New Juke Box Hits – CHUCK BERRY***

I’m Talking About You/Diploma For Two/Thirteen Question Method/Away From You/Don’t You Lie To Me/The Way It Was Before/Little Star/Route 66/Sweet Sixteen/Run Around/Stop & Listen/Rip It Up

New Juke Box Hits, from rock & roll pioneer Chuck Berry, comprised several of his more obscure own compositions, together with interpretations of other artists hits.

“Whilst New Juke Box Hits is a good rock and roll album, it is not regarded as one of his better efforts, with Chuck covering material from several other artists and writers and coming up with no hits himself.”

“Many people don't know how many-sided Chuck really is, and this album is a good chance to get familiar with his ballad side. There are some Latin-feelings, gentle blues, jazzy pop-ballads and, of course, several rockers and everything in between.”

“Like most albums of the day, New Juke Box Hits was based around a single, I'm Talking About You. The rest is made up of obscure (though wonderful) Berry written tracks like the funky bossa nova of Thirteen Question Method and rampaging versions of such songs as Rip It Up and the venerable Route 66. Unlike many of his contemporaries, however, Berry's energetic performances and wild, inimitable electric guitar style make every song he sang sound like his own composition.”

“Highlight of this record is the soft rocker Route 66, which I consider one of Chuck's best ever. There are also a couple of throw away-songs, a silly pop-slower Little Star and an uninspired 'straight from the sheet' sounding reading of Rip It Up.”

“The album may be the least essential of the initial five Chuck Berry’s LP’s issued by Chess Records. While New Juke Box Hits is not as strong as some others, one can hardly argue that a collection which includes I’m Talking About You and Don’t You Lie To Me isn’t worth attention. The remainder of the album is a little more subdued than what was expected from Chuck at the time. While New Jukebox Hits houses the anecdotal Thirteen Question Method and the haunting Stop & Listen, it would have benefited from a Johnny B. Goode or two."

“Average Chuck Berry was still better than most of what was being released during the early 1960s. There are none of his definitive hits here but what was included was a solid example of Berry’s type of rock ‘n’ roll.”