Virgil

Accelerators (the)

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)

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

Ray Campi

RayCampi

Ray Campi – The Rollin’ Rock Recordings Vol. 1

Part Records PART-CD 613.004

Rockabilly Rebel / Sack Of Love / A 50 Dollar Upright / I Let The Freight Train Carry Me On / Doin’ My Time / The Rip-Off / Rockin’ And Rollin’ / Cincinnati Cindy / Goodbye Love, Hello Heartache / Jungle Fever / When I Saw Your Face In The Moon / You Stick Out In Pretty Places / Second Story Man / Don’t Get Pushy / Cravin’ / Separate Ways / I’m Gonnan Bid My Blues Goodbye / How Can I Get On Top / Little Young Girl / Chew Tabacco Rag / You Don’t Rock ‘N’ Roll At All / Ruby Ann / I Don’t Know Why You Still Come Around / Running After Fools / Jimmie Skins The Blues

After recording a batch of seminal rockabilly singles in the fifties (see Texas Rockabilly vol. 2 – Rollin’ the Rock on Eltoro) Ray Campi more or less retired from music. By 1971, when  Rockin’ Ronny Weiser contacted him, he was an English teacher. It didn’t take long to convince him to record again. Not only Ray recorded albums on his own but also became Rollin’ Rock’s studio band playing with Mac Curtis, Jimmie Lee Maslon and Jackie Lee Cochran.
This fine package gathers Campi’s first two album cut for Rollin Rock on which he plays almost all the instruments. With the help of Weiser, Campi managed to recapture the excitement and the fun of the 50’s rockabilly but with a modern twist thus creating a brand new sound. These recordings are almost as essential as his 50’s sides, not only for their musical quality but also for their historical values and the countless bands they influenced.
The cd comes with a detailed booklet featuring liner notes by Ray himself, Ronnie Weiser, Wild Bob Burgos, Rip Masters and Mario Cobo.
Essential! Part Records must be congratulated for their hard word at releasing this stuff like they did with Mac Curtis’ Rollin Rock sides, Ravenna and the Magnetics and Ripsaw records.

www.part-records.de 

Obscuritones (the)

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the-obscuritonesThe Obscuritones – S/T

Brockwell Records BRKR1
Angel Eyes – HS Baby – 15 Seconds – Bad Mood – Rockabilly Boogie – Jim Dandy – Vapour Club Boogie – This Little Girls Gone Rockin’ – Genocide Blues – Brockell Beach – Dumb Luck – Molly Broom
The Obscuritones are a London sextet fronted by two female lead singer (Joey Hill and Gaby Romano) . The rest of the band consists of Hugh Byrne and Samantha Kidman on guitars, Andrew Bavington on double bass and Phil Casey on drums.
I first came across their name while browsing on youtube and to say the truth I wasn’t that impressed but I was probably in a bad mood because after listening to their debut album I promptly revised my judgement. These guys and gals are good. They play rockabilly but they doesn’t sound contrived or limited by the genre. They approach it with a free and open minded attitude that is refreshing when most of the bands try to either sound mean or more authentic than Charlie Feathers (or both!). To give you a slight idea of their style try to imagine the sweet harmonies of the Miller Sisters backed by the Stray Cats . As said before, they are not limited to Rockabilly, bringing a touch of surf here and there (especially with Sam’s twangy guitar on the surf instrumental Brockwell Beach), a more country tinged number (Molly Broom) and 80’s neo-rockabilly/psychobilly with Andy Byrne’s Vapour Club Boogie and Genocide Blues that he also sings (he also duets on the excellent Dumb Luck).
On the twelve songs that make the album you’ll find three covers (Rockbilly Boogie, Jim Dandy and This Little Girls Gone Rockin’ originally performed respectively by Johnny Burnette Rock’n’Roll Trio, Lavern Baker and Ruth Brown) the remaining nine songs are originals with every member (except for bassist Andy Bavington) having penned at least one song.
All in all an excellent debut album (they also have a vinyl single on Rydell Records with Angel Eyes b/w Rockabilly Boogie).
www.theobscuritones.com/

 

Zazou Cowboys (The )

zazouThe Zazou Cowboys – Song Folio

[2012]
Hot Wing Stomp – Do You Ever Think Of Me – Lonesome Flame – I Could Be Your Cowboy – I’m That Fool -Queensize Matrimony Blues – She Sets A Place For Two – Loud Mouth – Happy Trails – Rangin’
Bonus on CD:Daydream In F – Dedicated To You – Heartstring Rhumba – Fairweather Lover – Southward Bound – Little Flower – Red’s Boogie
The Zazou Cowboys are an exciting combo formed in 2008 by Chris Wilkinson and Yann Mahdjoub aka the Bonneville Barons with Willy Briggs (Lynette Morgan and the Blackwater Valley Boys, the Tennessee Rhythm Riders, the Radio Ramblers) and Rebecca Willson. Chris and Willy trade licks on guitars and occasional steel (both sing too), Rebecca adds subtle swing violin at time then switch to hot fiddle while Yann provides the backbone with his string bass.
The music they play is perfectly described by their name. The jazz and wild elements of the Zazou culture mixed with the western ballads of the late 30’s / early 40’s and of course a good dose of western swing. They releleased their debut album last year and it’s a killer both musically and visually. It comes in a nice limited to 1000 edition 12″ vinyl LP with gatefold sleeve that includes the CD.

Headcoats Sect (thee)

Thee Headcoat Sect-1 Thee Headcoat Sect-2

Thee Headcoats Sect

Deerstalking Men – DAMGOOD265CD
Strychnine – My Dear Watson – Fog-Bound Pinhead – Troubled Times – Cowboys Are Square – Baby What’s Wrong – Why Don’t Toy Smile Now – The Witch – Squaresville – Lie Detector – Deerstalking Man – I’m A Gamekeeper

Ready Sect Go!– DAMGOOD266CD
Ain’t That Just Like Me – Down In The Bottom – I’m A King Be – Take Out Some Insurance On Me – Knight Of The Baskervilles – I’m A Lover Not A Fighte – Mean Red Spider – A Certain Girl – She’s Fine She’s Mine – I Got Love If You Want It – Ready Sect Go – I’m Ready

A recent discussion with a friend about the Rolling Stones and Sir Jagger’s birthday brought the name of the Downliners Sect back to the map. After that, it wasn’t long before we talked about the Headcoats Sect.
It seemed inevitable that sooner than later, Billy Childish would meet those ’60s rhythm’n’blues misfits that are Keith Grant and Don Craine of the Downliners Sect. Back in the sixties, The Downliners Sect were raw, and next to them, the Rolling Stones and the Pretty Things sounded almost suave. Needless to say that no one ever thought of ennobling Craine nor Grant. And though there was a generation between them, they were clearly with the same page, like fathers and sons. It was not just the hat; it was the music, the sense of humor, and the attitude, both bands sharing the same aggressive, rough, and no-compromise approach. Together they recorded two albums in the second half of the ’90s. Each band benefited from this fruitful collaboration. Childish, Johnson, and Brand brought the freshness of their youth, the right backing band (with a special nod to Johnny Johnson on harp), as well as a bunch of Childish originals that seemed tailored fit for the two veterans. Craine and Grant brought a touch of professionalism to the project. Thee Headcoats records often sound as if they were recorded in the kitchen on a mono/two-track cheap recorder. Nothing like that here with Liam Watson’s recording who managed to capture the vibe without altering the spontaneity of the performance. Musically both acts melt perfectly, Craine’s rhythm guitar and Grant’s superb fuzzy bass perfectly complementing Thee Headcoats. Worth mentioning is the musical dialog on “I’m A Dearstalking Man” and “Ready Sect Go.”
The first album relies more on Childish’s classics with some covers thrown in for good measure (including two Sonics tunes) while “Ready Sect Go” contains classic blues/rhythm’n’blues covers with two Childish originals (Knight of the Baskervilles and Ready Sect Go!). Both are excellent and complimentary.

Find them on Damaged Good website.

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