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Rockabilly - Page 25

Mr Whiz – I Wanna Go

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mrwhiz2_small El Toro
I Wanna Go – High Class Weddin’ – Leave That Junk Alone – Dark Swamp – City Lights – Million Dollar Gang – Otro Corazón – When I Left El Paso – When Love Calls On You – I Wanna Be A Millionaire – All My Life Is Gone
This good surprise comes from Spain as the slight accent of Klaus Villarrel (singer and double bass player) reveals. This trio (guitar, light drums mostly played with brushes and double bass) plays an excellent brand of roots music they call hillbilly swing and it suits them well. They mix influences from Hank Williams (All My Life Is Gone) to Johnny Burnette (Million Dollar Gang is a wild rocker in the vein of Train Kept A Rollin’) and Charlie Feathers. In between you find City Light, a bluegrass influenced number with two parts harmonies and “When I Left El Paso” that reminds of the great Marty Robbins with lyrics (by the way the lyrics are included) like “But at night bad luck came to my life / When a fight started my knife had to shine / the blood in my hand and his body on the flor / the sheriff’s son is dead and my soul went down” . You’ll also find some Johnny Cash with the cover of “Leave that junk alone” and his trademark boom-chica-boom rhythm is featured on “When Love Calls On You“. The name of the band comes from guitar virtuoso Jerry Reed, and guitar player José Casarejos does justice to this name especially on the swingin’ hot number “I Wanna Be A Millionaire“. Another highlight is “Dark Swamp”, a haunting number not that far from neo-rockabilly, with lyrics close to “Endless Sleep“or even “Johnny Remember Me“. With only eleven songs (9 self penned tunes), Mr Whiz offers a tight album with no filler and are another proof of the good heath of the Spanish scene.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Mars Attacks – Recaptured!

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mars-attacks-recaptured-cdPart Records PART-CD 696.001 [2011]
Man From Mars – Snatch It ‘N’ Grab It – All Nite Boogie – I’m Gonna Buy Me A Ticket – Doggin’ My Steps – Please Can You Say – Pepperhot Baby – The Way I Bop – That’s The Way I Feel – Four Tired Car – Lies – Why, Jimmy Bill – You’ll Never Break Me – Honey – Dirty Tricks – I Guess It’s Meant That Way – Rocket In My Sky – Shotgun Wedding – A Gal Of My Kind – Ninety Nine Ways – You Talk Too Much – Sputnik (The Satellite Girl) – Tattoo Bop – Mars Attacks – High School Ceasar – Leavin’ It All Behind
Mars Attacks are one of the best ambassadors of Rockabilly music in Europe. For this album they have re-recorded some of their favourite songs (including the covers!) from their earliest releases. Though surprising at first, it turns out to be a good idea, most of their old material being is only available on vinyl or out-of-print. So why not reissuing it with today’s sound? The result is 26 killer tracks. It’s no use to write a song-by-song review, you just have to know that these guys are top musicians.
If you already know Mars Attacks, you know what I mean, if you don’t, this is the perfect album to begin witht.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Mars Attacks – Circle of Love

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marsattacks Blue Lake Records BLR-CD 07
I’m Gonna Get Ya – Rome Wasn’t Build In A Day – In My Dreams – I Care – Lush – Leavin’ It All Behind – If I Could Be True – Misunderstood – Nothing To Write Home About – Rebound – She’s Gone – King Of Fools – I Just Feel So Sad. Circle Of Love – I’m Gonna Get Ya – Rome Wasn’t Build In A Day – In My Dreams – I Care – Lush – Leavin’ It All Behind – If I Could Be True – Misunderstood – Nothing To Write Home About – Rebound – She’s Gone – King Of Fools – I Just Feel So Sad.
Circle of Love is a kind of thematic-concept album made of love (as the title suggests) songs (10 originals and 4 covers). The lyrics are exploring every steps of a relationship from the desire (I’m Gonna Get Ya) to the rupture (I Just Feel So Sad) via the happiness (In My Dreams) and every feelings in between. In term of authentic recording JCR recording service is one of the 2 best place in Europe (with Berlin Lightning Recording Service). Combine a good studio, the knowledge to use it and most of all a killer band with good songs of their own and the result is explosive. Mostly a pure rockabilly album (“She’s Gone” one of the best here had a hell of rhythm section on it) you find some “traditional” rock’n’roll too like “Rome Wasn’t Build In A Day”, “Misunderstood” in a very Presley-esque style, a bit of country ala Johnny Cash (the cover of “King Of Fool”) and “Leavin’ It All Behind” shows the influence of Sonny Burgess with its trumpet part played by singer Roland Riedberger. Charlie Rich’s “Rebound” is just perfect. As an extra bonus you have a short movie of Mars Attacks in the studio or to be honest a movie of the band drinkin’ in the studio .
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Wildcats – Take and Give

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wildkats_takeHell’s Kitchen Records HKR CD 66604
Let’s Talk About Us / Pleasure Lane / Baby, Won’t You Ride With Me / Flying Bull / Take And Give / She Wants A Ride / Driving My Life Away / Raging Storm / Get Rhythm / They All Gonna Boogie Tonight / When Will I Be Loved / Handy Man
This trio with members from Germany and Netherland plays straight and sincere rock’n’roll with a good dose of British rockabilly/Teddy boy music (call it whatever you want) influences. They didn’t invent anything (and I don’t think they pretend to) but in those sad days of real TV “stars” who don’t know anything about rock’n’roll and its roots a band like the Wildcats is refreshing. The tight rhythm section made of Mikel Mueller’s rollin and groovin electric bass and Peet Shenk’s drums supports the solid lead guitar of Kees Van Bemmel who delivers fine and innovative solos (you don’t have the feeling to hear another Paul Burlison/Grady Martin wannabee). Half of the songs are originals, written by Kees, my favorite being the Diddley-esque “They All Gonna Boogie Tonight” and “Raging Storm” with its structure close to Bertha Lou. Actually on this one they are not that far to some psychobilly bands like The Meteors.
In their covers you find “Let’s Talk About Us“, which made me think about Dave Edmunds’ version, “Take and Give” that proves they’re not only a rockin’ band but can be sweet too, and a muscled version of Cash’s Get Rhythm.
A good album with a nice package too.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Western Aces – Introducing…

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westernaces_small El Toro 3021
Ice Cold Water -Same Old Cell – Drinkin’ Man’s Boogie – Seeing Double – Tell Me Why (we Can’t Be In Love) – Leave That Junk Alone -Hep Cat Baby -Four Walls And A Table – Oh Boy – Mean Mean Mama – Old ’32 – I Was There When It Happened.
This is the debut album for this British band, but Phil (Tennessee Rhythm Riders) and Mark (The Ricardo’s) are now well known characters on the scene, and brothers Gordon and Dave Doel were in the Young Savages. With a sound as authentic as you can get, a set of solid originals you’d swear they come from an old 78’s, and well choosen covers (Glenn Barber, Merle Kilgore, Johnny Cash), they offer a solid and highly enjoyable mix of hillbilly, rockabilly, boogie and western swing. Supported by a tight rhythm section, the guitar and the steel shine throughout. Another strong point is that, not only three of them can write songs, but the same three (Dave Doel, Gordon Doel, Phil Morgan) sing which gives to this album a welcome diversity. This is their first, let’s hope it won’t be the last cause this guys have a lot to offer to anyone who has good taste in music!
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
PS – See also the Doel Brothers

Joel Paterson

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joelpaterson2Joel Paterson – Handful of Strings

Ventrella
Speedin’ North – Twin Guitar Shuffle – Pensacola Rhythm – After You’ve Gone – Swingin’ Easy – Northern Gentleman – Callin’ the Cat – La Paloma – Flyin’ Low – Seven String Ride – Blue Steel Serenade – Mable’s Rock – Fender Freeze – King Freddie’s Blues

One thing is certain: Joel Paterson is a man of taste. So, when he decides to record an all instrumental album on which he plays all the instruments (he’s also a man of many talents) it doesn’t sound like all those sterile records that too often sound like a guitar method. He draws influences from all the guitar greats. The more obvious here being Les Paul and Buddy Merrill but it covers a wide spectrum of genre from the Jimmy Bryant tinged “Pensacola Rhythm” to the funky tribute to freddie King (King Freddie Blues) with jazz, rock’n’roll and plenty of Joel Paterson in between. And as usual with Ventrella the package is superbly designed. Highly recommended.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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