Del Shannon – Rock On!

A masterpiece of an album. Sound quality is great. Always an underrated album for sure!

How is this not on everyone’s list of best rock albums of the 20th century? This is basically Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers being produced by Jeff Lynne and backing up Del Shannon singing some of the best songs he ever wrote. In my opinion, this is a perfect album. This pressing is amazing. I found a mint copy for cheap on a trip to Sweden several years back. Glad they reissued it in 2022, but not sure how it can beat this pressing. If you don’t have this - get it!

Del Shannon's masterpiece, his final album, completed after his death with care and taste by Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and various Heartbreakers. This is the album Charles Westover was born to make, Del Shannon in his prime. Every song is solid gold - every song! 30 years after "Runaway", here is Del's grand artistic statement, the crystallization of all his creative strengths. The rare "comeback" album that equals anything released in earlier decades.

The late-career resurgence of Roy Orbison's popularity, aided by "Mystery Girl" and The Traveling Wilburys, could have led a new generation of fans to Del Shannon, and to "Rock On!" - but Del never lived to hear the final version of his own greatest album. He couldn't promote it, couldn't tour it, couldn't secure its legacy in his discography - all because of a tragic, Prozac-triggered accident.

This album contains the definitive take of Del Shannon's greatest song, "I Go To Pieces" - a song he wrote and recorded in the 1960s, but never produced or arranged well enough to capture its full power and pathos. Peter & Gordon found fame with their version of the song - and it's a great version - but here on "Rock On!" Del reclaims his marble composition, singing with absolute soul and conviction. A breathtaking recording, fitting in perfectly with the newer original songs here.

Del's diamond songs are mostly singles, and compilations like "Runaway Hits" and "Move It On Over" are the way to go when exploring his 1960s work. "Live In England" (1973) should be in everyone's record collection though, and so should "Rock On!" - classic albums from a true pioneer of rock and roll.

Also look out for the "Are You Lovin' Me Too" B-side "One Woman Man" - a beautiful ode to monogamy and contentment - available on the expanded CD version.