Billy Swan

Listeners expecting tuneful, updated rockabilly along the lines of "I Can Help" (which leads off this collection) may be disappointed by this CD. There's nothing as instantly compelling as the big hit (only "Vanessa" approaches its energy), much of the material lies closer to country than rock, and there are a few tame covers of '50s oldies. Nonetheless, Swan ranks among the more interesting country-pop/rock hybrids, as you could guess from the song title "(You Just) Woman Handled My Mind," and his thin, wavering voice is oddly memorable. Most of the material on this best-of is written by Swan, with occasional assistance from notables Guy Clark, Buddy Emmons, and Kris Kristofferson.

Recorded at the original Sun studios in Memphis, this turns into an Elvis tribute album from Swan. But rather than just replicate Elvis' old Sun sound and arrangements, Swan puts his own spin on these tracks and despite the historic surroundings, the session has a modern sound to it that's not at all reverential. Instead, Swan simply has a good time with these old war-horses, changing them around to suit his needs and vocal timbre. The result is a loose session that captures some real rock & roll feeling, without becoming a mundane retro exercise. Definitely worth a listen.

The Capitol collection Essential Billy Squier compiles various hits from the '80s pop/rocker's albums. Taking up the "essential" part of Squier's catalog here are tracks from 1981's Don't Say No, 1982's Emotions in Motion, and 1984's Signs of Life, including "Everybody Wants You," "The Stroke," "In the Dark," and "My Kinda Lover." Less essential but no less worthy of inclusion are such cuts as "Lonely Is the Night" from Don't Say No and "The Big Beat" from Squier's 1980 debut, The Tale of the Tape. Also included are some lesser-known cuts like "Love Is the Hero" from 1986's Enough Is Enough, "Don't Say You Love Me" from 1989's Hear & Now, and "Angry" from Squier's unfairly ignored 1993 Capitol swan song, Tell the Truth. Taken as a collection, these are Squier's best-known and catchiest tracks and showcase his unique mix of Led Zeppelin meets Queen meets Rod Stewart-style dance-rock. While Squier continued to record for various labels from the mid-'90s onward, these tracks make up the bulk of his time as a hot commodity in the '80s, and it’s great having them all on one disc.

Any serious pop music collection begins here. The list is based on commercial success as well as quality and timelessness of the artist's music. Suggested tracks are included to get you started. These performers are the bedrock of popular music.