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Rhythm River Trio (the)

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the Rhythm River Trio - Honky Tonkin Around
the Rhythm River Trio – Honky Tonkin Around

The Rhythm River Trio – Just Honky Tonkin’ Around

Rhythm Bomb Records RBR 5774 {2014}
Honky Tonkin’ Around – Teardrops From Your Eyes – Honky Tonk Blues – Monday Mornin’ – Wild Side Of Life – Love Come Back To Me – Bear Cat – Rhythm On The River – Rockin’ and Flyin’ – So Did I – Gone and Left Me Blues – I’ll Go My Way.

The other good surprise to come from Great-Britain in the recent months are the Rhythm River Trio. Actually, this drummerless trio formed by David Short (vocals, rhtythm guitar), Morgan Willis (lead guitar) and Bruno Pannone (double bass) is not that recent, they got together in 2009, but I just discovered them with this album called Just Honky Tonkin’ Around, their second lp.
It was recorded at Sugar Rays, a brand new recording studio that seems to come straight from the fifties and ran, among others, by Pat Rayford. The result is an album with a superb warm and mono sound.
But a vintage studio wont turn lead into gold! For that it is better to have great musicians… and the Rhthm River Trio certainly are. They are a tight little ensemble with a superb singer who sings with heart and class. And both he and Willis can write solid originals that stand well next to Hank Williams and Eddie & Hank Cochran. Nothing less.
So what about the music they play? It’s a highly enjoyable mix between the honky tonk of Hank Williams and the early rockabilly sides of Charlie Feathers with some Sun influences and a bit of blues (they cover Ruth Brown’s Teardrop From My Eyes and Rufus Thomas’ Bear Cat). They have a guest steel guitar (Jeff Mead who played with Sonny George) on a couple of tracks, Pedro Duarte plays harp on Bear Cat and Pat Rayford sang backing vocals on Jimmy patton’s Love Come Back to Me.
Available here.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

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

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

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)

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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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