Virgil

The Rock-A-Sonics

rock-a-sonics

The Rock-A-Sonics – Ain’t No Solid Sender

Swelltune Records SRCD-006 [2021]
Jump, Wiggle & Shake – Ain’t No Solid Sender – Give Myself a Party – Boppin’ Guitar – You Don’t Owe Me a Thing – Midnight Blues – Knee Deep in the Blues

The Rock-A-Sonics are Willie Barry (vocals, acoustic guitar), Eric Hurtt (electric guitar), Louie Newmyer (upright bass), Tommy Bowes (drums) and Kim Reynolds (piano). This mighty fine combo plays a mix of soft Rockabilly with a solid melodic side and uptempo country.
Shaun Young perfectly recorded the band with a period-perfect sound at his Jet-Tone Studio.
I already wrote all the good things I thought about Barry’s voice when I reviewed his solo album (here), but this cat amazes me with his smooth voice that evokes the likes of Ricky Nelson and Faron Young.
The first two songs are originals penned by Barry. They are, with Ray Melton’s Boppin’ Guitar, the most Rockabilly sides of this mini-album. Jump, Wiggle & Shake features a nice piano part with a boogie-woogie break. More Rockabilly bands should play with a piano; it strengthens the rhythm sections and adds a different voice for the solos. Ain’t No Solid Sender shows Hurtt in full action with a delicate guitar part. Don Gibson’s Give Myself A Party seems to have been written for the band, and with Barry’s voice in mind, the band providing a subtle backing. They are very at ease with this kind of material, as prove their renditions of Marty Robbins’ You Don’t Owe Me A Thing and Knee Deep In The Blues.
It’s always exciting to discover a brand new band of that quality. Suddenly, it took me thirty years in the past when I first heard High Noon, Big Sandy and bands of that calibre.

https://swelltune-records.myshopify.com

The Southwest Biscuit Company

The Southwest Biscuit Company

The Southwest Biscuit Company – It’s Biscuit Time

The Southwest Biscuit Company

Self released [2020]
What Is There To Do in Cheyenne (On A Saturday Night) – Please Leave Me the Whiskey – 7th and Broadway – Everybody’s Going to Joe’s – Old and Cranky – Son of A Biscuit – Hadacillin Boogie – I’ll Meet You Over Yonder – Loco Weed – I’m Talking About You – Shaggy Dog – To Pimp A Cowboy

The Southwest Biscuit Company is a six-piece western swing band consisting of Jody Byrd on lead vocals; Jordan Bush on steel Guitar; Scotty McLean on lead guitar; Dan Weinstein on fiddle, trumpet, and trombone; Armando Wood on upright bass, and Dave Green on drums.
There’s an apparent connection between the band and the Lucky Stars. Of course, Dan Weinstein also plays in the Lucky Stars, and Sage Guyton wrote the liner notes. But both bands also drink the water from the same well. They are more influenced by the type of Western Swing played in California in the 40s/early 50 than in Texas. You can hear it in the way they integrate sizzling hot solos in easy going and relaxed tunes. That said, the Wills are never far when you play western swing, whether it’s Bob (Old and Cranky) or Billy Jack (Everybody Goes To Joe).
Byrd sings with that distinctive relaxed western croon that one can hear on Hank Penny, Tex Williams or Smokey Rogers’ recordings. The musicianship is excellent throughout, and it’s a real treat to hear all those little musical quotes when a soloist jumps into the action.
The set includes ten originals (and we can only agree with Guyton when he writes that the band counts an impressive cast of songwriters with Bush, Weinstein and Byrd.) Among these originals are two hot instrumentals ( Bush’s 7th and Broadway and Weinstein’s To Pimp A Cowboy). Both are more Jazz with a violin than Western with a fiddle. The two covers are Pee Wee King’s Hadicillin Boogie and Hank Penny’s I’m talkin’ About You.
Deke Dickerson’s production achieves to make this album a highly recommendable thing.

https://southwestbiscuitcompany.com/merch

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Mellows (the)

Mellows (the) – Play… Need You

the mellows play need you

Sleazy Records – SRLP046 [2020]
How Was I To Know – Dawn – That’s How The Story Goes – Yes I Do – Need Lovin’ Baby – Phantom Parade Of Love – I’m In Love With You – Kiss And Make Up – I Know I Don’t Know – Need You – The Cure – Cold Nights

Back in the late fifties and in the early sixties, artists released albums at a frantic pace. Ricky Nelson released five albums between 1957 and 1960, and between 1960 and 1966, Bobby Vee released an average of two albums per year.
It seems that Colton Turner is following this path. The ink of my previous review is not dry yet, and the Mellows just released a brand new record.
Well, what can I say that I haven’t said before? The Mellows are one of my today’s favourite bands. Turner’s songwriting skills never cease to amaze me (all songs are from his pen), and the band’s arrangements are beautiful, subtle and above all, timeless. They keep their two feet firmly in soft and melodic Rock’n’roll in the vein of Ricky Nelson though tunes like Need Lovin’ Baby or The Cure add a slight early 60’s pop music edge. Let’s say the word that will make Rockabilly fans irk, but the Cure wouldn’t be out of place on any of the early Beatles albums. Other songs sound like Sam Cooke sung by Buddy Holly. The set is completed by a superb instrumental.
Superb from start to finish. I’m already waiting for the next one.

Mellows (the) – In L. A.

mellows

Sleazy Records ‎– SR – 199 [2020]
In L.A. – You & Me – Who’s Blue – The Drifter

The Mellows return with an ep featuring four original, and needless to say excellent, tracks.
In L.A., recorded by the band, is a superb Ricky Nelson type of song with a twangy vibe.
Thomas Yearsley of the Paladins recorded You & Me. It probably comes from the sessions done a couple of years ago before the band relocated to Austin. It’s a pure ’50s ballad with doo-wop backing vocals.
Side-B features two songs recorded by Billy Horton at Fort Horton. Who’s Blue has an undeniable Buddy Holly feel that suits them very well while the Drifter has an early ’60s country twang with a change of pace.

Mellows (the) – s/t

mellows

Self released [2019]
City Lights – A Thousand Kisses – Goodnight Sweetheart See You Tomorrow – Molly Babe -Always – Walkin’ Zombie – Here And Now – It’s Over Now – I Want To Be The One – Shooting Star – B-A-B-Y – All Life’s Mysteries

After two albums under the name of Colton Turner, and with the return of Jack Christy, their former drummer, the band (Colton, his brother Zane on guitar and Yari Bolanos on bass), decided to return to a band name. The future will tell if it’s a smart move commercially speaking. But what matters is the music, and in that aspect, you won’t be disappointed.
Still recorded by the expert hands and ears of Billy Horton it features 12 original songs that have a strong late fifties/early sixties feel, reinforced by Bolanos switching to electric bass.
City Light opens the album in a Buddy Holly mood. Next is A Thousand kisses, a frantic rocker that leans more toward the early 60s and the first recordings of Bobby Fuller. Goodnight Sweetheart See You Tomorrow keeps the Buddy Holly connection, evoking, with its harmonies, the Crickets’ Love You More Than I Can Say. Molly Babe is another ballad that you thought the recipe got lost somewhere between the fifties and now. Always is another superb tune. Very few artists today can deliver such a love song in such a simple and evident manner.
Walkin’ Zombie is a Rockabilly number, which sounds like a Roy Orbison song that would have remained in the vault of Sun Records all these years. Here and Now is a flat out rocker. This one and the next two tunes feature Alberto Telo on drums instead of Christy. With It’s Over Now, Colton Turner demonstrates once again what a subtle singer he is, with a falsetto that would make Tony Williams proud.
Bobby Horton joins the band on vibraphone for I Want to be the One, a pop song (fifties pop, that is!)
Shooting Star is a soft Rockabilly in the style of Ricky Nelson and bears some resemblance to Fats Domino’s I’m Walking. The last two tracks are maybe the best. B-A-B-Y is a beautiful tune that sees the instruments coming into the song one after another. Magic! And the Diddley/Not fade Away beat of All Life’s Mysteries concludes the album in beauty.
Despite their very young age, these guys really know how to craft beautiful songs and the arrangements to enlighten them. The musicianship is top-notch and a special mention to Zane Turner whose guitar solos are always subtle.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Tin Cans

 

The Tin Cans – Back For More

Tin Cans

PART-CD 6101.002 [2021]
The Time Is Right – Boppin’ On – Lost In Swamp – Illusive Love – You Drag Me Down – Anyway – Sound Of The Highway – Free As A Bird – Poor Man‘s Blues – Ship Of Lost Souls – I Need To Know – The Girl Next Door – Please Mr Postman

The Tin Cans return with a brand new album, full of original material except for The Marvelettes’ Please Mr Postman. The band consists of Claudius Wolke (ex-Magnetics) on double-bass and lead vocals, Sebastian Glenz (Scannerz) on guitar and Martin Putela (The Cambles) on drums.
The first song, The Time is Right, is pure Neo-Rockabilly gold, with a haunting guitar riff, in the style of Restless’Vanish Without A Trace. Mark Harman influenced quite a few guitar players, but Sebastian „Semmel“ Glenz is, without a doubt, one of the best. Boppin’ On is more traditional, with a slight boppin’ Hillbilly edge.
Lost In the Swamp is a great and powerful country-rocker that finds the band sounding like the Planet Rockers. The next song, titled Illusive Love, is a highly melodic rock’n’roll tune propelled by a solid double bass. In the same style, you’ll find I Need To Know, with harmonies. Back to pure Neo-rockabilly (can Neo-Rockabilly be pure, hum, that’s a good question) with You Drag Me Down, followed by Anyway, which is more in the boogie blues vein as is Poor man’s Blues in the second half of the album.
Sound Of The Highway is one of the best cuts of the album. One could describe it as country-rock meets British Rock’n’roll à la Johnny Kidd. Free As A Bird pursues in the Country vein, but this time, it’s a western ballad, with another fine picking part from Semmel. Ship Of Lost Souls is a fast neo-Rockabilly tune, maybe not the most original of the set, but very efficient.
With its Beatles-tinged melody, fast rhythm and beautiful harmonies, The Girl Next Door made me think, “Wow they sound like a German Neo-Rockabilly answer to the Bellfuries.” Even Wolke’s voice reinforces this feeling. Really, really great! The album ends with Mr Postman (also covered by the Fab Four, by the way), turned into a ska number. And it works.
All in all a very pleasant album, warmly recommended to anyone who likes Restless, Dave Phillips, the Blue Cats, or simply has good taste in music.

Buy it here.

The Tin Cans – Unbreakable

Tin Cans

Mad Drunken Monkey Records MDMO15 [2012]
I Got The Rhythm – From One To Four – From The Bottom Of My Heart – Turn That Music Down – Once Again – Searching For You – Go Buddy Go – I Wanna Know – Crying Shame – Please Come Back – This Is It – Letter Of Goodbye – High On Rock ‘n’ Roll – That Day Went To The Devil – Lady Of Leisure – Brave Rockin’ Heart
Formed in 1996, the Tin Cans are now firmly established as one of the top Neo-rockabilly band in activity today. To tell you the truth with Unbreakable their sixth album, they probably release one of the very best albums of the genre. With 15 self penned songs it’s a rare case of all-killer-no-filler record. Yes sir! Here you’ll find superb musicianship from the strong rhythm section to the hot guitar of Semmel. The Tin Cans doesn’t seem to care about the musical trends that come and go on the rockin’ scene they play their own vision of Rockabilly and album after album like a joiner who sands down a piece of wood to obtain the perfect curve, they refine their vision. To achieve this they use elements of 50’s rockabilly mixed with 80’s neo-rockabilly, a bit of country twang, a touch of ska, all of this played with a 21st century feel. A brilliant that comes in a nicely designed digipack.
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Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Nina and the Hot Spots

Nina and the Hot Spots – Monkey Business

Nina and the hot spots

Part Records PART-CD 6116.002
Hot Spot Boogie – This Cat’s Sleeping (In A Big Bass Drum) – Can’t Believe You’re Gone – Monkey Business – Magic Fire – Cruisin’ Baby – Pretty Face – Little Bit – Mars Marriage – Everytime – Barber Bop – The Day – Love ‘n’ Seduce

Nina and the Hot Spots are Nina Salhab (lead Vocals, blues harp), Christian Dietkron (guitar), Sebastian König (drums), Thias Salhab (double bass) and Uwe Pickardt (saxophone).
After an excellent mini-album released in 2015, the band returns for our biggest pleasure with a full-length album. What strikes the listener when he puts the record in the player and plays the first song is the quality of the recording and how tight the band is. The rhythm section blends perfectly to lay down a solid groove, and then the saxophone erupts into a hot solo. But wait! I forgot to mention something! Sorry guys, but the one who steals the show is Nina with her superb and confident voice.
This Cat’s Sleeping (In A Big Bass Drums) is a solid rocker with a strong Stargazers feel. The next song is also in the Rock’n’Roll mould. Although it borders on Twist, it never falls into it. The title track is more Rockabilly-tinged yet jazzy at the same time. It features a superb harmony part between the sax and the guitar to launch the solo. Glen Campbell’s Magic Fire could and should be the theme of the next Jame Bond film. All songs but this one are originals, either penned by Nina, Uwe or Thias, who takes the lion’s share. Pretty Face brings a welcome touch of Latin beat while Little Bit Of This is a boogie blues, which sees, what an excellent surprise, the lady playing the harmonica (more like this one on the next album, please.)
Mars Marriage brings a different beat than your usual Rock’n’Roll and somehow evokes me the best of the Speedos. The highly melodic Everytime brings a touch of pop with a slightly modern feel. The Day is a ballad in the grand tradition of the Fifties, while the last tune ends the selection with a solid Diddley beat.
All in all, you have a good and varied album, which is sure to make you have a real good time.

Available here
Nina and the Hot Spots website.

ninahotspots
Nina and the Hot Spots

Nina and the Hot Spots – Cha-Ching!

Part records [2015]
Get Up – Rock Me Crazy –  Schwing Dich –  Farmer Girl – I’m In Love

A good and varied five songs ep by this German combo. Get Up and Rock Me Crazy are two Rock’n’Roll and Jive tunes with solid saxophone with a touch of Jazz that are sure to please fans of the Stargazers. Schwing Dich is sung in German and leans more toward German Rock’n’Roll singers like Conny Froboess or Peter Krauss.
Farmer Girl is a duet with a strong hillbilly flair, with nice finger picking guitar and harmonica. The last song is a slow blues-jazz number that sounds as if it had been recorded in the wee hours of the morning in a small and smoky jazz club.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Ember Brothers (the)

The Ember Brothers – s/t

Ember brothers

VLV Records [2021]
Hey Midnight – Lonesome Last Night – Fight My Lover – Sinking Blue – Tumblin’ Down – Cast A Wish – Jealousy – Danger – Something Strange – I’m Here – Truly (I Love You) – Sings The Devil – Left To Wander

The Ember Brothers are a relatively young band formed by Roy Kay (vocals and guitar) and Robin Cady (double bass), both from the Roy Kay Trio. They are joined by John Olufs on guitar and Eddie Martinez on drums. The four of them also play in the Starjays. With such a bunch of talented guys, I wasn’t too afraid about what I’d find on this platter. And boy was I right!
The quartet delivers a solid set of thirteen highly melodic songs with vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Everly brothers. The whole collection is enhanced by the jazz-influenced guitar that takes things to a whole new level and thus, creates a very unique and swinging sound.
Some songs are more Rockabilly oriented but always remain bouncy, with light drums, mostly a brushed snare.
Others have a slight 1960’s feel. Jealousy, to name but one, sounds a bit like the missing link between the Roy Kay Combo and the Margraves, with a twangy guitar and assorted percussions.
The whole thing is always surprising and never predictable, with unusual structures and superb arrangements.
The band doesn’t seem to care about falling in one specific genre and looks very happy to incorporate every kind of reference and style to build their own sound. By doing that, they’re not that far from what Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys achieved with Turntable Matinee, namely create a roots-oriented yet modern brand of music.
I couldn’t recommend this album enough.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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