One and Only

Billy Fury is one of the most fondly remembered of pre-Beatles English rock & rollers, and this 20-song collection attempts to capture his most accessible music, which extended fairly far into the British Invasion era -- the second song here, "I Will," was a modest hit in early 1964, if memory serves, and even got the singer a spot miming it on Ready, Steady, Go, and "I'm Lost Without You" is a pretty good example of early-'60s pop/rock that can stand up with the best of its genre, and "When Will You Say I Love You" even has a prominent rhythm guitar that, if it had been amplified, might've helped this pass for a Merseybeat-style number. Even more impressive in this company are a pair of Fury originals, "Maybe Tomorrow" and "That's Love," that can hold their own with the best examples of professional songwriting here; and "Wondrous Place" is a fine, bluesy number in a pop idiom that works extremely well. The sound quality is excellent and the price is competitive, and this is a pretty good place to start listening to Fury's work, if you're not already familiar with it. ~ Bruce Eder