Croatia Archives - the rockabilly chronicle

Star Time Playboys (the)

Published on 10 January 201710 January 2017

The Star Time PlayBoys – It’s star Time

Martin’s Garage ‎– ST13-CD-016 [2016]
Barnyard Bob – Sugar Cube – Havana – I’m Surfish – Red Rose Rag – Starless Night – Don’t Wait – Swingin’ With Zotel

I’m awfully late with taht review and thatt’s a shame. I should have reviewed this all instrumental album way much earlier, because it has every quality I ask to this type of records: it’s very well played (and I mean extremely well performed) and it’s short. I hear you moan “if it’s that good why are you happy that it’s short?” Well, too often, instrumental albums tends to be repetitive on the long distance with a couple of filler here or there. Nothing like that here, only the best material ended on this platter. This is just perfect.

The Star Time Playboys take their name from Bob Wills’ band which is always a plus in my book and come from Slovenia. It’s Star Time! is their debut album and it’s a superb mix of country jazz that reminds you the likes of Jimmy Bryant and Jimmie Rivers (also Dave Biller). latin beat with a rock feel, hot and fast picking, surf with a blues influence (kinda Link Wray meets Freddie King), 60’s influenced instrumental and a definitive rockabilly feel everywhere.

The rhythm section is hot and perfectly support Urban Zotei who instantly made his place among today’s great guitar players like the previously mentioned Dave Biller, but also Paul Pigat or Jinx Jones.

I wish to hear more from them in the future and I’d love to hear them try some stuff with a steel guitar.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Mississippi Queen – Oh Yeah!

Rhythm Bomb RBR5818 {2015}
Everybody Have A Ball – Hey Bartender – Oh Yeah – Mississippi Queen – Knock Knock Rattle – My Way Down – Lonely – Same Ol’ Fool – Eyes Of Blue – Brand New Fool – Precious Memories – Ol’ Black Busted Guitar – Bop Train – Why Should I Fall In Love Again?

Mississippi Queen is one of the longest band in activity in Croatia (if not THE longest band) having formed in 1989 and “Oh Yeah!” is their fifth album. They aim at an authentic sound and one could reproach them to the Barnshakers in term of sound; Musically the band is good but the material if not bad (far from that) doesn’t bring something new to the genre (contrary to the Barnshakers who have he songs and the musicianship). Furthermore Don Karlos their singer shows some weakness being slightly off pitch on some songs. Maybe a producer could have helped them to tighten up their sound.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis