Rhythm & Blues, Soul & Doo-Wop - Bulletin December 2008 - Eddie Cochran  -> The Ventures + BOOK
( Advanced Search )  


 

 

BULLETIN - December 2008
Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly
Eddie Cochran  ->
The Ventures + BOOK
 

 

 

NEW BOOK

 

THE OXFORD AMERICAN BOOK OF GREAT MUSIC WRITING Edited by Marc Smirnoff ● BOOK $32.95
Hardbound, 421 pages, counts as eight CDs for shipping
Not only have a breathtaking array of musical giants come from the South, but so have a breathtaking array of American music genres. From blues to rock & roll to jazz to country to bluegrass - and areas in between - it all started in the American South. Since its debut in 1996, The Oxford American's more-or-less annual Southern Music Issue has become legendary for its passionate and wide-ranging approach to music-and for working with some of America's greatest writers. These writers - from Peter Guralnick to Nick Tosches to Susan Straight to Roy Blount, Jr.- probe the lives and legacies of Southern musicians you may or may not yet be familiar with, but whom you'll love being introduced, or reintroduced to. To celebrate ten years of Oxford American Southern Music Issues, most of which are sold-out or very hard to find, the fifty-five pieces collected in this dynamic and vast anthology appeal to both music fans and fans of great writing. Among the diverse selection of artists featured are Leadbelly, Jimmy Martin, Emmett Miller, Janis Joplin, Eartha Kitt, Doc Watson, Ray Charles (by Roy Blount Jr.!), Ike Turner, The Allman Brothers, Captain beefheart, Bobbie Gentry, King Pleasure, Carl Perkins, Lucinda Williams, Moondog and many more as well as observations on styles, environments, etc. This book aims to prove that great music writing is not only possible but, alive and thriving.

 

NEW COMPACT DISCS

 
FRANKIE FORD Black Tulip 2638681 Let's Take A Sea Cruise With Frankie Ford ● CD $17.98
32 tracks, 75 mins, highly recommended
Frankie Ford may be a one hit wonder but oh what a hit it was: 1959's Sea Cruise, with backing by Huey Smith and the Clowns, is a pounding, perfect piece of New Orleans R&B and contains one of the most exciting vocals ever recorded by a white man. This collection contains most of Ford's sides cut for Ace and Imperial during the late 50's/early 60's, and -- even without proper documentation -- is the best compilation of this unsung singer's discography currently available. With Dave Bartholomew producing, Ford struts his stuff on classics like Roberta/ Dog House/ Cheatin' Woman/ Alimony and more. Anyone who has ever heard and loved Sea Cruise owes it to themselves to hear the alternate take herein, which, unbelievably, sports a vocal even more raw and potent than the released version. Frankie Ford is undeservedly forgotten, but here's your chance to make up for lost time. (GMC)

 
THE JODIMARS Acrobat ACMCD 4053 Well Now Dig This ● CD $15.98
17 tracks, 38 mins, recommended
A collection of 17 sides recorded between 1955 and 1957 by this group of six musicians including 3 former members of Bill Haley's Comets' Joey D'Ambrosia, Dick Richards and Marshall Lyttle who quit The Comets when Haley refused to give them a pay raise after the success of Rock Around The Clock. Featuring the lead vocals of Richards they turned out a number of upbeat rock 'n roll songs very much in the Haley vein though with the exception of the minor hit Well Now Dig This, they were not to emulate his success. Although the singing and songs are unexceptional, the instrumental work is very good indeed, particularly from sax player Ambrosia and guitarist Charles "Chuck" Hoss. This CD includes their six issued Capitol singles plus two previously unissued demos that landed them their Capitol contract and three fine previously unissued songs from the Capitol sessions. Sound quality is superb and the 12 page booklet has extensive notes by Stuart Coleman. (FS)

 
CARL MANN Bear Family BCD 16684 Carl Rocks ● CD $24.98
35 tracks, 80 mins, recommended
Carl Mann was one of the more unexpected acts in the Sun Records stable of the 1950's (officially his records came out on the Phillips International label). First off Mann was hardly a man when he started recording, being all of 16 years old on his first sessions. Also, unlike most of the other acts, Mann depended on other writers for most of his material; only Elvis was supposed to be able to do that. His choice of material was largely due to the fact that his first successful song was a cover of a classic hit by Nat King Cole. Carl Mann's sublime cover of Mona Lisa would set the template and its success allowed for plenty more attempts to capitalize on the formula. Soon Mann would go on to put his own stamp on such classics as South of the Border/ Some Enchanted Evening/ The Wayward Wind, etc. He would also do plenty of work by other rockers from his era and this collection has fine versions of Ain't Got No Home/ Kansas City/ Blueberry Hill, and Ubangi Stomp. Carl Mann himself sang in a pretty laid back style, but what gave his records an edge was the guitar dynamics by the fantastic Eddie Bush, who is definitely one of the great guitar slingers of the golden age of Rock'N'Roll. A rare solo track by Bush, Hey Baby Doll, is also included. This captures all of the best of Mann's work for Phillips international, with alternate and rare takes on many of the songs. In addition to his quality liner notes, Hank Davis does a record-by-record breakdown of each of Mann's P.I. singles. If not the most compelling artist to ever walk through the doors at 706 Union Ave., Mann at least had some really good--if rather tame--records and is well worth your time. (JM)

 
CHUCK MILLER GVC 1003 Vim Vam Vamoose ● CD $13.98
35 tracks from this transitional artist - a singer and piano player who got his start in the pop and big band era and put his talents as a boogie pianist to use recording a number of fine titles - most notably his hit cover of Freddie Slack's House Of Blue LIghts along with other boogie numbers, some rock 'n' roll and some more pop oriented titles with arrangements ranging from small group to big band to orchestral. Includes Hopahula Boogie/ Can't Help Wonderin'/ Lookout Mountain/ Baltimore Jones/ The Auctioneer/ I Can't Give You Anything But LOve/ Cow Cow Boogie/ Chuck's Boogie/ Rang Tang Ding Dong/ Down The Road A-Piece/ Shoo Shoo Baby/ How Many Hearts Have You BRoken, etc. Superb sound and informative notes by Dave Penny.

 
MERRILL E. MOORE Acrobat ACMCD 4051 The House Of Blue Lights ● CD $15.98
33 tracks, 77 mins, highly recommended
Released on two Ember LPs in the 70s this CD includes everything on those two albums plus several additional tracks. A fine cross section of recordings by the legendary San Diego-based country boogie singer-pianist who recorded for Capitol from 1952-1958. All the Moore standards, Corrine Corrina/ Bell Bottom Boogie/ Fly Right Boogie/ House Of Blue Lights, his version of Julia Lee's Gotta Gimme What You Got and Rock-Rockola still stand on their own. But so do his vocal versions of pop and swing numbers like King Porter Stomp and Yes Indeed. There are two fine boogie instrumental renditions of the old pop standard Nola. Backing included some of Capitol's (and southern California's) best musicians, among them Speedy West, Roy Lanham, Jimmy Bryant and a very young Howard Roberts. Sound quality is excellent and the 16 page booklet features the original liner notes from the two Ember LPs along with new notes by Roger Dopson. (FS)
MERRILL MOORE: (It’s A) One Way Door/ Barrel House Bessie/ Bartender’s Blues/ Bell Bottom Boogie/ Big Bug Boogie/ Boogie My Blues Away/ Buttermilk Baby/ Cooing To The Wrong Pigeon/ Corrine Corrina/ Cow Cow Boogie/ Doggie House Boogie/ Down The Road Apiece/ Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue/ Fly Right Boogie/ Gotta Gimme What’cha Got/ Hard Top Race/ I Think I Love You Too/ King Porter Stomp/ Nola Boogie (EP version)/ Nola Boogie (single version)/ Nursery Rhyme Blues/ Red Light/ Rock Island Line/ Rock-Rockola/ Saddle Boogie/ She’s Gone/ Snatchin’ And Grabbin’/ Sweet Jennie Lee/ Ten Ten AM/ The House Of Blue Lights/ Tuck Me To Sleep In My Old ’Tucky Home/ Yes Indeed/ Yes Indeed (alternate take)

 
THE MUNSTERS Munster 1001 The Munsters/ Monsters, Munsters, Mummies & Others ● CD $17.98
24 tracks, 52 mins, recommended
We got this in, just in time for Thanksgiving. Features two albums from the 1960's that capitalized on the popularity of the classic monster TV show. The first album, simply titled "The Munsters," really has very little to do with the show. You get a pretty standard issue cash-in record, with lots of cheesy songs about the show, but no actual members of the cast participating and no actual music from the show. There's no information in the packaging, but I would put my money on this record being a Gary Usher project, probably done in about a day. Most of the tracks have that good time, southern California sound that I would associate with Usher at the helm around this time. The best thing about this first album are the instrumental tracks, when they forget about the stupid lyrics and just let the players go, you actually get some great stuff, but that only accounts for a couple of songs on the album and can't really save the CD on their own merit. Thankfully, there is a second album on here, and on "M,M,M&O,T, F" we have a whole different approach to the cash in, this time with a big band, doing big brassy arrangements of The Munsters, and other Horror and Sci-Fi, movie and T.V. related Themes, and this does redeem the purchase of this CD. Beside The Munsters, you get great versions of the Addams Family/ Bewitched/ Dracula/ Outer Limits/ Alfred Hitchcock, themes and many more tasty selections that register high on the nostalgia meter. (JM)

 
ROY ORBISON Monument 05537 The Soul Of Rock 'n' Roll ● CD $59.98
4 CDs, 107 tracks, 5 hours 6 mins, essential
Essential is just one word to describe this collection; wonderful, fantastic, and beautiful and many more powerful words can be used. I love Roy Orbison, and I just realized almost everything that I have from him is on vinyl, so I guess this is the CD collection that I have been waiting for all of these years. Now if only someone would buy it for me for Christmas! Enough about me, let's talk about Roy. This collection covers Roy Orbison's entire career, starting with his first Sun records single Ooby Dooby, and tracks from his original band the Teen Kings, and then leading all the way up to fine songs from his posthumous top-ten albums. So many great songs, and that voice! Nobody sang like Roy and nobody ever will. Each CD is crammed full, as is the cool box that it all comes in, which has a nice holder for all four CDs, a big thick 96 page booklet, with all kinds of rare photos and a special bonus of a set of postcards that reproduce artwork that Roy did for his 1953 high school yearbook. Roy Orbison fans should be delighted with this set; I certainly am. Whether its flat out Rockabilly like A Cat Called Domino from 1957, Rock 'N' Roll like Dream Baby from 1962, or Country flavored pop like You GotIit from 1988, this collection has it, the most inclusive and far-reaching collection of his work that I have seen. On top of the aforementioned songs you get such beauties as Rockhouse/ Problem Child/ Claudette/ Only The Lonely/ Blue Angel/ In Dreams/ Running Scared/ I'm Hurtin'/ Love Hurts/ Crying/ Candy Man/ Blue Bayou/ Dream Baby/ Pretty Paper/ Oh, Pretty Woman, plus all sorts of great lesser-known single and album cuts, not to mention 12 previously unissued tracks including rare demos from the '50s and live tracks from various times in Roy's career, including one, It's Over, from Roy's last ever concert! Other than putting all of the Traveling Wilburys tracks on here (there are only a couple) I can't think of anything that's not on here that a fan would want. Just in time for Christmas and the 20th anniversary of Roy Orbison's death, this is a fitting tribute that should fit right in any stocking. (JM)
ROY ORBISON: (All I Can Do is ) Dream You/ (I'd Be ) a Legend In My Time/ (Say) You're My Girl/ (They Call You ) Gigolette/ 1956 Guitar Pull Medley (I Want You, I Need You, I Love You/I Was the One/T/ A True Love Goodbye (with The Teen Kings)/ Actress, The/ Advertisement: Overton Park Shell Concert/ After the Love Has Gone/ All I Have To Do is Dream/ Almost Eighteen/ An Empty Cup and a Broken Date (with The Teen Kings)/ Baby Don't Stop/ Bad Cat/ Big As I Can Dream/ Blue Angel/ Blue Bayou/ Blue Rain (Coming Down)/ Blues is My Mind/ Born To Love Me/ Borne On the Wind/ Breakin' Up is Breakin' My Heart/ California Blue/ Candy Man/ Cat Called Domino/ Claudette/ Coming Home/ Communication Breakdown/ Crawling Back/ Crowd, The/ Crying/ Crying (with K.D. Lang)/ Defeated/ Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)/ Evergreen/ Falling/ Fastest Guitar Alive, The/ Go! Go! Go!/ Goodnight/ Heartbreak Radio/ Hey! Miss Fannie (with The Wink Westerners)/ Hound Dog Man/ I Drove All Night/ I Give Up/ I'm Hurtin'/ In Dreams/ In Dreams/ Indian Wedding/ It's Over/ It's Over/ It's Too Late/ Lana/ Land of 1000 Dances/ Leah/ Let the Good Times Roll/ Life Fades Away/ Love Hurts/ Love So Beautiful, A/ Love Storm/ Love Struck/ Mama/ Mean Little Mama/ Mean Woman Blues/ Night Life/ Night Owl/ Not Alone Anymore (with The Traveling Wilburys)/ Oh Pretty Woman/ Oh, Pretty Woman/ Oh, Pretty Woman/ One More Time/ Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)/ Ooby Dooby/ Ooby Dooby (with The Teen Kings)/ Pistolero/ Precious/ Pretty One/ Pretty Paper/ Problem Child/ Ride Away/ Rock House/ Running Scared/ Shahdaroba/ She's a Mystery To Me/ So Young/ Sweet and Easy To Love/ That' Lovin' Feelin' Again (with Emmylou Harris)/ This Kind of Love/ Too Soon To Know/ Tryin' To Get To You (with The Teen Kings)/ Tutti Frutti (with The Teen Kings)/ Unchained Melody/ Uptown/ Walk On/ Waymore's Blues (with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins)/ We'll Take the Night/ Wedding Day/ What'd I Say/ Wild Hearts Run Out of Time/ With the Bug/ Working For the Man/ Yo Te Amo Maria/ You Got It/ You May Feel Me Crying/ You Tell Me/ You're Gonna Cry/ You're My Baby/ You're the One

 
THE PILTDOWN MEN & OTHERS Ace CDCHD 681 The Piltdown Men Ride Again ● CD $18.98
29 tracks, 70 mins, highly recommended
Back in print. What do the Four Preps, Frank Sinatra, an archeological hoax, Stan Freberg, the Flintstones, R&B Drum legend Earl Palmer and Marc Bolan/ T-Rex all have in common? The short answer is, the music on this collection. I'm not even going to try and explain the whole crazy story to you--Ace's wonderful liner notes will take care of that. I will just say that if you are a fan of quirky instrumentals that capture the energy and experimentation of the early '60's than you will love this. Whether it is the reverb-laden tracks with the raunchy Sax, and thunderous kettle drums, the Dixieland/meets folk experiments or Earl Palmer's power house drum workouts, there is a whole lot of fantastic and unique material on here. (JM)
ERNIE FIELDS & HIS ORCHESTRA: Adam's Rib/ Birmingham Jail/ Chloe/ Green Green/ I'll Cry Instead/ In The Mood/ Leap Frog/ Sentimental Journey/ St Louis Blues/ Swanee River/ Theme From 'lilies Of/ BILLY MAY & HIS ORCHESTRA: Swingin' Drums/ EARL PALMER: Drum Village (part 1)/ Drum Village (part 2)/ THE PILTDOWN MEN: A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody/ Agricultural Twist/ Big Lizzard/ Brontosaurus Stomp/ Bubbles In The Tar/ Flint Stomp/ Fossil Rock/ Gargantua/ Gargantua #2/ Goodnight Mrs Flintstone/ Mcdonald's Cave/ Night Surfin'/ Piltdown Rides Again/ Tequila Bossa Nova/ The Great Impostor

 
JOHNNIE RAY Acrobat ACTRCD 9016 The Nabob Of Sob ● CD $24.98
3 discs, 91 tracks, recommended
A somewhat lost figure in the history of popular music, Johnnie Ray was hugely popular on both sides of the Atlantic in the pre-rock 'n' roll era. Ray was also influential: he was apparently a major inspiration on Elvis Presley, while Bob Dylan was quoted as saying that Ray was the first singer whose voice and style he "totally fell in love with." Although prone to theatrical histrionics when he performed, Ray has been regarded by some as the "missing link" between the old-school crooners (Frank, Perry et al) and the first generation of sexually galvanizing rock 'n' rollers (Elvis and all of his imitators). Certainly, Ray's vocalizing has innovative: he was the first white singer to use melisma, which was primarily a Blues/R&B vocal trick. He also worked with black R&B musicians, and played to black audiences something few white performers did at the time. This box set collects Ray at his peak and contains all of his hits, the two best known of which are Cry and The Little White Cloud That Cried. (Here I Am) Broken Hearted is a good example of his style: highly emotional, bluesy, and torch-y (perhaps tortured). Three CDs might be too much of a good thing for those merely curious about what Elvis loved in this guy, but for anyone interested in a true original song stylist Nabob of Sob makes for fascinating listening. (GMC)
JOHNNIE RAY: (Here I Am) Broken Hearted/ A Full Time Job/ A Sinner Am I/ Ain't Misbehavin'/ Alexander's Ragtime Band/ All I Do Is Dream Of You/ All Of Me/ An Orchid For The Lady/ As Time Goes By/ Because I Love You/ Build Your Love (On A Strong Foundation)/ Candy Lips/ Coffee And Cigarettes/ Cry (with The Four Lads)/ Destiny/ Don't Blame Me/ Don't Say Love Has Ended/ Don't Take Your Love From Me/ Everyday I Have The Blues/ Faith Can Move Mountains/ Flip, Flop And Fly/ Gee, But I'm Lonesome/ Give Me Time/ Glad Rag Doll/ Going-Going-Gone/ Good Evening Friends/ Goodbye, Au Revoir, Adios/ Hernando's Hideaway/ Hey There/ How Long, How Long Blues/ I Miss You So/ I Want To Be Loved (But Only By You)/ I'll Never Be Free/ I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town/ I'm Gonna Walk And Talk With My Lord/ I've Got So Many Million Years/ If You Believe/ In The Candlelight/ Johnnie's Comin' Home/ Just Walkin' In The Rain/ Let's Walk That-A-Way/ Look Homeward Angel/ Lotus Blossom/ Love Me (Baby Can't You Love Me)/ Ma Says, Pa Says/ Miss Me Just A Little/ Mister Midnight/ Mountains In The Moonlight/ No Wedding Today/ Nobody's Sweetheart/ Oh, What A Sad, Sad Day/ Out In The Cold Again/ Papa Loves Mambo/ Parade Of Broken Hearts/ Paths Of Paradise/ Pink Sweater Angel/ Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone/ Please Mr Sun/ Pretty-Eyed Baby/ Satisfied/ Sent For You Yesterday/ Shake A Hand/ She Didn't Say Nothin' At All/ So Long/ Soliloquy Of A Fool/ Somebody Stole My Gal/ Song Of The Dreamer/ Street Of Memories/ Such A Night/ Taking A Chance On Love/ Tell The Lady I Said Goodbye/ Tell The Lady I Said Goodbye/ Texas Tambourine/ The Lady Drinks Champagne/ The Little White Cloud That Cried/ The Only Girl I'll Ever Love/ The Others I Like/ To Ev'ry Girl - To Ev'ry Boy/ Trouble In Mind/ Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Air)/ Walk Along With Kings/ Walking My Baby Back Home/ What's The Use?/ Whiskey And Gin/ Who's Sorry Now?/ Why Does Your Daddy Have To Go/ Why Should I Be Sorry/ With These Hands/ Yes, Tonight Josephine/ You Don't Owe Me A Thing/ You'd Be Surprised

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1158 That's Swift - Instrumentals From The Norman Petty Vaul ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 52 mins, highly recommended
Petty's association with Buddy Holly launched him into iconic status, but as a producer/engineer, he was also well-known for some of the cleanest, most ambient Pop recordings of the time. This time in question was the early sixties, when instrumental rock 'n' roll was in bloom, led by the Ventures and Dick Dale. Blending Classical, Jazz, European Folk, and Film score musical styles with rock's "wild child" sensibilities made for some intriguing results. Sadly, though, many of this genre's practitioners have never risen above obscurity - at least not to the present day. Fortunately, we have a twenty-four track compilation of instrumental rock (sometimes referred to as "Surf Music") rarities from a handful of groups that are hardly household names, yet they serve up a mean batch of tunes guaranteed to be the hit of your next beach party. (BC)
THE BENTLEYS: Portugal/ THE CANADIAN NOMADS: Las Vegas Scene/ THE CHANCES: Black Grass/ Camelback/ THE CHANDELLES: El Gato/ Jester/ THE CORDS: Termites/ WES DAKUS' REBELS: Bach's Back!/ Manipulator/ Side Winder/ Sour Biscuits/ THE FAYROS: Skokiaan/ THE FIREBALLS: Torquette or Torquay/ THE FIVE COUNTS: Skuzzy/ That's Swift/ THE GLIDERS: Wild Jam/ THE IMPACTS V: Riptide/ THE KEYMEN: Boy Blue/ THE KING PINS: Door Banger aka Ninety Four Second Surf/ Rod Hot Rod/ THE RHYTHM MASTERS: Exotique/ Wild Kitten/ THE TECHNIQUES: Dream Theme or King/ THE TIARAS: Mexican Rock

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1191 The Golden Age Of American Popular Music ● CD $18.98
28 tracks, 71 mins, recommended
This is full of the kind of fare that would fill up the play list on an AM nostalgia station nowadays. You get lots of hits that were to the right of Rock 'N' Roll, mostly meant for parents rather than the teenage public. Buddy Knox's Hula Love, My Summer Love by Ruby and the Romantics, and Johnny Nash's A Very Special Love are about the hardest hitting tracks on here. The real appeal of this collection are tracks like 18 Yellow Roses by Bobby Darin, Theme From Dr. Kildare by Richard Chamberlain, Utopia by Frank Gari, and The Wiffenpoof Song by Bob Crewe. You get the idea, so if your old vinyl copy of Deep Purple by Nino Tempo is getting a bit too worn out to play, or you want to know the full story behind The Letterman's Come Back Silly Girl, you might want to pick up this collection. Excellent sound, and thorough notation as you would expect from Ace. (JM)
ANITA BRYANT: My Little Corner Of The World/ RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN: Theme from Dr Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)/ RAY CONNIFF: Lovely One/ BOB CREWE: The Whiffenpoof Song/ BOBBY DARIN: 18 Yellow Roses/ THE DIXIEBELLS: Southtown, USA/ RONNIE DOVE: Right Or Wrong/ FRANK GARI: Utopia/ BRIAN HYLAND: Ginny Come Lately/ BETTY JOHNSON: I Dreamed/ KITTY KALLEN: My Coloring Book/ BUDDY KNOX: Hula Love/ STEVE LAWRENCE: Go Away Little Girl/ THE LETTERMEN: Come Back Silly Girl/ KATHY LINDEN: Billy/ TOMMY MARA: Where The Blue Of The Night/ GENE MCDANIELS: Chip Chip/ JOHNNY NASH: A Very Special Love/ JIMMIE RODGERS: Secretly/ RUBY & THE ROMANTICS: My Summer Love/ ROGER SMITH: Beach Time/ THE KIRBY STONE FOUR: Baubles, Bangles & Beads/ NINO TEMPO & APRIL STEVENS: Deep Purple/ SAMMY TURNER: Paradise/ JUNE VALLI: Apple Green/ BOBBY VINTON: I Love You The Way You Are/ PHILL WILSON: Wishin' On A Rainbow/ MARION WORTH: Shake Me I Rattle (Squeeze Me I Cry)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1198 It Came From The Beach - Surf, Drag & Rockin' Instros ● CD $18.98
26 rockin' instrumentals recorded at the Downey Studios or Downey Records - the studio that produced the classic Pipeline by The Chantays which was originally issued on Downey but didn't become a hit until it was picked up by Dot. The tracks here were issued on Downey or other local small labels and includes two previously unissued titles. It features sides by The Rumblers, Nevegans, Pastel Six, Blazers, Hustlers, etc.
THE BLAZERS: Bangalore/ Beaver Patrol/ Shore Break/ THE CHEVELLS: Let There Be Surf/ Riptide/ THE HUSTLERS: Inertia/ Kopout/ Wailin' Out/ THE NEVEGANS: Downey Surf/ One Armed Bandit/ THE PASTEL SIX: Rendezvous Rods/ Take It Off/ Twitchin'/ Wimo Stomp/ THE RAMBLERS: Hangin One/ Mozart Stomp/ THE REVELS: Church Key/ THE RIVIAIRES: Mocolotion/ THE RUMBLERS: A Go Go/ Destruction/ Hi Octane/ Oblique/ Surf Rat/ The Hustler/ SIR FROG & THE TOADS: Mustang/ THE SURFTONES: Cecilia Ann

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1205 Still Dead! The Grim Reaper's Jukebox ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
Just in time for Halloween (!?), is the follow-up to Ace's earlier collection Dead! (Ace 1100 $ 18.98); Still Dead! Brings us more of those strange phenomena of the late 50's/early 60's: death discs. Although many of the true classics of "genre" are on that first compilation, this one doesn't disappoint: the Shangri-La's Leader of the Pack (how this one didn't make the first CD, is a mystery to me), Dickie Lee's Laurie (Strange Things Happen), and Cobey Carson's Too Young To Be a Widow certainly live up to the legacy. Just to show that death songs weren't limited to a particular time frame, the compilers of this CD managed to find songs from as early as 1952 (Goodbye Baby - Little Caesar; The Bells - Billy Ward & the Dominoes) and as late as 1969 (The Singing Star, Elaine Arthur). The award for most chilling goes to Tony Casanova's The Grave, while the award for "best rip-off" goes to The Whyte Boots for their perfect Shangri-La's knock-off Nightmare. Del Shannon tries his hand at a tear jerker with The Prom, and does ok, but nothing beats The Cadets Car Crash for sheer melodrama and theatrics. It can safely be said there's something for everyone here, and this CD is the perfect aural companion for a Halloween party or a night of solipsistic self-pity. (GMC)
ELAINE ARTHUR: A Singing Star/ THE BEVERLY SISTERS: Flight 1203/ PAMELA BLUE: My Friend Bobby/ THE CADETS: Car Crash/ BERNADETTE CARROLL: The Hero/ COBEY CARSON: Too Young To Be A Widow/ TONY CASANOVA: The Grave/ RONNIE COOK: Susie Darling/ RONNIE DANTE: In The Rain/ DARWIN: Little Gold Locket/ THE DOMINOES: The Bells/ ESTELLE: The Year 2000/ BOB FRYFOGLE: Six Feet Under/ HOAGY LANDS: White Gardenia/ DICKEY LEE: Laurie (strange Things Happen)/ LITTLE CAESAR & ARK ANGELS: The Ghost Of Mary Meade Pt 1/ LITTLE CAESAR W/QUE MARTIN: Goodbye Baby/ THE POETS: Dead/ THE SHANGRI-LAS: Leader Of The Pack/ DEL SHANNON: The Prom/ VERN STOVALL: Long Black Limousine/ TERRY TYLER: A Thousand Feet Below/ THOMAS WAYNE WITH THE DELONS: Tragedy/ WHYTE BOOTS: Nightmare

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat ACQCD 7012 Lipstick, Nylons, Petticoats & Stilettos : Brit Girls ● CD $26.98
4 discs, 120 tracks, recommended
In the 50's, the U.K. had its own batch of female singers; so many, in fact, that not only was there much competition for good material, but U.S. contemporaries (Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page, Teresa Brewer et al) could seldom get a look in as a result. The first tier stars of the time-- Alma Cogan, The Beverly Sisters, Lita Roza, Joan Regan, Ruby Murray, and Dorothy Squires -- are all well represented, as well as young 'uns like Petula Clark, and late comers (their careers began in 1956 and 1957, respectively) Shirley Bassey and Marion Ryan. The so-called "second division" gets their due as well: The Kaye Sisters, Billie Anthony, Jill Day, Barbara Lyon, Nancy Whiskey, Edna Savage, Joan Savage, Suzi Miller, Yana, and Pauline Shepherd among others. The set covers a wide selection of musical styles--ballads, pop, novelty songs, show tunes, watered-down rock and roll, skiffle, and American R&B--and each artists' hit records from this period are included, along with the usual rarities and collectables. Suffice to say, that anyone who either remembers these singers (or has interest in them) will want this fairly thorough box set. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Acrobat ACTRCD 9005 British No. 1 Hits, 1950-1957: Melodies, Mambo, Waltzes ● CD $24.98
3 discs, 75 tracks, recommended
This box set is exactly what the title says: a collection of No. 1 British hits from the years 1050 to '57, and for the most part the music is pre-rock 'n' roll pop that runs the gamut from show tunes and movie music (Moulin Rouge, Mantovani; Secret Love, Doris Day; Three Coins in the Fountain, Frank Sinatra) to mainstream pop (The Tennessee Waltz, Patti Page; Comes A-Long-A-Love, Kay Starr) to novelty tunes (I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat, Mel Blanc) to country (Guy Mitchell, Frankie Laine, Tennesse Ernie Ford) and everything in between. Rock 'n' Roll rears its ugly head on disc 2 in the form of Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock and Frankie Lymon & the Teenager's Why Do Fools Fall in Love, and fully takes hold on disc 3 with Johnny Ray, Tommy Steele, Lonnie Donegan (skiffle division), Elvis, and the Crickets (with Buddy Holly). Basically, this set is for musicologists, the curious, and anyone else who wants to know what our British cousins listened to before rock 'n' roll turned the world upside down. From this evidence, I'd say that British tastes weren't that different from American ones, at least during the first half of the decade. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Collector 4530 Rockers & Boppers ● CD $16.98
30 tracks, 67 mins, highly recommended
A particulary nice and varied collection of rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, rockin' hillbilly and hot instrumentals. All obscure artists - most tracks making their first appearance on CD. Includes Woodie Sheldon (the hot Call The Law), Dave Nixon & the Valiants, Bill Ennis, The Vibratos (the hot instrumental Vibrate), Larry J. Williams (a cover of bluesman Jimmy Reed's You Got me Dizzy), Dave Perkins & The Cupp Family, Hank Beach & The Country Man (Buck Owens style country), Paul Helms with Jughead Godwin & The Allen Brothers, Walter Stone (aka "The Maniac" with the wild I'm Not Good Lookin'), Ronnie Summers, The Mustangs (a fine cover of Link Wray's Jack The Ripper), Bert Bradley & His Lonesome Cajuns, The Plainsmen (one to add to horror themed songs with Monster's Holiday), Grady Sartain (fine boppin' hillbilly with Indiana Blues), Gene Sisco & The Decons, The Arkades, Johnny Allen & The Jokers, etc. Excellent sound and booklet full of label shots. (FS)
THE ARKADES: The P.A.L/ HANK BEACH & THE COUNTRY MAN: I Got The Time/ VERN BENNETT & BEN MORRIS & THE IMPERIALS: Hide & Seek/ BERT BRADLEY & HIS LONESOME CAJUNS: The Girl In The tight Blue Jeans/ BILL ENNIS: I'm Hypnotized/ PAUL HELMS, JUGHEAD GODWIN & ALLEN BROS: Jugheads Flop Eared Boogie/ D. HITMAN: Miss Ann/ THE LIVE WIRES: One Cycle Venture/ JIM MACKELBERG & THE COUNTRY ARTISTS: Baby Sittin' Blues/ THE MUSTANGS: Jack The Ripper/ BILLY NIX: Something To Look Forward To/ DAVE NIXON & THE VALIANTS: Continental Twist/ JOHNNY OLENN & THE JOKERS: Sally Let Your Bangs Hang/ DAVE PERKINS & THE CUPP FAMILY: You're My Honey/ THE PLAINSMEN: Monster's Holiday/ GRADY SARTAIN: Indiana Blues/ WOODIE SHELDON: Call The Law/ GENE SISCO & THE DECONS: Save It/ DAVE STADLER: Boney Moronie/ WALTER STONE (THE MANIAC): I'm Not Good Lookin'/ RONNIE SUMMERS & CHUCK VEDDER ORCH.: Blankety Blank/ RANDY TEDDER & MISHAWAKA RHYTHMAIRS: Nancy/ THE TWISTERS: Really/ THE VIBRATOS: Vibrate/ TOM WAYNE: Ruth Ann/ GARRETT WILLIAMS: Little Darlin'/ LARRY J. WILLIAMS: You Got Me Dizzy/ ROGER WILLIAMS: I Seen Blue Heaven/ E.P. WILLIAMS & TUCKER JUNCTION BOYS: Truck Drivers Baby/ JIM & EDITH YOUNG: That's All Richt With Me

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Collector 4531 Rock & Roll With Piano, Vol. 16 ● CD $16.98
30 tracks, recommended
Another fine collection of 30 rockers from the 50s and early 60s with piano in the mix even if it isn't as prominent as you might expect. The opening track by Donald King with The Four Juniors I Love My Baby doesn't have any piano solos but has a hot sax solo and an even hotter guitar solo! There are more fine sides by Billy King & The Star Notes, The Night Hawks (the fine instrumental You're Somethin' ElseGot My Mojo Working plus a fine piano instrumental), Charlie Kinchen & The Buddy Morris Combo (the fine bluesy Think It Over - not The Crickets song), Sammy Julian (an uncanny imitation of Johnny Cash on Lead Guitar Man), Bob Jasper and others. A dozen of the titles are instrumentals. (FS)
NITA BOLAR & THE LARRY LUCIE ORCH: Bolar Boogie/ CAL BRIGGS & THE VEL-TONES WITH THE BLUE SHI: Cal's Tune/ BILL CHAPELL: Lovey Dove/ CORY & CONTINENTALS: All Night Long/ MEL CURTIS & HIS MINORS: Git To Gittin Part 2/ JOEY DIXON: Moon Buggy/ THE EL MARADAS: Frantic/ Marada Rock/ LEON GRISSOM: You're The Finest Chicken/ RED HERRING & THE JORDANIANS: It's Not Easy To Forget/ TRUSTIN HOWARD: Hey! Mr. Piano/ CHARLIE HUFF: She's My Baby/ BOBBY JAMES: Dear Mabel/ BOB JASPER: Cheretta Rock/ SAMMY JULIAN: Lead Guitar Man/ CHARLIE KINCHEN & THE BUDDY MORRIS COMBO: Redonna/ Think It Over/ HIAL KING & HIS NEWPORTS: Death Valley/ BILLY KING & THE STAR NOTES: Stormy/ DONALD KING WITH THE FOUR JUNIORS & THE FIVE J: I Love My Baby/ JERRY MARTIN & THE JESTERS: Diesel/ THE MOJO MEN: Mojo Party/ Mojo Working/ THE NIGHT HAWKS: You're Somethin' Else/ DUANE NOLAN & NOLAN QUARTET: Aim High/ Easy Goin' part.One/ MIKE PATTERSON: Coffee Grounds/ GUY SHELBURNE: The Real Thing/ BOBBY SISCO & THE MELO-DAIRES: I'll Find It/ JESSE WATSON: Nashville Boogie

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Collector 4532 Rock Hip Rock ● CD $16.98
30 tracks, recommended
More rockin' rarities - most making their first appearance on CD - many with a country flavor. Includes Larry K. & The Per Son Ics, Charles K. & The Southern Winds (the great country flavored You Got The Right Bird Baby), The Marouders (the hot instrumental Kosta Rica), Gene Smith (the fine The Time Clock with mandolin solo), Dale Oliver, Bob Simon (a rock 'n' roll version of The Wild Side Of Life<), Dave Dixon & The Dixie Wranglers (two songs including the topical Space Sickness), Sharlet Sexton & The Tenn. Valley Boys (female country singer who sounds like Loretta Lynn), CHiyo & The Crescents, Gene Smith, Jerry Gray & Trio, Russ Sanders, Jimmy North & The Jack Mashburn Band, Billy & The Kids, etc. (FS)
BILLY & THE KIDS: The Long Wait/ CHIYO & THE CRESCENTS: Devil Surf/ ANDY CORY: Hey Now,What Are You,Some Kind Of Nut?/ DICKY DIXON & DIXIE WRANGLERS: I Love Her Still/ Space Sickness/ JACK E. DOWNES & HIS FRIENDS: Surfin Way Out/ HOWARD FOGG & THE LONESOME VALLEY BOYS: Highway Man/ TONY GAVIN: I Just Don't Know/ THE GRAVESTONE FOUR: Ad Lib Beat/ JERRY GRAY & TRIO: No Sad Song/ LARRY K. & THE PER SON ICS: That's The Way It Goes/ CHARLES K. & THE SOUTHERN WINDS: Right Bird Baby/ HOWIE LANDY & THE GALAXIES: The Happiest Man In The World/ THE MARAUDERS: Kosta Rica/ JIMMY NORTH & JACK MASHBURN BAND: Leavin' Town/ CLINTON O'NEAL & COUNTRY: Big Bad Wolf/ DALE OLIVER: Long Gone Daddy/ Who's Gonna Give My Baby Lovi/ JOHNNY PHELPS: Tom Katt/ RUSS SANDERS: Two Of A Kind/ GENE SATTERFIELD: Doin' My Time/ NORM SEACHRIST: Big Beat/ SHARLET SEXTON & TENN.VALLEY BOYS: Since Baby Put Me Down/ BOB SIMON: The Wild Side Of Life/ GENE SMITH: Rubber Legs/ The Time Clock/ SMILEY SMITH: Voo Doo Woman/ HOWIE STANG & JIM FLAHERTY'S CARAVAN: Baby I'm Sorry/ THE TEEN-BEETS: I Guess That's Why You/ SONNY WISSINGER & THE NASHVILLE SOUNDS: Folsom Prison Blues

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Flame 104 Desperate Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 4 ● CD $16.98
26 tracks, 61 mins, highly recommended
Another fine, rockin' and sometimes weird compilation from the good folks at Flame in their always worthwhile "Desperate Rock 'n' Roll" series. 26 tracks from the late 50s and 60s including rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, instrumentals, rockin' blues and even Latin rock 'n' roll. Includes The Vice-Roys (great rock 'n' roll cover of Roy Hamilton's Don't let Go), Little Ellis & His L 7's, Bashful Vic Thomas, Eddie Con Los Shades, The Rockin' Continentals, The Montclairs, Sandy Lee, Jay Hodge Ork., Johnny Scoggins, Roosevelt Johnson, Bobby Fry, The Chessmen (hot version of Ronnie Self's Bop-A-Lena by Australian group), Johnny McCullough (1967 rockabilly with hot fuzz guitar!), Bobby Gregory & The Lzay Rhythm Band (the very strange Chinese Rock 'n' Roll which appears to be partially sung in Chinese!) and other artists you've never heard of. Great sound and booklet includes label shots and brief notes on each track. (FS)
THE 4 EL MOROCCOS: To Bango/ BOBBY BARE: Vampira/ BIG DAVE & THE HOUSE ROCKERS: Goin' On Baby/ THE BLACK ALBINOS: Shish Kebab/ THE CHESSMEN: Bop-A-Lena/ ARTIE DILLON: In My Teens/ SHY GUY DOUGLAS: Monkey Doin' Woman/ LEE DRESSER: Beat Out My Love/ EDDIE CON LOS SHADES: Dime Sime Vas A Ver/ BOBBY FRY: Highway Robbery/ GLEN GOZA: Goshamody Whatabody/ BOB GRADY: Granny Tops Em At The Hop/ BOBBY GREGORY: Chinese Rock & Roll/ JAY HODGE ORK: Goatsville/ JIM JACKSON: I want Your Love/ ROOSEVELT JOHNSON: Hey Little Girl/ SANDY LEE: Ballin' Keen/ LITTLE ELLIS & HIS L7'S: Barb Wire/ JOHNNY MCCULLOUGH: 55 Chevy/ THE MONTCLAIRS: Baby Doll/ SCREAMIN JOE NEAL: Rock & Roll Deacon/ THE ROCKIN' CONTINENTALS: Cobra 289/ JOHNNY SCOGGINS: Talk To Me Baby/ BASHFULL VIC THOMAS: Rock & Roll Tonight/ THE VICE-ROYS: Don't Let Go/ LITTLE JACKY WAYNE: White Felt Hat

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Jin 9088 Swamp Pop Sweethearts ● CD $15.98
18 tracks, 52 mins, recommended
With some of the biggest hits associated with the Swamp Pop genre about women, it makes sense that there would be enough quality tracks dedicated to the ladies to fill up a compilation. Those big hits, Mathilda by Cookie & The Cupcakes and Colinda by Rod Bernard are both here as well as swamp favorites spanning the last five decades. Newer and older artists swing side by side, like Warren Storm, Don Rich (not Buck's sidekick,) Rockin' Sydney, Randy & The Rockets, plus many more. (JM)
JOHNNIE ALLAN: Melinda/ ROD BERNARD: Colinda/ THE BOOGIE KINGS: Alligator Annie/ AL CHASE AND THE MIDNIGHTERS: Lubby Lou/ COOKIE & THE CUPCAKES: Belinda/ Mathilda/ PAUL DAIGLE, ROBERT ELKINS & CAJUN GOLD: Georgie Lou/ DEUCE OF HEARTS: Good Golly Miss Molly/ SHELTON DUNAWAY & THE CUPCAKES: Betty & Dupree/ HUNTER LOGAN: Betty Jean/ PRINCE CHARLES & THE ROCKIN' KINGS: Cheryl Ann/ RANDY & THE ROCKETS: Genevieve/ DON RICH: Hey Maria/ Lucille/ ROCKIN' SIDNEY: Jalapeno Lena/ Shirley Jean/ WARREN STORM, WILLIE TEE & CYPRESS: Irene/ Rosemary

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Proper BOX 143 Rockin' Memphis ● CD $26.98
4 CDs, 118 tracks, highly recommended
We gave this a brief write-up in a newsletter, but its worth another, more expansive look. Considering this set focuses on one of the all-time great music cities in it's prime, the main question about this is whether you have this material or not; if you don't, then you need it. Disc one concentrates on the Blues and Rhythm & Blues backbone of the Memphis scene with key recordings like B.B. King's B.B. Boogie, Jackie Brenston (with Ike Turner's band) doing Rocket 88, Rufus Thomas' version of Decorate the Counter, along with his Bear Cat, and Tiger Man, Little Junior Parker's Mystery Train, as well as great tracks by Johnny Ace, Little Milton, Roscoe Gordon, Willie Nix and more. Disc two digs up the Country roots with great tracks by Slim Rhodes, Malcolm Yelvington, Charlie Feathers, Eddie Collins and more, with the certain appeal of having lesser-known tracks by well known artists like Warren Smith's Black Jack David, and Dorsey Burnett's Let's Fall in Love. Disc three takes us to when the black & white combined to make things red-hot! Featuring essential tracks by The Rock & Roll Trio, Carl Perkins, Warren Smith, Sonny Burgess, Elvis, and Johnny Cash, etc, alongside lesser known tracks by Eddie Bond, Junior Thompson, Charlie Feathers, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more. If the first three discs didn't knock you out completely disc four is another heavy dose, but this time mostly compromised of great, rarer tracks. Probably the best known track on this disk is Billy Lee Riley's Red-Hot, but it is in great company next to tracks like Carl Mann and his Kool Kats Gonna Rock and Roll Tonight, Hayden Thompson's One Broken Heart, Cliff Gleaves' Love is My Business, and Lee Carzle with Bobby Mizzel & the Le-Bows' (they are a household name right?) I'm Asking, But I'm Not Getting. All this and more plus a thick booklet packed with all kinds of obscure information. (JM)
JOHNNY ACE: Follow The Rule/ Burley Cutie/ TOMMY BLAKE: Flat Foot Sam/ EDDIE BOND & THE STOMPERS: Baby Baby Baby (What Am I Gonna Do)/ Flip Flop Mama/ I've Got A Woman/ JACKIE BRENSTON: Juiced/ My Real Gone Rocket/ Rocket 88/ EDWIN BRUCE: Rock Boppin' Baby/ BARNEY BURCHAM WITH THE MOON BEAMS: I Fell/ SONNY BURGESS: Red Headed Woman/ DORSEY BURNETTE: Let's Fall In Love/ The Devil's Queen/ JOHNNY BURNETTE TRIO: Blues Stay Away From Me/ Eager Beaver Baby/ Rockabilly Boogie/ Train Kept A Rollin'/ You're Undecided/ FREDDIE BURNS: I'm Just A Pore Unlucky Dog/ Two Piano Boogie/ STEVE CARL & THE JAGS: Curfew/ LEE CARZLE WITH BOBBY MIZZEL & LE-BOW'S: I'm Asking But I'm Not Getting/ JOHNNY CASH: I Walk The Line/ Get Rhythm/ EDDIE COLLINS: Can't Face Life Alone/ Patience Baby/ MASON DIXON: Don't Worry 'Bout Nothin'/ JACK EARLS & THE JIMBOS: Slow Down/ BILLY "THE KID" EMERSON: Move Baby Move/ Red Hot/ CHARLIE FEATHERS: Defrost Your Heart/ Get With It/ EARL FOREST & BEALE STREET RUNNERS: Pretty Bessie/ Rock The Bottle/ CLIFF GLEAVES: Love Is My Business/ ROSCO GORDON: Booted (Chess version)/ Do The Chicken (Dance With You)/ CURLEY GRIFFIN: Got Rockin' On My Mind/ LEN GRIFFIN & HIS BOYS: Spanish Rock-A-Rolla/ JIMMY HAGGETT WITH THE DAYDREAMERS: Gonna Shut You Off Baby/ HARMONICA FRANK: Step It Up And Go/ RAY HARRIS: Where'd You Stay Last Night/ BILLIE HIGH & THE FOUR RECORDERS: Wondering If You Still Care/ HOWLIN' WOLF: Howlin Wolf Boogie/ LOST JOHN HUNTER: Cool Down Mama/ HOYT JOHNSON & FOUR RECORDERS: Eenie Meenie Minie Mo/ B.B. KING: B.B. Boogie/ She's Dynamite/ DICKEY LEE & THE COLLEGIATES: Good Lovin'/ Stay True Baby/ JERRY LEE LEWIS: Crazy Arms/ End Of The Road/ LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FAMES: Feelin' Good/ LITTLE JUNIOR'S BLUE FLAMES: Love My Baby/ Mystery Train/ LITTLE MILTON: Beggin' My Baby/ If You Love Me Baby/ JOE HILL LOUIS: Boogie In The Park/ When I'm Gone (She Treats Me Mean And Evil)/ BILLY LOVE: Drop Top/ CARL MANN & THE KOOL KATS: Gonna Rock'n'Roll Tonight/ JIMMIE MARTIN COMBO: Red Bobby Sox/ Rock The Bop/ RAMON MAUPIN: Love Gone/ No Chance/ LLOYD MCCULLOUGH: 'Cause I Love You/ Gonna Love My Baby/ Oh Darling/ Until I Love Again/ WAYNE MCGINNIS WITH THE SWING TEENS: Lonesome Rhythm Blues/ CARL MCVOY: Tootsie/ THE MILLER SISTERS: Finders Keepers/ WILLIE NIX: Bakershop Boogie/ ROY ORBISON: Go Go Go/ ALLEN PAGE: Honeysuckle/ KENNIE PARCHMAN: Treat Me Right/ DICK PENNER: Cindy Lou/ CARL PERKINS: Dixie Fried/ EARL PETERSON: Boogie Blues/ BARBARA PITTMAN: I Need A Man/ DOUG POINDEXTER & STARLITE RAMBLERS: Now She Cares No More For Me/ ELVIS PRESLEY: Mystery Train/ SLIM RHODES: Bad Girl/ Gonna Romp And Stomp Tonight/ Hot Foot Rag/ Memphis Bounce/ Ozark Boogie/ Skunk Hollow Boogie/ BILLY RILEY & HIS LITTLE GREEN MEN: Flyin' Saucers Rock'n'Roll/ BILLY RILEY & THE LITTLE GREEN MEN: Red Hot/ Rock With Me Baby/ LOU SARGENT: Ridin' The Boogie/ RAY SCOTT & THE FOUR RECORDERS: Boppin' Wigwam Willie/ MACK SELF: Easy To Love/ Everyday/ MILLER SISTERS: Ten Cats Down/ WALTER "TANG" SMITH: Hi-Tone Mama/ WARREN SMITH: Black Jack David/ Got Love If You Want It/ So Long I'm Gone/ Ubangi Stomp/ LENDON SMITH & THE JESTERS: Woman/ BRAD SUGGS: Charcoal Suit/ HANK SWATLEY: Oakie Boogie/ JOHNNY TATE: Bop With Me Baby/ RUFUS THOMAS: Bear Cat/ Decorate The Counter/ Tiger Man (King Of The Jungle)/ HAYDEN THOMPSON: Love My Baby/ One Broken Heart/ JUNIOR THOMPSON: Raw Deal/ CARVIS TURNEY: Honky Tonk Ways/ THE VELVETONES WITH MEMPHIS RHYTHM BOYS: Real Gone Baby/ WADE & DICK & THE COLLEGE BOYS: Bop Bop Baby/ MALCOLM YELVINGTON & STAR RHYTHM BOYS: Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee/ Just Rollin' Along

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS QDK Media 029 Love, Peace & Poetry - Asian Psychedelic Music ● CD $16.98
14 tracks, 56 mins, highly recommended
Another volume in the "Love, Peace & Poetry" series, this one turns the spotlight on Asian Psychedelic music a territory less well-known (to me, anyway) than the pervious volume's Brazilian Psychedelic music. With tracks from Hong Kong (Cream sound-a-like Teddy Robin & the Playboys), Turkey (best represented country with four), Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Japan, India, and Singapore--spanning the years 1967 to 1977--one can assume that these artists spent a lot of time listening to British bands like Pink Floyd, Traffic, Cream, and the Yardbirds. Props to Cambodian Rocks, The Mops, San Ul Lim, Yuya Uchida & the Flowers (who probably spent some time studying the Jefferson Airplane), and The Quest (with their trippy cover of the Four Preps' 26 Miles) for some superbly seductive sounds. Like the previously reviewed volume, this is another worthwhile window into other cultures' music and the West's influence upon it. NB: Many of the tracks were taken from vinyl and it's obvious, so beware! (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS X-Bat 5866 Stompin' Time Again ● CD $17.98
26 tracks, 72 mins, recommended
This collects much of the music that came out of Southern Pennsylvania from 1964-74 on the Tee Pee and DB, independent record labels, featuring all sorts of garage and dance club obscurities like The Shaynes, The Loose Enz, The Ambassadors, Disciples Of Soul, The Royal Five, Little Duck & The Drakes, and many more. Styles range from hard-edged garage to soulfully infused dance party numbers. Sometimes it sounds like you are listening to a "Battle of the Bands"; other times you are wondering why the song wasn't a big hit. No matter how you slice it, this tells a story about a part of American music history--a side note to most, a lifetime to others. (JM)
THE A GO-GOS: Just A Little Bit Of Soul/ Shake And Fingerpop/ THE AMBASSADORS: I Want A Love/ Pork Chops/ Too Much Of A Good Thing/ THE COURIERS: Feelings/ Stompin' Time Again/ THE CZARS: What's The Matter Baby/ THE DESCIPLES OF SOUL: Living In A Glass House "Don't Throw Stones"/ Peek-A-Boo/ LITTLE DUCK & THE DRAKES: Forever/ LITTLE DUCK & THE DRAKES: Darling Lorraine/ Every Beat Of My Heart/ Ramblin'Guy/ LOOSE ENZ: A World Outside/ You're A Better Man Than I/ OMNIBUS: Take Your Only Chance/ THE ROMANS: The Drag/ THE ROYAL FIVE: Boston Boo-Ga-Loo/ Over The Rainbow/ THE ROYAL KNIGHTS: Have You Heard/ THE SHAYNES: From My Window/ Valarie/ You Tell Me Girl/ THE VAL-JEENS: Darlene/ It Makes Me

 
THE VENTURES Ace CDCHD 1176 In The Vaults, Vol. 4 ● CD $18.98
26 Tracks, 66 mins, recommended
Rare and unreleased tracks from the legends of instrumental rock, spanning their full career up to present day, many clocking in at under three minutes! Six solo songs from guitarist Don Wilson (with vocals!) seem slightly out of place on this compilation, but there is still plenty of pure Ventures music for true fans to enjoy. Very infectious, melodic guitar work throughout, as is their trademark, evidenced on covers of Downtown/ Son of a Preacher Man, or Delta Lady. Liner notes give a well-detailed history of the Ventures, including personnel changes, session musicians, and song-by-song information. Not a good starting point for the curious, but an excellent addition to a Ventures collection. (BC)
THE MARKSMEN: Night Run/ Scratch/ THE VENTURES: Beautiful Obsession/ Black Tarantella/ Bumble Bee Twist (The Wasp)/ Caravan/ Delicado/ Delta Lady/ Downtown/ Driving Guitars (Ventures Twist)/ Echo/ Journey To The Stars/ Medley: Walk Don't Run/Perfidia/Lullaby Of The Leaves/ Memphis/ Original Number One/ Pedal Pusher/ Son Of A Preacher Man/ Station Breaks/ The Jam/ Yellow Jacket/ DON WILSON: Feel So Fine/ The Twomp/ DON LEE WILSON: Don't Avoid Me/ Heart On My Sleeve/ Like You've Never Known Before/ Runaway

 

Back To New Release Index

 Back To Home Page


Roots & Rhythm
P.O. Box 837
El Cerrito, CA 94530 USA
Toll Free Order Line : 888-ROOTS-66

© 2017 Roots & Rhythm. No part of this site may be reproduced without written permission