Virgil

Honky Tonk Pounders

Honky Tonk Pounders - Devil Bop
Honky Tonk Pounders - Devil Bop
Honky Tonk Pounders – Devil Bop

Honky Tonk Pounders – Devil Bop

Part Records PART-CD 641 002 [2010]
Devil Bop – Sea Of Tears – Bad Hair Boogie – Lovesick Fool – Freight Train Running – Hot Rod – I Know That You Love me – Boom Boom – let’s Get Rockin’ – You’re The One – Righttime To Rock – Rockabilly Pearl – Bad Luck – 6th Street Rumble – Sweet Innocent.

The Honky Tonk Pounders are a German rockabilly trio featuring Gunnar Fick of the Ringlets Trio. They formed in 1996 but this is only their second release, so you can see this guys take their time when it comes to go into the studio. Actually only five songs are totally new. Ten of the fifteen songs here have already appeared on a 10” mini album but it’s good to have them on cd format. The result is a solid set of 15 originals with varied styles. The backbone of this collection is made of wild and mean rockabilly (Devil Bop, Rockabilly Pearl), with some country ballads (Sea Of Tears and You’re The One with a steel), Gene Vincent styled rockabilly (Hot Rod), neo Rockabilly that takes you back to the Ringlets Trio days (Boom Boom), boogie (Bad Hair Boogie that features a piano), blues (6th Street Rumble).
The Honky Tonk Pounders influences comes from the classic rockabilly masters (Burnette, Perkins) as well as today’s bands : Freight train Running shares a similar riff to Deke Dickerson’s Wear Out The Sole Of My Shoes, I Know That You Love Me strongly made me think of Big Sandy’s Thru Dreamin’ and you can hear a Derailers influence in Bad Luck.
Fick whose prowess on the slap bass with the Ringlets Trio never ceased to amaze, proves he’s also a very good guitar player and the other two members provide a strong rhythm.
All of these contribute to make a highly enjoyable album.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Four Charms

The Four Charms - Triskaidekaphobia
The Four Charms - Triskaidekaphobia
The Four Charms – Triskaidekaphobia

The Four Charms – Triskaidekaphobia!

Hi-Style HSD82696
Don’t Make Me Beg – Triskaidekaphobia – I Gotta Get Another Girl – 6 String Boogie – Lonesome Tears In My Eyes – Up Jumped The Devil – She Likes To Boogie Real Low – Quiet Whiskey – Drops Of Rain -Cubano Jump – Scotchin’ With The Soda – On The Sunny Side Of The Street Thats’ A Plenty


At long last, The Four Charms offer a follow up to their astounding debut album «Flatland Boogie». Ok, I must admit that the first time I saw the name of this album I thought “What’s this?”. Then, I took my dictionary and learned that Triskaidekaphobia means something like the fear of number 13. That’s why if you look at the track listing there’s no track 13, just a soundless blank.

What about the music? This album covers a wider range of style than the the first one. You’ll find here, top notch boogie blues instrumental like «6 string boogie», rockabilly jive (a great cover of Burnette’s Lonesome Tears in my Eyes with sax), “Scotchin’ with the Soda” with a very King Cole Trio/Slim Gaillard feel and “That’s a Plenty” that starts like a real jazz tune and suddenly goes into a Merle Travis style showing the musicianship of Joel Paterson, and as usual the overall influence of Illinois Jacquet, The Treniers and Nat “King” Cole Trio, especially in their cover of “The Sunny Side Of The Street”. I almost forgot to mention the amazing skill of Jimmy Sutton and his slap bass, not only when he plays solo but he’s really the driving force behind this band.

The production and recording works (done at Fort Horton studio) are worth to be mentionned too because it makes that four members combo sound like a ten piece orchestra. Take a cure of Triskaidekaphobia it’s good for your health.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

four charms

Peter Baylor

Peter Baylor - I Hear The Road

Peter Baylor - I Hear The Road
Peter Baylor – I Hear The Road

Peter Baylor – I Hear The Road

Preston PEP5100
Roadhouse Romeo – If That’s Not Wrong, It Must Be Right – I’ve Got Troubles On My Mind – All Night Long – Tarcutta – I’m Going To See My Baby – I Hear The Road – When Grandma Got High – Two Hearts – My Baby Was Born To Rock – Strange Boogie – Don’t Mind Me When I Cry – I’m Going To Move To The Country – Hillbilly Rhythm
If the name of Peter Baylor is not familiar to you, you have probably heard his guitar before. He played with bands like The Dancehall Racketeers, The Starliners and the Flatfoot Shakers. You can hear him on Deke Dickerson’s ep “Deke’s Down Under” recorded during his tour of Australia. This is his first album under his name but he’s playing for more than 20 years now.
The album opens with the infectious rhythm of “Roadhouse Rodeo” with amazing guitar work, and superb bass and drums. “I’ve Got Troubles On My Mind” is another uptempo hillbilly jazz tune featuring a Jimmy Bryant type of solo from Peter.
There’s also a good dose of Honky Tonk, from the rural “If That’s Not Wrong, It Must Be Right” to “Don’t Mind Me When I Cry” that could have been sung by Ray Price via the Hank Williams influenced “All Night Long”. My favourite being “Two Hearts”. But Peter can rock, the title track proves it (the rocking steel guitar on this one is amazing) as does the frantic “My Baby Was Born To Rock”. There are many more gems on this platter for you to discover, a cajun song (When Grandma Get High), tasty instrumentals (going from Les Paul / Arthur Smith to Eddie Cochran) and if that’s not enough to convince you (what else do you need?), it’s been recorded at the legendary Preston studio to get that warm and authentic sound we all love. Highly recommended.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Jerry King and The Rivertown Ramblers

Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers - Ocala Baby
Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers – Ocala Baby

Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers – Ocala Baby

ElToro ETCD4096 [2010]
Lie To Me ~ I Apologize ~ I’m Gonna Break A Heart ~ Her Whispers ~ Epilepsy Betsy ~ Don’t Be So Sure ~ Tell Me That You Love Me ~ Long Haul Trucker ~ Ocala Baby ~ Do You Mind ~ Kisses Of Fire ~ Will I Ever Love Again ~ Baby Please Come Home Again ~ Give Me What I Need ~ I Can’t Do This Anymore

After a detour via Wild Hare Records in 2006 to cut some hillbilly influenced rockabilly numbers, Jerry returns to Eltoro for an album full of originals.
For a few exceptions, the style is late 50’s/early 60’s rock’n’roll with the shadow of Elvis Presley all over it. And to be honest King would be wrong to play in another style because his voice is made for this kind of stuff and the Rivertown Ramblers provide the perfect backing, wether musically or when they sing those Jordanaires type of backing vocals. They perfectly at ease on ballads like Do You Mind, Will I Ever Love Again and the Orbison-esque I Can’t Do This Anymore.
Some songs are more straight rockabilly oriented like the fantastic Epilepsy Betsy, Long Haul Trucker (both are re-recordings from the Wild Hare sessions) and Baby Please Come Home Again. There’s also a bit of Johnny Cash too (Tell Me That You Love) and even bits of Don Gibson/Marty Robbins (Kisses Of Fire). Without a doubt one of the greatest vocalist on the scene today.

 

Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers - A Date With...
Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers – A Date With…

Jerry King And The Rivertown Ramblers – A Date With…

ElToro / Jewel Records [2006]
You Forgot Your Name – Party Line – Brown Eyed Baby – Rains – Honky Tonk Bop – I Want A Lover – Big Door – Bad Dreams – Devils Child – She Dont Live Here No More – Speed Limit – Price Of Love

This is the third cd from Jerry King and The Rivertown Ramblers and like the previous one it’s been recorded at the legendary Sun studios. Most of the songs are King’s own and that’s a good point ’cause he knows how to write good stuff.
There’re many rockabilly bands today and it’s sometime hard to find a sound and a niche. For this recording Jerry King and his gang have choosen to soften their sound and to lean towards a late 50’s kind of rock’n’roll. The opening track “You forgot Your Name” featuring piano and backing vocals ala Jordanaires shows this orientation. And they have more in common with Elvis than the word “King” and the name of this album, believe me ! This guy has a great voice. Presley is not the only obvious influence as you can hear a lot of Roy Orbison in “Bad Dreams”. But don’t think The Rivertown Ramblers gave up traditionnal rockabilly, songs like “Party Line” and “Big Door” are real rockin’ tunes and “Speed Limit” wouldn’t be out of place Rip Carson’s My Simple Life. You even have a hillbilly boogie song, the well named “Honky Tonk Bop”.
The records ends with “The Price Of Love” which is as good as “I Miss The Ring” from their previous album. Very good production work, amazing song,and once again, what a voice. A very good album indeed and in its own way very original.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Marauders

The Marauders – Midnight Rhythm

The Marauders – Midnight Rhythm
The Marauders – Midnight Rhythm

The Marauders – Midnight Rhythm

Rock’n’Roll Purgatory RRP-010
Last Call – Dead Of Night – Lonely Road – She Put A Curse On Me – Tow The Line – Kill Pop Radio – Refuge – Midnight Rhythm – My Revolver – Satisfied
The marauders are a neo/modern – rockabilly trio coming from Pennsylvania. To describe them I’d say they’re a cross between The Quakes in their Voice Of America period, as Ben Dum’s voice sometimes reminds me of Paul Roman, and some Setzer solo stuff like Ignition. But of course, they’re more than just imitation or followers. The ten songs of this record are all Marauders originals and they know how to write solid stuff in a wide range of mood. The opening song goes “straight in your face” with heavy slap bass, rocking guitar and lyrics like “gotta drink my cash”, how can you be wrong? “Dead Of Night” don’t give the time to rest as it plays on a similar tempo and you have to wait “Lonesome Road” and its country feel to take a breath but it soon followed by “She Put A Curse On Me” a song with fine lyrics you can’t help but sing along. “Tow The Line” is a swingin’ rockabilly tune with a punk feel on the chorus and could easily be found on a comp’ of the legendary Nervous Records label, if you see what I mean. Chris Lawson is a hell of a slap bass player, but, one good point that needs to be mentionned, he also knows when he don’t have to slap and don’t interfere with the drums. “Midnight Rhythm”, the title tracks, starts with just the voice and the acoustic guitar in a country mood and then come the drums and slap bass for another great rockabilly moment. A dark song like “Revolver” has a bit of Psychobilly in it, but don’t let the term confuses you. I mean what they now call “old school psychobilly” when it was just nervous rockabilly not heavy metal with a slap bass. The last song “Satisfied” is a classic rockabilly with a stop/start structure, and let you wanting more.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Marauders
The Marauders – s/t

The Marauders – The Marauders

S/R {2006}
I Don’t Mind – We Are the Marauders – Rumble On the Rocks – Johnny Don’t Like ( When You Call Him Elvis) – New Tattoo – Hell On High Heels – Nothing to Prove – One of These Days – Alibi – Lookin’ Forward to Leavin’ You Behind – Ryhthm Fix

Featuring “We Are the Marauders” penned for the band by Brian Setzer. Setzer would later recorded this song on his owb album “13” in 2006.

 

The Marauders - Dial M For Marauder
The Marauders – Dial M For Marauder

The Marauders – Dial M For Marauder

Bonedog Records {2008}
Juvenile Frustration – She Took a Shot – Road Rat – Last Laugh – Out of Line – On the Radio – 10 Year Drifter – Oh My My – Late Night Livin’ – Roadkill – Dead of Night – Lonely Road – We Are the Marauders

Kick’em Jenny

Kick'em Jenny - Untamed

Kick'em Jenny - Untamed
Kick’em Jenny – Untamed

Kick’em Jenny – Untamed

Blue Lake Records BLR-CD 13
Stressed up – Take Me down – Don’t Bug Me Baby – Maybe You don’t care – The Slide – Rockin’ Machine – I’ve Got Love if you want it – There’ll be no teardrops tonight – Untamed – Raw Deal – I’ve done my time – I ain’t gonna be around – I can’t do without you – Pink Elephants
If you ever went to a rockin’ weekender recently, you probably have met a wild blonde girl with a sandpaper voice, a blue guitar on one hand and a glass on the other, playing and singin’ on the car park or jammin’ with a band. You have experienced the phenomenon Kick’em Jenny. Try to figure Wanda Jackson, Paul Fenech, Josie Kreuzer and Wildfire Willie all rolled into one person. Sounds weird, uh? But you’d better listen.
She started to make her name a couple of years ago and her two songs on the comp’ Lake Rattle & Roll caught the attention of every wild rock’n’roll fans (and even conquered those who like softer rockabilly like me). « Stressed Up » proved to be very popular (for good reasons) among DJ’s around the world. Juan from Blue Lake quickly understood he had a one of a kind talent. He held a second session to complete the first one and here’s at last a full album by the volcanic girl.
And as you can imagine the result is a bunch of raw and savage songs (five from Jenny’s pen), some covers and a couple of slower numbers like the haunting “Take Me Down” (imagine a ballad given the Kick’em Jenny treatment with one kind of jungle atmosphere) and on the hillbilly side “I’ve done my time”. The thing is that Jenny has no other equivalent in her female counterparts and more generally on the rockabilly scene.
As usual with Blue Lake, a movie clip is included (you can watch it on your computer) showing the sessions, and proving that Juan deserves his place in heaven for his patience.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

1 … 83 84 85 86 87 … 123