Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly - Bulletin September 2010 - Joey Dee & The Starlighters  -> Clint West
( Advanced Search )  


 

 

BULLETIN - September 2010
Vintage Rock 'n' Roll & Rockabilly
Joey Dee & The Starlighters  -> Clint West

 

   

NEW COMPACT DISCS

 
JOEY DEE AND THE STARLITERS Peppermint 1001 More Than Just The Peppermint Twist ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 69 min., recommended
Those who picked up the 2 CD Scepter/Jubilee set on Westside (now out of print, of course), have most of what's here, but they are missing the circa 1960 doo wop of Lorraine and The Girl I Walk To School (both sides of Bonus 7009)--the best cuts here. The Jubilee/Scepter stuff, such as the soul standards Hold On I'm Comin' and Reach Out (I'll Be There) (which Dee covers more credibly than many might imagine), makes up the majority of tracks here. Joey Dee was nothing if not a versatile singer, despite being pigeonholed into the ubiquitous Peppermint Twist hell. This collection also offers from a rare 1975 45rpm (Tonsil 0003), as well as Wasn't It A Heavy Summer from a rare 45rpm on the Sunburst label. A decent overview of Dee's career and necessary for superfans and completists. Sound is not bad, though unsurprisingly at least some of the source material comes from vinyl. The booklet is full of mostly unidentified photos and no notes (JC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDTOP 1264 You Baby - Words & Music by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
If you listened to Top 40 radio in the mid-60s, chances are you heard a song penned by this team of West Coast-based songwriters. Although they only wrote together for four years - the two singer/songwriters (before the term was coined) who brought together by producer/businessman Lou Adler in 1963-produced gems of lasting quality in those few years, some of which have been compiled here by Ace Records in their quest to document the great songwriters-for-hire of the 60's. Sloan and Barri could knock out a song in any genre, but they are most identified with Folk Rock through their pioneering hits for Barry McGuire (the towering Eve of Destruction, just as relevant now as it was then), the Turtles (You Baby, represented here in a version by the Mamas and the Papas, and Let Me Be), and the Grass Roots (Where Were You When I Needed You). Whether writing surfing and hot rod songs for Jan and Dean, proto-Folk Rock for the Searchers, perfect pop for Herman's Hermits and the 5th Dimension, girl group confections (Ramona King), or R&B (Betty Everett and Yvonne Carroll), Phil Sloan and Steve Barri gave it their all and usually came up aces. Among the more interesting rarities: two of duo's own recordings using aliases, the Chad & Jeremy-esque Meet Me Tonight Little Girl (as Phillip and Stephan) and the surf-centric Tell 'Em I'm Surfin' (as the Fantastic Baggys); as well as a demo of Another Day, Another Heartache sung by Sloan which is actually better than the version cut by the 5th Dimension. And for comedy relief, nothing beats Mel Torme's version of Secret Agent Man (written for the TV show "Secret Agent," and originally sung by Johnny Rivers). Hell, Barri and Sloan are so good they make Ann-Margret sound credible on You Sure Know How To Hurt Someone. Take it from me, if you haven't experienced the songwriting genius of Phil and Steve, then this is a pretty great place to start. (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1268 A Rocket In My Pocket ● CD $18.98
28 tracks, highly recommended
Although there's no shortage of rockabilly compilations this new Ace release is a bit special since it is meant as a complement to the recently published British book of the same title by Max Decharne which we're working on getting copies of. Decharne compiled this compilation and alongside acknowledged classics of the genre such as Put Your Cat Clothes On by Carl Perkins and Mystery Train by Elvis, there are rare rockin' one-offs such as the frantic bass-slapping Don't Be Gone Long by Bob Doss or the remarkable Wash Machine Boogie by the Echo Valley Boys - the world's finest rockin' hymn to the romantic joys of household appliances. The CD covers the whole rockabilly spectrum, with tracks from prime rockin' labels such as Sun, Starday, Meteor and Columbia, plus tiny imprints such as Lilac, Moon & Fascination. This is the first time on CD for some of these tracks, many of them favorites at rockin' clubs around the world. The CD's title comes from Jimmy Lloyd's 1958 classic I Got A Rocket In My Pocket, included here alongside frantic movers such as The Raging Sea by Gene Maltais or the gutbucket hill-country sounds Rocky Bill Ford's Mad Dog In Town. There's a previously unissued song - the hot Rock To The Boogie by Roy Burk & The Bell Bottoms and a previously unissued alternate take of Rockin' In The Graveyard by Jackie Morningstar. An ideal introduction for anyone new to genre, but with enough rare tracks to please the long-term, hardcore rockabilly fan. Superb sound and 20 page illustrated booklet with detailed notes on each track. (FS)
ROY BURK & BELL BOTTOMS: Rock To The Boogie/ JOHNNY BURNETTE & ROCK'N'ROLL TRIO: Train Kept A-Rollin'/ JIMMY CARROLL: Big Green Car/ RIC CARTEY: Scratching On My Screen/ DON COLE: Snake Eyed Mama/ BOB DOSS: Don't Be Gone Long/ THE ECHO VALLEY BOYS (W BILL BROWNING): Wash Machine Boogie/ CHARLIE FEATHERS WITH JODY & JERRY: Get With It/ SONNY FISHER: Pink And Black/ ROCKY BILL FORD: Mad Dog In Town/ FREDDIE FRANKS: Everybody's Trying To Be Baby/ HAL HARRIS: Jitterbop Baby/ RAY HARRIS: Come On Little Mama/ BENNY INGRAM: Jello Sal/ WANDA JACKSON: Mean Mean Man/ JIMMY & JOHNNY: I Can't Find The Doorknob/ JIMMY LLOYD: I Got A Rocket In My Pocket/ GENE MALTAIS: The Raging Sea/ JACKIE MORNINGSTAR: Rockin' In The Graveyard/ ALLEN PAGE: She's The One That's Got It/ CARL PERKINS: Put Your Cat Clothes On/ ELVIS PRESLEY: Mystery Train/ THE RHYTHM ROCKERS: The Slide/ MEL ROBBINS: Save It/ RONNIE SELF: Bop-A-Lena/ JUNIOR THOMPSON WITH THE METEORS: Mama's Little Baby/ DALE VAUGHN: How Can You Be Mean To Me/ DON WILLIS: Boppin' High School Baby

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1276 Red Bluejeans & Checkerboard Socks ● CD $18.98
24 tracks, 53 mins, highly recommended
Occasionally, U.K. Ace Records puts together thematic compilations of songs from a certain genre or songs that contain the same or similar subject matter; these type of collections are usually lots of fun, and this one is no exception. The subject this time is the clothing styles worn by the fashionable teens of the 1950's; but really, this CD seems more like an excuse to bring together a sprightly sampling of mid to late 50's rockabilly and R&B, much in the vein of Buffalo Bop's series of rock 'n' roll discs. From skirts (Gene Summers' Straight Skirt) to pants, both male (Eddie Cochran's Pink Peg Slacks) and female (Jody Reynolds' Tight Capris) to socks and shoes (Joe Bennett's Penny Loafers and Bobby Socks) to sun glasses (Sun Glasses by the Shades, natch), no wearable object is left unexplored. Even how the clothes are cleaned (Wash Machine Boogie from the Echo Valley Boys) is tackled; talk about being thorough! Let's not forget clothes shopping with Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew's great Clothes Line (Wrap It Up) from 1956 which Leiber & Stoller reworked as Shopping For Clothes which was a hit for The Coasters in 1960. Don't come to this CD expecting anything profound or of national importance; just dig some groovy, funky, and very "stylish" rock 'n' roll. And, really, how can anyone go wrong with The Clovers gliding through Blue Velvet? (GMC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Ace CDCHD 1277 Califia - The Songs Of Lee Hazlewood ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 62 mins, highly recommended
Although Lee Hazlewood is best known for his ahead-of-their-time 60's duets with Nancy Sinatra, he was also a songwriter and producer of some renown. This collection salutes the late cult legend's work, spanning the years 1956 to 1970. Mixing fan favorites and rarities, Ace's compilers give an accurate picture of Hazlewood's versatility as a writer. There's something for nearly everyone here: pop (two tracks from teen dreams Dino, Desi & Billy), R&B (The Sharps), rockabilly (Sanford Clark), and psychedelia (Ann-Margret!). All of these tracks feature Lee's two trademarks: his echo-laden, atmospheric production style and his fantasy drenched, impressionistic lyrics. Highlights include: Need All the Help I Can Get from Suzi Jane Hokom (the best record Nancy Sinatra never made); (Got the) Teen-Age Blues by Al Casey & The Bats, Don't Look Now, But I've Got the Blues as interpreted by B.B. King; the extremely rare recording of Dusty Springfield's theme song for the 1967 movie "The Sweet Ride"; and Lee's collaboration with Duane Eddy, The Girl On Death Row. Although Hazlewood's career is eternally linked with those of Nancy Sinatra, Duane Eddy, and Al Casey, this collection goes a long way toward showing that Lee Hazlewood had so much more going on during the halcyon days of the 50's and 60's. (GMC)
ANN-MARGRET: You Turned My Head Around/ THE BARKER BROTHERS: You Can't Stay Here/ HAL BLAINE & THE YOUNG COUGARS: The Dip/ AL CASEY & THE BATS: (Got The) Teen-Age Blues/ AL CASEY WITH THE K-C-ETTES: Guitars, Guitars, Guitars/ SANFORD CLARK: Houston/ The Fool/ DON COLE: Snake Eyed Mama/ THE DARLENES: (I'm Afraid) You'll Hurt Me/ DINO, DESI & BILLY: Not The Lovin' Kind/ The Rebel Kind/ DUANE & MIRIAM EDDY: Guitar On My Mind/ DUANE EDDY & THE REBELETTES: My Baby Plays That Same Old Song On His Guitar All Night Long/ LEE HAZLEWOOD & SUZI JANE HOKOM: Califia (Stone Rider)/ LEE HAZLEWOOD WITH DUANE EDDY: The Girl On Death Row/ SUZI JANE HOKOM: Need All The Help I Can Get/ THE HONDAS: Twelve Feet High/ B.B. KING: Don't Look Now, But I've Got The Blues/ PEGGY MARCH: Das Ist Zauberei/ ROSE & THE HEAVENLY TONES: These Boots Are Made For Walkin'/ THE SHACKLEFORDS: The City Never Sleeps At Night/ THE SHARPS: Have Love, Will Travel/ NANCY SINATRA & LEE HAZLEWOOD: Lady Bird/ DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: Sweet Ride/ THE WILDCATS: What Are We Gonna Do In '64?

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Bear Family BCD 16070 Next Stop Is Vietnam ● CD $259.98
Another incredible music magnum opus that could only come from Bear Family. The most comprehensive anthology of music inspired by the Vietnam War ever released. Presented on 13 CDs with a 304-page hard cover book illustrated with numerous archival photographs, this collection examines the war in a powerful and unprecedented way. 334 music and spoken word tracks take the listener through a guided tour of this epochal period of modern history. From America's first, naive impressions of a country called Vietnam through the spirited musical debate over the morality of the war to the healing meditations on the conflict's lengthy aftermath, this set captures it all and more. All genres of music are featured including folk, rock, country, R&B, blues and more. Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, Joan Baez, J.B. Lenoir, Merle Haggard, William Bell, Pete Seeger, Skeeter Bonn, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Ochs, Steppenwolf, Johnny Cash, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Yoko Ono, Jimmie Holiday, John Lennon, Donovan, The Doors, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Country Joe McDonald and hundreds of other artists including two CDs worth of rare recordings by Vietnam veterans. These are the tour guides through this enlightening and entertaining journey. The full-color book that accompanies the music is packed with information on the songs and the artists who recorded them by music scholar Hugo A. Keesing; a history of the war by Vietnam historian Lois T. Vietri; and an oral history of the tunes that 'incountry' vets loved best by authors Doug Bradley and Craig Werner. The introduction to this remarkable tome is written by the legendary Country Joe McDonald. The complete track listing can be found on our web site or e-mail us for the listing. Packaged in a massive LP sized box this is equivalent to 24 CDs for shipping.

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS CSP 1029 Pure Swamp Pop Gold, Vol. 2 ● CD $16.98
20 tracks, 64 mins, highly recommended
It's nice to know that even in the 21st century, that South Louisiana mixture of rock 'n' roll, R&B, soul, country and cajun music blended together with heartfelt vocals that is known as "swamp pop" is still alive and well. Apart from more polished arrangements and slicker production values the music has changed little from the 50s. This 2002 release features sides from the 1990s and early 2000s. There are five sides from the superb Van Broussard who has been around since the early 60s including the swamp pop favorites Red, Red Wine/ I'm A Fool To Care and Hello Willpower. Crosscut do a lovely blue eyed soul rendition of Irma Thomas's Zero Willpower and there are fine sides by Bits & Pieces, Kane Glaze, Wayne Foret, Mike Broussard and Kane Glaze. Although most of the songs are covers it doesn't matter because these versions are all stamped with that trademark "swamp pop" sound. Good stuff. (FS)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Lesley 7B Brunswick Rock 'n' Roll Party, Vol. 2 ● CD $15.98
30 tracks, 68 mins, highly recommended
Another fine collection of mid/ late 50s sides from the Brunswick label including the great I'll Be Back Home by Don Webb - the flip of Little Ditty Baby on the first volume. It was recorded at Norman Petty's studios and has a strong Buddy Holly flavor - what a shame he didn't record any more. Another Holly connection comes in the person of Don Guess who played bass with Buddy in his early days and is featured on two fine sides. Other artists include Billy Harlan, Johnny Parker, Peanuts Wilson (the frequently reissued but always great Cast Iron Arm), Chuck & Bill (the catchy country flavored I Wanna Move A Little Closer), Veline Hackert, Mickey & Shonnie Lane (the truly infectious Daddy's Little Baby), Bobby Jackson (a fine version of the traditional blues Deep Elm Blues), Billy Lee Riley (one of his more obscure sides - the fine Is That All To The Ball, Mr. Hall), Terry Noland (another Buddy Holly associate recorded at Petty's studios), Johnny Bell (a great rockabilly version of Big Joe Turner's Flip, Flop & Fly with hot guitar) and more.
MELROSE BAGBY: Sighin'/ CARL BELEW: Twenty-Four Hour Night/ JOHNNY BELL: Flip Flop & Fly/ The Third Degree/ THE CASUAL-AIRES: Thunderbird/ CHUCK & BILL: I Wanna Move a Little Closer/ RUSTY EVANS: Shine Its Lights on Me/ When I'm Alone With You/ DON GUESS: Just a Little Lovin' Baby/ Shir-Lee/ VELINE HACKERT: Billy Boy/ BILLY HARLAN: I Wanna Bop/ School House Rock/ THE HI-LITES: Friday Night, Go Go/ BOBBY JACKSON: Deep Elm Blues/ Dinah's Party/ MICKEY & SHONNIE LANE: Daddy's Little Baby/ Toasted Love/ BOB MCFADDEN: The Best Generation/ TERRY NOLAND: Come Marry Me/ Look At Me/ JOHNNY PARKER: (We've Got) a Lot in Common/ I Must Be in Love/ BILL RILEY: Is That All To The Ball (Mr. Hall)/ JANICE SMITH: Kiss Kiss Crazy/ TONY & PAUL: Oh, Oh, Lolita/ JIMMY WATSON: Daisy/ DON WEBB: I'll Be Back Home/ PEANUTS WILSON: Cast Iron Arm/ You've Got Love

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Lesley 9 Decca Rock & Roll Party, Vol. 2 ● CD $15.98
30 tracks, 69 mins, highly recommended
Another fine collection of 50s rockers recorded for Decca. I think this is qa bit stronger than the first volume thanks to such fine tracks as the hard driving opening number Cheat On Me Baby by The Rockin' Saints with tough vocals and fine guitar work, the fine rockabilly number Just As Long by Rudy Hansen, a storming instrumental version of When My Dreamboat Comes Home by legendary session guitarist Grady Martin featuring ferocious guitar work, the tough R&B number Rough Lover by Annisteen Allen, a couple of hot instrumentals from Virg, Murf & Prof plus sides by The Jumpin' Jaguars, Joey Biscoe, The Sparks, Jimmy Daley, Tex Williams (veteran western singer with Let's Go Rockabilly which isn't), Eddie Fontaine (a fine growling cover of Johnny Horton's Honky Tonk Man), Frankie Sal, Ray Doggett (fine rockabilly), The Tyrones, Pat Shannon (two songs including a fine cover of The Coasters' The Snake & The Bookworm) and more. The label says "sample copy, not for sale" but that's just part of the graphics -they're all like that! (FS)
ANNISTEEN ALLEN: Rough Lover/ JOEY BISCOE: You Lovin' Doll/ CHUCK BOWERS: Till My Baby Comes Home/ CHUCK & BETTY: Come Back Little Girl/ Walking In My Dreams/ JIMMY DALEY: Bongo Rock (vocal-Kip Tyler)/ Hole in the Wall (vocal-Kip Tyler)/ Rock, Pretty Baby (vocal-Alan Copeland)/ RAY DOGGETT: It Hurts the One Who Loves You/ EDDIE FONTAINE: Honky Tonk Man/ DAVE GARDNER: Hop Along Rock/ RUDY HANSEN: Just as Long/ THE JUMPIN' JAGUARS: Knock-Kneed Nellie From Knoxville/ GRADY MARTIN: When My Dream Boat Comes Home/ THE PERRY SISTERS: Willie Boy/ ANDY QUINN: Can'tcha See/ DODIE RANDLE: I Fell in Love Again/ GLENN REEVES: Tarzan/ THE ROCKIN' SAINTS: Cheat On Me Baby/ FRANKIE SAL: Fabulous Cure/ PAT SHANNON: Maybelle/ The Snake & the Bookworm/ THE SPARKS: Mary, Mary Lou/ THE TEEN TONES: Yes You May/ THE TYRONES: Broke Down Baby/ Giggles/ VIRG, MURF & PROF: Buggin'/ Way Out/ THE WILBURN BROTHERS: Oo Bop Sha Boom/ TEX WILLIAMS: Let's Go Rockabilly

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Spin It 703 Bip Bop Bip, Vol. 2 - Hoppin' In Hollywood ● CD $16.98
22 tracks, 49 mins, highly recommended
Here's a lively mix of R&B, Rock 'N' Roll, Doo-Wop and Novelty songs that most of you will probably dig. With no less than three tracks being of the monster variety You might also want to pick this up for your next Halloween party,; Which Witch Doctor by The Vogues, plus Monster Movie Ball, and (I Was A) Teenage Brain Surgeon, both by Spike Jones and his Sicknicks. On top of those sickos, you also get such wild & wooly numbers as I'm An Eskimo Too by Gene Nash, The Breather by The Magnificent Monta-gue, Lone Ranger Gonna Get Married by Jimmy Johnson & His Band, etc. Then there's I'm On My Way by Bobby Sanders (off of the Kaybo label); if there was a track that was so killer that it almost made a compilation worth the price of admission all by itself, I'm On My Way might be one. The Spin-it label ain't much in the way of liner notes and all, but you get enough real gone and fantastic stuff on here to more that make up for it. (JM)
SEPH ACRE & THE PETS: Rock & Roll Cha Cha/ THE BEAVERS WITH JACK MARSHALL ORCH.: Sack Dress/ CANDY & THE SUGAR TONES: I-Ay-Ov-Lay-Oo-Yay/ THE CONTENDERS: Tequila Song/ BILLY DOLTON: Girls/ GAIL & SANDRA: Bill/ I Mean, You Know/ RONNIE GOODE WITH BOBBY GROSS ORCH.: Crazy Bait/ HEDLEY & LEE: Little Miss Treater/ JIMMY JOHNSON & HIS BAND: Lone Ranger Gonna Get Married/ SPIKE JONES & HIS SICKNICKS: (I Was A) Teenage Brain Surgeon/ Monster Movie Ball/ BUDDY LOWE: Sherry Lee/ AL LUCAS: Sweet Tooth For My Baby Ruth/ MAGNIFICENT MONTA-GUE: The Breather/ PRENTICE MORELAND: Limbo Party/ GENE NASH: I'm An Eskimo Too/ BOBBY SANDERS: I'm On My Way/ JOHNNY SARDO: Late, Late To School/ THE STEREOS: Sole Mio Rock/ THE VOGUES WITH AL KAVELIN ORCH.: Which Witch Doctor/ BOB WILSON: Imogene

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS T-Bird 005 The Soundalike Kings Present Cover Hits & Misses ● CD $24.98
2 CDs, 124 min., all but recommended
The guys behind Spar Records spent the 1950's and 1960's selling cheap (39 cents per or 3 for a buck) 45 rpms that looked and sounded like the hit records people wanted but weren't. They were available in supermarkets and dime stores and thus available everywhere in America. Why would anyone want a 2-disc collection of pretend hits? Easy, Spar was located in Nashville, and the session musicians they used were often top flight, including Charlie McCoy, David Briggs, Boots Randolph, Wayne Moss, Bill Pursell, Norbert Putnam, Mac Gayden, Henry Strzelecki, Jimmy Wilkerson, Bob Moore and many others. These session musicians were sometimes the very same performers who cut the actual hit for Elvis or whomever. And some of the singers were first rate talents who hadn't been discovered. Add to that the fact that sometimes famous folks would make appearances on soundalike versions. Ray Stevens, for example, shows up on the Spar version of the culturally insensitive Speedy Gonzales as the voice of Speedy, or so say the liner notes. The dozens of singers listed are apparently just a few people recording under different names. Herbert Hunter is one of the best. And yet, sometimes the sound-alike doesn't earn the name. The New Generation's Where Did Our Love Go is a plodding, ugly affair that no one at Motown would have ever given the green light to. And then there's the fact that sometimes a certain take of a certain song is just magically better than the rest. No way to duplicate that. An interesting collection for someone looking for something out of the ordinary. (JC)

 
VARIOUS ARTISTS Wanda 1007 Love At First Bite ● CD $18.98
25 tracks, 62 mins, recommended
Just in time for Halloween, 2011 we get the "Love At First Bite, Vampires Have No Life!" collection. 25 horrific tunes from diverse musical styles ranging from Pop, like Merv Griffin Screemin' Meemies) and Rosemary Clooney (The Wobblin' Goblin), to the classic Jamaican Ska of Desmond Dekker (Dracula) and hot Rhythm and Blues like Jupiter Jones (The Spook Spoke), and Bill Doggett (Monster Party). As is the case with most of the fantastical collections, the bulk of the material is in the wild Rock 'n' Roll or twisted Country music mode. Culprits like Buck Owens with Monster's Holiday, and his Hee-Haw partner Roy Clark in more of a Rock 'n' Roll mode with Spooky Movies, represent the Country end of things whilst artists like The Hollywood Argyles doing Bugeyed Man and Jeckyl and Hyde with Frankenstein Meets The Beatles represent the R&R angle. About 25-30% of the tracks here are pretty easily found elsewhere, another 30% or so are hard to find desirables, while the remaining 30% or so are hard to want throwaways. So, overall, fanatics like me will need this, the casual fan might be a bit squeamish, though. (JM)

 
THE VENTURES/ THE STRING-A-LONGS Ace CDLUX 004 Exotic Guitars From The Clovis Vaults ● CD $24.98
30 tracks, 74 mins, highly recommended
The fourth volume in Ace Records' Limited Edition CD series takes a slightly different tack from the ones so far issued; the spotlight is on New Mexico band the Fireballs and the assorted names that producer Norman Petty had them record as. While the previous Limited Editions all contained songs with vocals, this is the first all-instrumental edition. Although as much a tribute to Petty's production skills and business acumen as to the Fireball's playing prowess, this collection has the least mainstream appeal of the Limited batch of CDs. But lovers of classic 50's and 60's instrumental rock guitar will eat this stuff up, and collectors will salivate over the first-time-ever on CD release of the complete 1968 album "Wide World Hits" by the String-A-Longs. The band does themselves proud on everything from covers of well-known songs like Stormy and Hold Me Tight to originals like Drugstore Cowboy and Holiday Love, and even though they became a mostly vocal act after the success of Sugar Shack in 1963 the music here proves that they never lost the knack of knocking out tasty instrumentals. And make no mistake, this is wonderful music that has its place in rock 'n' roll history and deserves to be preserved and heard. As always with this series, the worldwide pressing is limited to 1,500, so, if you're interested, get it while you can. (GMC)

 
CLINT WEST Jin 9055 Swamp Pop Legend ● CD $15.98
21 tracks, recommended
Not a new release but not reviewed before. A fine selection of swamp pop recorded in the 60s and 70s by this excellent vocalist who led the legendary Boogie Kings in the early 60s. Ville Platte born West has a lovely and distinctive high voice - a little like that of Freddy Fender. His repertoire ranges from R&B to rock 'n' roll to country to pop and all of it given that distinctive South Louisiana soulful swamp pop treatment. The music seamlessly transitions from the pop standard Twelfth Of Never to James Brown's Try Me. Other songs include a fine version of the swamp pop anthem Mathilda plus Big Blue Diamonds/ Our Love/ here Comes My baby/ A Tear Fell/ Lover Blues/ Teardrops In My Eyes/ Shelly's Winter Love and more. On Bayou Pon Bon his Cajun background comes to the fore with some fine accordion work. A very enjoyable set. (FS)

 
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