If you wanted to judge a CD collection in terms of pure listen-ability (is that a word?), Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974 is damn near perfect. Collecting all the Top 10 hits from Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, this Omnivore Recordings compilation is another jewel in a string of recent reissues of Owens' output by the label.
Starting with the heartfelt "Under Your Spell Again" and carrying forward to the familiar jauntiness of "Act Naturally", disc 1 of this set charms enormously. Surprises here include "Mental Cruelty", a duet with Rose Maddox, and the clever "Under the Influence of Love", among others. Hits like "I've Got a Tiger by the Tail" and "Waitin' in Your Welfare Line" deliver the good-natured pleasures we expect from peak Buck, with Owens winning a listener over with his Aw, shucks presence as a band-leader, as well as his nuanced approach to mid-tempo country.
Disc 2 of this Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974 finds Buck Owens and the Buckaroos adapting to changing musical styles with some degree of success. Stuff like "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass" and "Big in Vegas" add degrees of humor and wit to the earlier Owens style, even as a fiery cover of "Johnny B. Goode" reminds again what a superb guitarist Buck was. The pointed and very funny "I Wouldn't Live in New York City (If They Gave Me The Whole Dang Town)" sits nicely next to an affecting cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel. Elsewhere, the goofy "(It's A) Monsters' Holiday" shares space with the essential "Made in Japan", a lyrically- and musically-clever bit of business.
Given the wealth of Buck Owens reissues released by Omnivore Recordings in recent years, a newbie might be at a loss as to where to begin. I'd make the case that Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974 is the perfect place to start exploring the Bakersfield Sound of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. It's pretty much an essential compilation, and the nearly two hours of material breezes by. The liner notes provide context, and the set is like a primer on Buck Owens. Once you get this, you'll love it and want to hear more, certainly.
Bakersfield Gold: Top 10 Hits 1959-1974 is out now via Omnivore Recordings.
[Photo: The Buck Owens Foundation / Omnivore Recordings]
