little deeper than the biggest names in the genre will find this CD rewarding. ~ Richie Unterberger