$1,000,000 Worth of Twang

Musical luminaries used to have the coolest middle names assigned to them by their peers. By 1960, rock ‘n’ roll’s first instrumental star Duane “Have Guitar Will Travel” Eddy already had a greatest hits collection, and for good reason. Along with Chuck Berry, Eddy was one of the first musicians to popularize the electric guitar. $1,000,000 Worth of Twang makes good on its title with 15 of Eddy’s twangiest cuts remixed from all the original two-inch tape reels by the man who is credited for inventing the remix, Tom Moulton. “Rebel Rouser” opens with the intimacy of a live performance as the quaver of Eddy’s tremolo holds such a commanding presence that not even a brazen saxophone solo can upstage him. Similarly, “Cannonball” echoes with so much reverb, it’ll sound like there’s an old Fender tweed amplifier in the room, should you play this tune out of some decent sized speakers. “Because They’re Young” and “Theme for Moon Children” almost envelope Eddy’s tone in superfluous orchestral production, but “Moovin’ ‘N Groovin’” makes up for it with some surfy string-bends.