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February 2014 - Page 3

Adam and his Nuclear Rockets

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Adam and His Nuclear Rockets
Adam and His Nuclear Rockets

Adam and his Nuclear Rockets – Little Piece of Souvenir

El Toro Records ETCD 6041 {2009}
Call Shout Scream – Can’t Run Away From You – Blue For A Day – I Gotta Have You – All You Left Behind – Crazy legs – Your First Kiss – No Other Baby – Say No More – Park Outside – Little Piece Of Souvenir – Fear – El Toro Star – I’m Gonna Take My Baby Dancing – I’m Crazy (Alt)

Adam and His Nuclear Rockets (what a name!) are a hot traditionnal rockabilly band coming from Croatia. It’s very good to see that bands from all around the world carry on the torch of good old music. Each adding his bit to the history. Back to the band. Recorded live at the famous Lightning Records in Berlin, these 13 originals and 2 covers have everything to please any true rockabilly fans: wild songs but a sense for catchy melodies, great guitar licks and their lyrics ain’t bad (they are included in the booklet). Three songs feature a steel guitar adding a nice hillbilly boogie feel. I personally think you can judge the talent of a band in their way to write ballads. With “Little Piece of Souvenir”, on which they are helped by the harmony vocals of the Mellow Men, they easily pass the test. Another song (El Toro Star a tip of the hat to their label) has a slight Charlie Feathers feel (with hiccups) but they have their own sound and way of playing. Follow these guys closely. Also available as a beautiful gatefold lp.

Available at cdbaby.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Accelerators (the)

Published on
the Accelerators - Let's Turn It Up
the Accelerators – Let’s Turn It Up

The Accelerators – Let’s Turn It Up

SDSMCD2010 {2010}
Gonna Be With You – Sugaree – Donna The Prima Donna – Blue Days Black Nights – Let It Roll – Had To Let You Know – She Moves Me – Pretty Baby – Real Wild Child – Early In The Morning – Sleepwalk – Little Suzie

This is already the fourth album from this Scottish quartet. “Let’s Turn It Up” kicks off with the Buddy Holly tinged “Gonna Be With You”, penned like every originals of this album by lead singer Steve Smith. Next is a set of solid cover played tastefully with “Sugaree” on which they’re joined by Billy Young on saxophone, Dion’s “Donna The Prima Donna” (nice doo wop backing vocals on this one) and Holly’s “Blue Days Black Nights”. Billy Young returns on Smith’s “Let It Roll” and adds his juicy sax to this Rhythm’n’Blues number. Excellent, but with 1’57”, a bit frustrating. “Had To Let You Know” is an italo doo-wop number perfectly sung by Smith.
“She Moves Me” is another original under the influence of Holly with its strong melodic lines, and also makes me think of the Memphis Rockabilly Band. “Pretty Baby” is a straight ahead rocker quickly followed by “Real Wild Child”. Bobby Darin (and Buddy Holly too) “Early In the Morning” is given a hillbilly treatment with Jim Hyndman guesting on fiddle. As a huge Brian Setzer fan, I firmly believed I couldn’t hear “Sleepwalk” anymore, but Dave Burnette brings something really neat into this tune and has a good idea to keep it short and not using it as just a demonstration of his skills. After that let’s all rock with “Little Suzie” to end this platter on a high note. As you can see a very good and varied album. Nice one lads.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

 

777 (Triple Seven)

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777 Ghost Train
777 Ghost Train

777 – Ghost Train

PART-CD 689-002 {2012}
Leave It Behind – Sexafull – Rebel Yell – Ghost Train – Radar Love – Boys Who Dance – Summertime Souvenir – Last Night – Tachycardia – Chernobilly Twist – Come Together – The Woodpecker Song

Ghost Train is the brilliant second album from this German trio. In 2009 Unleashed their debut album was full of promises; it’s nothing to say that Ghost Train confirms all the hopes placed into that band. For this record they benefit of a better production with a fuller and a bigger sound that blasts through your speaker like a rocking thunder. Their music sounds like a mix between Brian Setzer 68 Comeback Special, the Reverend Horton Heat and the Quakes, with elements of Chicago Blues, metal (ah that powerful guitar on the Beatles’ Come Together), latin beat, twisted western soundtrack (Ghost Train), country jazz (Woodpecker Song) and surf with a Russian beat (Chernobilly twist). The choice of the covers is very good too (Billy Idol, Golden Earring, Beatles, Andrew Sisters). Highly recommended.

777 Unleashed
777 Unleashed

777 – Unleashed

PART-CD 689.001 {2010}
My Guitar – Riff Raff Daddy – Boundless Life – Don’t You Dare – Fulltime Jerks – Gamble Maniac – J.O.P. Lady – T*ttenf*ck – No Eye Stays Dry – Spoiled Generation – Don’t Look Back – Kill Tomcat

Bo Diddley once sang “You can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover” and he was wise. Keeping that in mind I put the debut long player of 777 (Triple Seven) in the player despite a cover design that first gave me a negative feeling. Boy, was I wrong! This album is excellent. These three boys come from Germany and play neo-rockabilly as if they invented it. They write their own material and they’re pretty good at that. Sure, maybe one song or two lack of originality but I’ll always prefer a rock’n’roll band that writes his own stuff rather than hearing the classics covered again and again.
Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats are obvious influences on the trio. But “influence” doesn’t mean “carbon copy”. The trio brings enough of its personnality, and sometimes even a pop sensibility, in the mix to develop a sound of their own. Nikolai Potter is a strong singer and a very good guitar player too and he’s perfectly supported by his two partners in crime, Oliver Leggewie on drums and Franz Stiegemann on double bass. A very good surprise.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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