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Rockabilly - Page 29

The Four Star Combo – Wait A Minute Baby!

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Four Star Combo - Wait A Minute Baby!
Four Star Combo – Wait A Minute Baby!

Man-O-Man Records 1001 [2014]
Wait a Minute, Baby – (I Got) a Hole in My Pocket – Conscience to the Wind – Beehive Baby – Down in the Alley – Buzzsaw – Croc-O-Doll – Lover Not a Fighter – Slipping Out and Slipping In – It’s Love, Baby (24 Hours a Day) – Jeepster – Blue Tricks

Wait A Minute Baby is the band’s debut album, though they already relased one demo with their former bass player.
The Four Star Combo is Ron Scott on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica; Eric Hurtt on lead guitar; Donovan Stokes on double bass and Drake Sorey on drums.
The album kicks off with amid-tempo rockabilly with nice picking from Hurtt and a good balance between the bass and the drums. Things get more frantic with their cover of (I Got) A Hole In My Pocket that even has a slight neo-rockabilly feel in it (but not enough to hurt the purists). Back to a more traditional sound with the hillbilly tinged Conscience to the Wind that has a bit of “Heartache by the Numbers” flair in the melody. Beehive Baby is another one on the neo-side and reminds a bit of Levi Dexter. They turn Memphis Minnie’s Down In the Alley into a solid rockabilly-blues stroller while Buzzsaw is a surf instrumental that shows the diversity and the skill of the band. Next is Crock-O-Doll,a Rockabilly/Rock’n’Roll number that wouldn’t be out of place on the Ripsaw label, think Billy Hancock. Back to Rockabilly-blues with Lazy Lester’s Lover Not A Fighter that sees lead singer Ron Scott playing some harmonica. It’s time for lead guitarist Eric Hurtt to take the lead vocals on a period perfect cover of Slipping Out and Slipping In. It’s Love Baby is straight ahead blues with once again a top notch guitar solo, it’s just too bad that Scott kept his harmonica in his pocket on this one. Some would find surprising to find a cover of T-Rex on Rockabilly album but if you remember the Polecats version you know it suits the genre perfectly. They deliver a good version though Scott seems a little less at ease on this one than on the other songs. Blue Tricks ends this good and eclectic album on a fast paced note.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

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the Starliters - Stop Kiddin'
the Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

El Toro3023
Come On Stroll – Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home – I’ll Do It Every Time – I’ll Never Be Your Man – I’m Not A Kid Anymore – I’m Wasting My Time – It’s All Your Fault – Little Grass Shack – Long Gone Train – Once Again With You – Take And Give – Tennessee Local – The Honky Tonk Dream – This Chick Drinks More Than Me – Where My Little Love Has Gone – Who Who Boogie

There’s not that much Italian bands, but quantity doesn’t matter, quality does. And you’ll find quality with the Starliters. Featuring members from the Tribal Bops, this combo has, since the mid 90’s established a solid reputation with releases on On The Hill and Tail. With 16 tracks and 9 originals, their latest release is loaded with excitment, joy and first class musicianship. You’ll find a stroller (the opening track), two wild and frantic rockers (Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home and I’m Wasting My Time), hillbilly boogie (Who Who Boogie and Tennessee Local sung by drummer Frank who is very close to Tenneessee Ernie Ford; both featuring guest Jerry Boogie on piano), western swing (Cindy Walker’s It’s All Your Fault, the excellent This Chick drinks more than me), a ballad (Once again with you) and a BR5-49 type of song (Honky Tonk Dream) and some excellent covers (especially Johnny Horton’s I do it everytime). Icing on the cake,  Rockin’ Bonnie joins force to sing duet on the classic Take and Give.
Available at El Toro
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Nelson Carrera – Love is a trap

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Nelson Carrera - Love is a trap - Rhythm Bomb
Nelson Carrera – Love is a trap – Rhythm Bomb

Rhythm Bomb Records – RBR 5773
Love is a Trap – Cold Heart Baby – But She’s Not You – I’ll Be A Bachelor Till I Die – Who’s Gonna Love Me Now – Crying Time – Honey Bop – Train To Jackson – Proud Of You – Thanks A Lot – Hey Santa Claus – As Long As Lon As You Love Me Too – Knockin’ On The Wrong Door – When My Baby Left Me – Still Around

Love is a trap is a good album of traditionnal rockabilly and honky tonk with a fine sound that seems to come directly from the fifties. You’ll find a majority of self-penned songs and a couple of well chosen covers from Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb, Sid King…
Carrera used two different backing bands bon this record. Songs one to ten were recorded in France by Steve Rydell who also played guitar with Pascal Freyche on upright bassn Jean Pierre Cardot on piano and Gael Peletin on drums. The remaining five tunes come from two different sessions with the Dixie Boys in Portugal. Both are excellent though I do prefer the mix of the songs recorded by Rydell.
There’s no musical revolution here and Love is a Trap won’t probably change the way you see Rockabilly. But that’s not what you expect from this kind of records and if you ask for half an hour in company of a competent rockabilly singer and with a solid backing band, look no further.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Bird Doggin Daddies

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birddoggindaddiesBird Doggin Daddies – We Got the Bug!

Rhythm Bomb RBR5747 [2013]
We’re Gonna Rock It – Better Be Gone – Crazy Crazy Lovin’ – Headin’ South – Do The Bop Bop Bop – Let’s Go Crazy – Crossbone Jim Mystery Lane – Bird Dog – I Ruined My Suit – Daddy-O Rock – Lonely Blue Boy – Morse Code – Let’s Go For A Ride – I Got The Bug – Too Much Lovin’ Going On – Lil’ Pretty Miss – Sugar Coated Love – I Ruined My Suit

Are you in need for some Rockabilly? I mean REAL Rockabilly, the one that grabs you, moves you and sends shivers down your spine, the one that was played back in the fifties. Don’t look any further the second album of the Bird Doggin Daddies is EXACTLY what you’re looking for.
I strongly suspect this quartet to have invented in their basement a time machine they used to go back in the fifties to record their album in the studio that gave birth to this great music. The other solution is that they carefully listened to all the pioneers… hum that’s an eventuality. Whatever the solution the Bird Doggin Daddies used the result is a perfect Rockabilly album. The sound and the production are top notch and so is the musicianship. Take the rhythm section: how many Rockabilly records are wasted by interfering drums (too loud, too present…) Here, the balance between the snare, the bass and the slap is flawless. Once you achieved that the rest is easy, you just have to add a powerful voice and a skilful guitarist, et voila, that’s it.
The covers they play come from Don Woody, Luke McDaniel, Johnny Carrol, Conway Twitty, Derrell Felts and are excellent, both respectful and personnal. But what really stands out are their originals. In fact, they could easily be mistaken with covers.
They got the bug but it’s just a question of time for you to get it too.

Now guys, about this time machine, could we find an arrangement? I’d really like to see Buddy Holly on stage….

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

V/A – Welcome to the Club!– Early Female Rockabilly

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femalerockabilly El Toro Records
Anita Carter – He’s a Real Gone Guy / Bunny Paul – Sweet Talk / Charline Arthur – Hello Baby / Barbara Pitman – Sentimental Fool / Jan Smith – It’d Surprise You / Patsy Cline – Stop, Lookin & Listen / Janis Martin – Let’s Elope Baby / Dottie Jones – Honey, Honey, Honey / Wanda Jackson – Baby Loves Him / The Collin Kids – I’m in Your Teens / The Davis Sisters – Everlovin’ / Rose Maddox – Wild Wild Young Men / Sparkle Moore – Skull & Crossbones / Brenda Lee – Bigelow 6200 / Mimi Roman – Little Lovin’ / Janis Martin – Drugstore Rock’n’Roll / Wanda Jackson – Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad / Patsy Ruth Elshire – Watch Dog / Jean Chapel – I Won’t Be Rockin’ Tonight / Charline Arthur – Welcome to The Club / Bolean Barry – Long Sideburns / Nettles Sisters – Real Gone Jive / Ladell Sisters – Rockin’ Robert / Barbara Pittman – I Need A Man / Bunny Paul – History / Sparkle Moore – Rock-A-Bop / Rose Maddox – Hey Little Dreamboat / Betty Bryant – I’ll Take Back That / Alvadean Coker – We’re Gonna Bop / Betty Barnes – What Would You Do? / Connie & The Cytations – Boogie Rock / Patsy Ruth Elshire – Sugar Lump / The Collins Kids – Move a Little Closer.
Girls can rock too ! This is what, with no less than 33 songs, this nicely made compilation proves. Hardcore collectors will know most of the titles here, but this is a good start for anyone who’s interested in early female rockabilly singers.
Anita Carter opens this selection with a country/rockabilly version of Nellie Lutcher’s “He’s A Real Gone Guy”. A good version with a short but good steel guitar solo but a little bit wasted by the female background chorus. Born in 1924, Bunny Paul had already a solid experience when she cut her self penned “Sweet Talk” (with a similar intro as Elvis’ “My Baby Left Me”) and “History” for Point Records. Charline Arthur is almost a legend for her renegade attitude on and off stage which compromised her career a bit. Her recordings are like her. Included here are “Hello Baby” and the song that gives this compilation its name “Welcome To The Club” also recorded by Jean Chapel present here with “I Wont Be Rockin’ Tonight” written by the same winning team who gave the world “Heartbreak Hotel”. While Barbara Pittman’s Sentimental Fool is a good rocker (with sax and piano) who could believe she was only 13 when she recorded “I Need A Man” as good as anything Wanda Jackson released. Talking about Wanda, she’s well represented here with two songs, her own “Baby Loves Him” and “Hot Dog That Made Him Mad” (good choice from El Toro to choose different songs than the usual “Funnel Of Love” or “Fujiyama Mama”). This songs confirm (if needed) her status as the one and only Queen of Rockabilly. If Wanda is the Queen, Sparkle Moore, though she had recorded just a handful of singles, could possibly be the princess. “Skull & Crossbones” and “Rock-A-Bop” both from her pen are faultless. The other name that comes to mind when you think about female rockabilly is of course the late Janis Martin. “Let’s Elope Baby” and “Drugstore Rock’n’Roll” (a self penned tune), both from her first session for RCA, are the songs present here. Coined as “the female Elvis”, Janis proved she was much more than a pale imitation and truly had a style of her own. For this session she benefited of the best talents of the Nashville studios including Bob Moore, Chet Atkins and Grady Martin. He also lends his guitar on Mimi Roman’s “Little Lovin’” and Brenda Lee’s “Bigelow 6200”, giving to both of this songs a strong Johnny Burnette flavour. Like Brenda Lee, The Collins Kids were teenagers when they recorded their best tunes. If for some artists 2 songs are far enough I warmly encourage you to buy anything you can from this two wild kids. High pitch harmonies, Lorie’s beautiful voice and Larry’s sizzling guitar, they are absolutely brilliant ! Talking about family bands and harmonies, the “sisters” bands (even if contrary to The Collins Kid they weren’t real sisters for some of them) like the Nettles and the Davis bring a strong rural flavour to their rockabilly with their hillbilly harmonies. The Ladell Sisters are different and more urban.
Jan Smith sings “It’d Surprise You” and yes I’ve been surprised as I first though this voice belonged to a man. This apart, that’s a great rockabilly with a good dash of blues in it. During its short spell of success Rockabilly seduced some country singers who cut some songs in that style like Patsy Cline and Rose Maddox even if in her case the result is more “hillbilly boogie” than strictly rockabilly. Patsy Elshire is for me one of the best vocalists on this selection. Her two songs, recorded for Capitol, Watch Dog and Sugar Lump are very good. The later features an amazing steel guitar solo which could possibly be played by Speedy West but I don’t have more infos. Far from Elshire’s relatively polished sound, Dottie Jones and Betty Barnes give us two fine pieces of raw Texas rockabilly.
As I said, “Welcome To The Club” is an excellent compilation that reunites the essential female rockabilly singers and their best cuts. So make yourself a favour and spend 80 minutes with those lovely ladies.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Cow Cow Boogie – Somewhere Down The Line

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cowcowboogieRhythm Bomb
Somewhere Down The Line – Home Cookin’ – Cash On The Barrelhead – Track 49 – Steam Heat – Rain – Sleep With One Eye Open – Ain’t No Friend Of Mine – Love To Live – Heart Stays Broken – Wild – She’ll Be Gone – Caravan

The world needs more band like Cow Cow Boogie. Why? Because they are cool, but even more important they don’t seem to care about boundaries . Led by the powerful voice of Deborah their lead singer, the band blends together elements of different styles and make them work to create their own distinctive sound by merging a blues harp, a rockabilly guitar, a western swing steel and a predominant slap bass. Their drummer adds his own touch by playing shuffles with brushes, drum rolls ala Fever or banging his tom toms like a wild papoose.
In the end, the songs range from blues with a hillbilly beat to rockabilly with a blues feel and all the combination allowed by this line-up with a touch of jazz and some 60’s girl groups  feel thrown in for good measure.
Definitely cool!

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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