Rockin' at the Hops

Chuck Berry’s twanging guitar and conversational drawl are in full bloom on his fourth studio album, released in 1960. The rock trailblazer strikes a romping balance between originals and covers, with "Bye Bye Johnny” standing out as the first sequel to his signature tune, “Johnny B. Goode”. Likewise, <i>Rockin’ at the Hops</i> is evenly split between Berry’s recently minted sound and its rawer roots in country-fried blues. For all his vocal charisma, he shines especially on the strutting instrumental centrepiece “Mad Lad”.