Blowing the Fuse is a killer series of compilation CDs issued by Germany's premier archivist label, Bear Family. Subtitled "R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox," each volume is compiled by year. 1954 was a boom year for jukeboxes across the United States as rhythm & blues and rock & roll maintained their collision course. This volume contains 29 affirmed classics of the early postwar years. The more well-known tunes of the era are given great balance by some nearly forgotten gems that are juxtaposed in the brilliant sequencing -- by producer Dave "Daddy Cool" Booth. Highlights from this volume are the Spiders' "I Didn't Want to Do It," the Cadillacs' "Gloria," the Chords' "Sh-Boom," Ray Charles' "It Should Have Been Me," and Dave Bartholomew's "Jump Children." The package is beautiful with Colin Escott's liner notes detailing every cut, accompanied by photographs and a lovely digipack. Sound quality is as good as it can be for archival material, making this a fine introduction to postwar R&B for the novice and a killer chronological listen for the connoisseur. ~ Thom Jurek

Blowing the Fuse is a killer series of compilation CDs issued by Germany's premier archivist label, Bear Family. Subtitled "R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox," each volume is compiled by year. 1952 was a boom year for jukeboxes across the United States. This volume contains 29 affirmed classics of the early postwar years. The more well-known tunes of the era are given great balance by some nearly forgotten gems that are juxtaposed in the brilliant sequencing -- by producer Dave "Daddy Cool" Booth. Big Joe Turner and Van "Piano Man" Walls open the set with "The Chill Is On," followed by the Swallows doing "It Ain't the Meat." B.B. King's classic "3 O'Clock Blues," precedes one of those rather obscure, but deeply satisfying cuts: Johnny Greer's "Got You on My Mind." Other fine tracks from the margins include Varetta Dillard's "Easy, Easy Baby," the Four Blazes "Mary Jo," Willie Mabon & His Combo's "I Don't Know," and the Griffin Brothers Orchestra whose "Weepin' and Cryin'" is one of the finest cuts on the entire collection. Other notables here range from Ruth Brown and Little Walter to Jimmy Forrest and Dinah Washington and Johnny Ace. The package is beautiful with Colin Escott's liner notes detailing every cut, accompanied by photographs and a lovely digipack. Sound quality is as good as it can be for archival material, making this a fine introduction to postwar R&B for the novice and a killer chronological listen for the connoisseur. ~ Thom Jurek