The lesser-known cousin to the Buddies' second album, Go Go with the Buddies, this album's main draw would have been the Shangri-Las’ hit ‘Leader of the Pack.' Jerry Naylor, lead singer of the Crickets following Holly's untimely death, sings lead on all the recordings. What's most interesting about this release is how closely it resembles the Hondells' output one year earlier. 

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'Little Honda' is a pretty spot-on cover - especially since it utilizes what I believe to be the same backing track as the Hondells' original. 'Speedway' is a new Dave Allen and the Arrows recording. The Compasct's lone contribution to the album, 'Leader of the Pack,' is of much interest if you've already heard the original version. 'Little BSA' is the same song as 'Rip's Bike' from the Hondells Go Little Honda album. 'Rebel (Without A Cause)' had appeared on the Hondells' self-titled album in instrumental form. This version has vocals. 'GTO' is a passable version of the Ronny and the Daytonas song, and 'Yamaha' is also lifted from Hondells. 'Von Zipper' is an original vocal song that has as much depth as the AIP character it references. 'The Cool One' is the only all-new instrumental composition on the album and is a fine track, ala Dave Allen and the Arrows. 'Sickle Riders Nightmare' is the same melody as instrumental 'The Lonely Rider' from Hondells, and it should've been called 'Lay It Down' in my opinion.

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Considering all the vocal versions of instrumental tracks from the two Hondells albums, it begs the question of whether or not lyrics were penned at the time of the Hondells' sessions. Perhaps Gary Usher and co. simply ran out of studio time to complete the vocal tracks. We may never know. Relegated to Mercury’s budget label, The Buddies and the Compacts is indicative of the state surf/hot rod music was in by mid-1965. Still, it’s not the worst you do.