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February 2014 - Page 2

The Razorbacks (Canada)

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RazorbacksThe Razorbacks – S/t

Tradition ‎– TJD 101
Calling My Name – Born too Late – I’m In the Doghouse – So Much Fun

 

 

the Razorbacks - Go to Town
the Razorbacks – Go to Town

The Razorbacks – Go to Town

WEA {1988}
It’s Saturday Night – Knock Knock Bim Bam – Talk To You – Long Rolling Nites – Lower Beverly – Can’t Keep My Baby In Shoes – So Much Fun – All I Need – Calling My Name – Scariest Night Of My Life -Razorback Boogie – Just This Short Of Crying – Stood Up – Strings Breaking Thing – Beverly Dub Mix

Not to be confused with the New jersey Rockabilly band of the same name, the Razorbacks formed in the second half of the 80’s and came from Canada.

Their debut album “Go to town” was originally released through Warner records in 1988. This is an excellent platter that benefits of the the solid production (yet very 80’s sounding at places) of guitar ace Chris Spedding (known for his work with Robert Gordon among many others) and a batch of solid originals penned by singer/guitarist Tony Kenny.
All acoustic (guitar, double bass, brushed snare), their brand of neo-rockabilly lean on the melodic side of things as if Stray Cats met Buddy Holly with a touch of skiffle that evokes at times the sound of the Shakin’ Pyramids.
Some occasional harmonies also show the influences of the Everly Brothers and there’s enough additional instruments (second guitar, accordion, piano, percussions) to bring variety the the whole album.
The cd reissue features four extra tracks including a honky tonk number with steel guitar and a cover of Ricky Nelson’s Stood Up.
A very good album that needs to be rediscovered.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Razorbacks - Live a Little
The Razorbacks – Live a Little

The Razorbacks – Live a Little

WEA [1989]
Times Like These – Didn’t Your Mamma Tell You – Night and Day – Can’t Blame Me for Trying – Rocket – Be My Train – My Way or Highway – Where’d You Learn to Kiss Like That – I’m in the Doghouse -There Ain’t Room for Two -Maybe It Do -Who Slapped Joe – Not Fade Away – Trouble in Town -End of the Day -I’ll Get By -Am I High -Times Like These – Didn’t Your Mamma Tell You – My Generation

 

 

razorbacks

The B-Stars

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the B-Stars - Behind the Barn With
the B-Stars – Behind the Barn With

The B-Stars – Behind the Barn With

Rust Belt Recordings – RR004
Ink Free Baby Of Mine – Drunk On Whiskey – Duckin And Dodgin – Texas Boogie – Left It All Behind – Women And Wine – Pretty Baby – Back Up Buddy – Sweet Little Things – Walking Home Alone – Trouble Free State Of Mine – Broken Down And Blue

A particularly strong debut for the San Fransisco based combo. This five piece band (Greg Yanito – guitar and vocals; Eric Reedy – string bass and vocals; Bill McKenna – electric guitar; Mikiya Matsuda – steel guitar; Billy Zelinski – drums) rips through a set a good ol’ country music. Both Yanito and Reedy sing and compose – and they know how to write songs that sound like little classics – which also keeps the set varied. You’ll only find two covers, Gene O’Quinn’s Texas Boogie and Carl Smith’s Back Up Buddy, Smith being an obvious influence on the band.
Carl Sonny Leyland sits in and plays piano on four tracks adding a good dose of country boogie and even rock’n’roll (Pretty Baby) to the mix. There’s also some country swing (Duckin’ and Dodgin’), a bit of Bakersfield (Women and WIne, Sweet Little Things) and a superb Hank Williams influenced number (Trouble Free State Of Mind).
It is tastefully produced by Lee Jeffriess and you can hear his touch on some steel guitar/guitar arrangements reminiscent of his work with Ashley Kingman in the Fly Rite Boys.
If Carl Smith, Hank Williams, Merrill Moore, Wayne Hancock, Big Sandy are sweet words to your ears, be sure to add the B-Stars to your list. And it’s not only a pleasure for your ears, but also for the eyes as it comes in a nicely designed digipack.

More infos at http://thebstars.com/

The B-Stars - West Coast Special
The B-Stars – West Coast Special

The B-Stars – West Coast Special

Rust Belt [2012]
Careful Baby – Still Waiting – King Of Fools – My Window Faces The South – Another One Tomorrow – Time Is Money – When The Darkness Turns To Light – Chicken Fried – One More Beer – Revolution 45 – No Work Blues – Honky Tonkin’ Rhythm
San Francisco based honky tonk/hillbilly swing band the B-Stars have seen some changes since their debut album. They return with a refurbished line-up and a new platter full of hillbilly rhythms. They remain true to their main inspirations, saying Honky Tonk heroes of the 50’s and early 60’s (from Hank Williams to Carl Smith) but they also add a good dose of western swing to their set. It generally works pretty though I’m a little less convinced by their cover of My Window Faces the South. Whether it’s the production or the arrangement, it sounds a bit too “modern” for my tastes and closer to Asleep At The Wheel than Bob Wills. But that’s a minor flaw and they have a majority of solid originals and the musicianship is trong, one of the best exemple being the interplay between the guitar and the steel on Still Waitin.
Available on 10″ vinyl and cd.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

As Diabatz

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As Diabatz - Ridin' Through the Devil's Hill
As Diabatz – Ridin’ Through the Devil’s Hill

As Diabatz – Ridin’ Through the Devil’s Hill

Woman in white – Necrolove – Psychomad Mary – Wide awake – Under my own spell – Riding trough Devil’s hill – Witches stomp – We ain’t no Psychobitches – Summertime Booze – I don’t worry about it

This young trio of Brazilian girls with their old school psychobilly made me feel 16 again. All the elements are here: light guitar, rockabilly snare and a solid beat provided by the double bass. They sound like the little sisters (even daughter) of Dypsomaniaxe but with a darkish side. You can also hear the influence of the Krewmen and there’s a definitive Meteors touch (Wreckin’ Crew era) most notably on the instrumental “Ridin’ Through The Devil’s Hill” and of course their cover of “I don’t Worry About It”. But they never sound like a re-creation, always keeping a fresh approach. Their songs are very well written and never too fast and most of all, they keep the “billy” in psychobilly. Excellent production work too!

The Radioactive Kid

Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys

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Arty Hill
Arty Hill – Back on the Rail

Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys – Back on the rail

Cow Island Music CIM12 {2005}
Living on the Road Again – Jackson Shake – Me & My Glass Jaw – Big Daddy’s Rye – I Left Highlandtown – Based on Real Life – It Ain’t Working – Drifting In – Back On The Rail – I Ate Through the Jail -Tammerlane – When The Sparks Come Falling Down

First issued in 2005, Arty Hill’s debut album is now reissued by the fine folks at Cow Island, and it’s a nice addition to their catalog that already counts The Starline Rhythm Boys, The Dixons, Nate Gibson, Lil Mo in their rank.
On this entirely self-penned album, this three piece band (accoustic rhythm guitar, twangy lead guitar and drums) mixes with success straight Honky Tonk (Me & My Glass Jaw, Drifting In), uptembo numbers with a good dose of rockabilly (Big Daddy Ryes, It Ain’t Working and I Ate Through The Jail based upon a Scotty Moore kind of guitar lick.), and country ballads with solid and intelligent lyrics.
Musically, they are a very cohesive trio : Arty has the perfect voice for that kind of stuff that reminds me a bit of Cam Wagner from Jimmy Roy’s Five Stars Hillbillies (by the way what happened to Cam?). Dave Chappell’s telecaster embellishes the tracks with tasty licks, his guitar talks, answers to Arty, makes you cry, man ! this piece of wood is alive. Last but not least, Craig Stevens. There’s no need of flashy drumming for this kind of music, Craig’s style is spare but efficient and fits completely with the rest.
This is what country music should be : real music by real people for real folks.
Available here.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Arty Hill - Montgomery on my Mind
Arty Hill – Montgomery on my Mind

Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys – Montgomery On My Mind

Cow Island CIM015 {2009}
Church On Saturday Night – Pan American – I Can’t Help It – I’m A Long Gone Daddy – Don’s Bop – Lovesick Blues – Take This Chains From My Heart – Montgomery On My Mind

Coming from Cow Island your finest purveyor of today’s true country music and Arty Hill comes this tribute to one of the greatest songwriter of all times: Hank Williams. And one couldn’t imagine a better band to do this than the one called the Long Done Daddies, don’t you think?
The good thing is that they never try to recreate Hank’s sound. They play Williams songs their own way. “Pan American” is driven by a hot fiddle (played by guest Patrick McAvinue) echoed by a solid dobro, for a very “bluegrassy” result. Their take on “Lovesick Blues” is in the same vein, almost all acoustic.
I couldn’t believe you could bring something to the near perfection of “I Can’t Help It”. But Arty Hill did, and as incredible as it may sound, it seems evident. They muscle “I’m A Long Gone Daddy” and turn it into a rockin’ number. More surprising (but a good surprise), they apply the same treatment to “Take These Chains From My Heart”.
Another proof of their talent is the three originals they wrote that perfectly blend with Williams’ songs. “Church On Saturday Night” is a tribute to the glorious days of Country Music and the Grand Ole Opry. With lyrics like “Now they can take the Opry / Make it slick and loud / slap it on a T-shirt and sell it to the crowd / but that don’t make Country” you’re sure that this culture is in good hands (and I bet Dale Watson would have loved to write such lyrics).
“Montgomery On My Mind” is a beautiful love songs that takes place in Montgomery, hometown of Williams and “Don’s Bop” is an instrumental tribute to Don Helms, steel guitar player in the Drifting Cowboys.
Hank would sure be very proud.
Available here.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Slick Andrews

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Slick Andrews - Let's Beer It Up
Slick Andrews – Let’s Beer It Up

Slick Andrews – Let’s Bear It Up With…

WH07003.Wild Hare Records {2007}
Beer It Up /Queen of the Honkytonk /Shot Down in Flames /Three Old Friends /Cut Out The Drama /Love’s Last Note /World’s Greatest Lover /Whisper You Love Me/Millionaire /Dance Floor Romance /The Dues This Fool Has Paid /She Drives Me Crazy
Howdy all y’all… gather around folks and listen to the good ol’ Long Tall telling you the story of a country boy comin’ from Texas. That son-of-a-gun hard corn liquor drinker, smoker and look alike Hank Penny Slick Andrews was layin’out one night with a bunch of purdy nussin’ honky-tonk angels, sittin’ snug as a bug and relaxing in his regular juke-joint listening to some tear jerking honky-tonkin’ song on the juke-box while drinking his favourite long-neck boozin’n’fresh beer. Then in this place hotter than a June bride, the walking on a slant cow-boy suddenly stood up like he was hittin’ by lightning (a white one of course) and yell “You’re Darn Tootin’, that stuff’s so good it makes you wanna jump up and slap yo’ mama!” I wanna be a singer and play some honky-tonk and hot hillbilly jumpy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs. I wanna sing some songs about beer, honky-tonk angels, dancin’ and love ». The rag-babies as surprised as if a sheep had bit ‘em stare at Slick like he‘s mad as a mule chewing on bumblebees while he was running out of the joint like the house is afire and jumpin’ in his car to drive pedal to metal until he hit the Wild Hare Records building…

Well, I’m not quiet sure this is the way it really happened but it easily could had been, so much that dude sounds and looks like he’s comin’ right from the late forties-early fifties in a Time Machine. Slick is bringing with him some great self penned hillbilly, western-swing, honky-tonk and rockabilly songs and a first class rockin’ band called “the Wild Hare Millionaires”(Buck Stevens, John Bozarth, Eddie Macintosh, Dave Moore, Mark Pettijohn).As me you will surely love all of these “a little bit of everything” 12 songs in a “Let’s Beer it Up” album full of rolling piano (the eponymous song), twangy (“Shot Down in Flames”) and rockabilly guitar (“Cut Out The Drama” and the very soundalike Johnny Horton “Dance Floor Romance”) steel-guitar in a tearjerkin’ honky-tonk style (“Three Old Friends”, “Love’s Last Note” and especially “Whisper You Love” which reminds me of Hank Williams), slappin’ bass (the “Millionaire” instrumental) wild screams and rockin’ drums (“She Drives Me Crazy”) and, indeed, western swingin’ sound (“World’s Greater Lover”). I’m sur the old Hank would have agree with me to say “I got a hot rod Ford and a two dollar bill and I know a spot right over the hill there’s Slick ‘s band and the beer is free so if you wanna have fun come along with me….

Long Tall David

Al Foul

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Al Foul - the one and only
Al Foul – the one and only

Al Foul – The One & Only

Rock’n’Roll Purgatory RRP009
Flat Broke – Oh My Lover – Gonna Be A Fight – Wanted Man – Ruthless Information – Singing The Blues – 10 Bucks – Lonesome Tears – Bo-Wang – Ever Been Hit By A Flying Saucer – Dropping Quarters For Jane – Rock Island Line

Being unable to say “yeah” without loosing a beat when I play drums, I’m kinda fascinated by the one-man-bands. Recorded totally live (except for one song, Wanted Man, that have a guest fiddle) with raw and powerful sound, Al delivers a fine collection of Rockabilly-Blues-Country tunes. Apart from his voice, a powerful and soulful growl, Foul’s strength has to be found in his lyrics. In “Flat Broke” he explains the good side of being a one-man-band : “There ain’t no use in me having a band anyhow / just a couple guys I got to learn to pay somehow / 50 dollars divided three ways”. Money, or the lack of it, is also the theme of “10 Bucks” where the poor guy finds himself hanging on the telephone and telling lies to his girl to get 10 bucks cause “10 bucks will get me two six packs and a half pint of old crow”. But the best tune, one that has an immediate addictive effect is “Dropping Quarter For Jane”. This “romantic song” tells us about the singer’s love for… a peep show dancer. The one man band format isn’t a musical limit (like often) for Al, as the songs’ structures are diverse and sometimes rather complex. Add to the mix a couple of covers like Burnette’s Lonesome Tears, Endsley/Robbins’Singing The Blues and the traditional Rock Island Line and you have one hell of album.

Read more and listen to soundclips at www.alfoul.net
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Al Foul – Keep the Motor Running

alfoul-keepKeep the Motor Running – I Wanna Know – The D.A.W.N.- Baby Clothes and Dishes for Sale – Been Through This Before – Memphis – Phoenix – Bring Me a Little Water Sylvia – Call Me When You Get to Dudleyville – 3 O’clock in the Morning

There are quite a few one man bands out there but Al Foul is one of my very favourite. Actually if you keep the late Hasil Adkins aside, he’s on top of my list. I dig his mean vocals combined with dirty guitar and hypnotic beat (or is it hypnotic vocals, mean guitar and dirty beat, you’ll be the judge).
In fact it would be a mistake to attach too much importance to the one man band format – it’s only the vehicle he chose to express his art – and you’d miss the main point: the songs. They’re always original, varied, melodic and surprising. And this guy really can craft lyrics that are like little slices of life. Songs like Baby clothes and dishes or Phoenix are not that far from the poetry of one Sam Shepard.
But the poetry doesn’t prevent it from being a great rock’n’roll album and his cover of the Skiffle classic “Bring A Little Water Sylvie” is totally insane and is a breath of fresh air for all those who, like me, thought that crazyness in Rock’n’roll had died with Lux Interior.

 

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