The Monument Singles - A-Sides (1960-1964)

This is a tremendous collection from one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most astonishing singers. It includes more than a dozen singles, their accompanying B-sides, bonus tracks, and a video performance from Holland on March 25, 1965. One should still seek out Orbison’s early work at Sun Records, but the Monument years included his best-known songs such as “Only the Lonely,” “Blue Angel,” “Running Scared,” “In Dreams,” “Blue Bayou” and “Oh, Pretty Woman.” His songs were angst-ridden love songs where a broken heart was a given. The show-stopping arrangements, as complex as anything recorded by Phil Spector but with much more room in the mix, make these songs among the most dramatic in early rock ‘n’ roll. The B-sides are often great. “Love Hurts,” “Distant Drums” and “Beautiful Dreamer” show just how much Orbison defined the era of the early to mid-‘60s. If one is looking for a place to start their Orbison collection, this is an advisable purchase for sure.