Browse Tag

western swing - Page 2

Lynette Morgan And The Blackwater Valley Boys

Published on
Lynette Morgan

Lynette MorganLynette Morgan And The Blackwater Valley Boys – Step Back Brother

Dog House Records [2016]
Roadside Diner – Wolf Talk – Let’s Stay Together – Yodel Song – Step Back Brother – Avalon – Dear Mother – Were Gonna Rock – Portobello Fellow

Since the Tennessee Rhythm Riders appeared on the rockin’ scene, we all know that Lynette Morgan is one talented lady when it comes to sing Hillbilly music.
Her latest album, recorded by Pat reyford at Sugar Ray’s vintage studio, with Willy Briggs on steel guitar, Gary Boller on double bass and Chris Wilkinson on guitar and drums (being a man of many talents he’s also in charge of the beautiful graphic design) definitely proves it.

“Step Back Brothers” is, with Charlie Thompson’s Foothill Sessions and the Doel Brothers’ recent releases, one of the very best Hillbilly bop/western swing  influenced album to come from Great Britain.

It features two covers – Avalon, the old jazz standard also covered by Milton Brown and the Light Crust Doughboys, and Jimmy Newman/Rusty and Doug’s Let’s Stay Together – and seven originals penned by Briggs (Roadside Dinner), Briggs and Boller (Portobello Fellow also sung by Boller) and Morgan (the remaining five.)
As I said, this is super fine Hillbilly bop with plenty of Maddox Brothers and Rose influences but also shades of Johnny Horton (Wolf Talk), early western swing reminiscent of Patsy Montana’s band the Sweet Violet Boys (reinforced by the presence of a clarinet on three tunes), a waltz (the touching Dear Mother) and a bit of yodel madness (who doesn’t like some yodel ?)

Do not miss this perfect album and grab a copy while you can!

Lynette Morgan
Lynette Morgan © RK Studio

BR5-49

Published on
BR5-49 - One Long Saturday Night plus
BR5-49 – One Long Saturday Night plus

BR5-49 – One Long Saturday Night, plus

Bear Family BCD 17347
Even If It’s Wrong – Long Gone Lonesome Blues – Heartaches By The Number – Bettie Bettie – Right Or Wrong – Hometown Boogie – Honky Tonk Song – Go Boy Go – Lonesome 7-7203 – My Name Is Mud – I Ain’t Never – Little Ramona (Gone Hillbilly Nuts) – Big Mouth Blues – Cherokee Boogie – Ole Slewfoot – Crazy Arms – Gone, Gone, Gone – One Long Saturday Night – Take Me Back To Tulsa – Hillbilly Tramp – Settin’ The Woods On Fire – Knoxville Girl – Sweet Georgia Brown

BR5-49 came like a breath of fresh air in the musical landscape of Nashville. Sure they weren’t the first to play traditionnal country, others played it on a smaller level, but they managed to get signed on a major lbel and for a while this music was at the place it deserved in the country music industry.
But though I like their songs and style a lot, I always thought that their studio albums sounded a little bit too clean and would have been better with a little more grit. Just imagine how they would have sounded had they been recorded by Wally Hersom at his Wallyphonic studio.
On this live album, recorded in Germany (and four bonus tracks recorded in Japan) in 1996, they show that the stage whether it’s a honky tonk in Dallas or a German TV show was the place where they belonged.
With no pression but the sheer joy of playing for an audience, the band felt free to play whatever they wanted from western swing (Bob Wills’ Right Or Wrong and Take Me Back To Tulsa) to 60’s country rock (Graham Parson’s Big Mouth Blues) with a solid dose of classic Honky Tonk and Rockabilly in between. This is fun from start to finish. Both Mead and Bennett are mighty fine singers and their harmonies are superb (without mentionning their guitar skills), Don Herron is a wizard with anything that has strings while Wilson and McDowell provide the beat with a subtility that too often lacks in modern country. In the end “One long Saturday Night” could possibly be the band’s best album (and as usual with Bear family it comes with a thick booklet including many pictures and liner notes by Chuck Mead).
And for those who think that the experience can’t be complete without Jay’s smile, Chuck’s legs, Gary’s hat, Shaw’s mustache and Don’s overall, Bear has a also released a dvd from the same live.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Charlie Thompson

Published on
///
Charlie Thompson
Charlie Thompson
Charlie Thompson – The Foothill Sessions

Charlie Thompson – The Foothill Sessions

Fairlane Records FCD001 [2015]
Going Like Wildfire – The Automobile Song – A Blue Million Tears – Boogie Blues – We’re Buggin’ Out – I Don’t Care – Let Me Love You Just A Little – So Long – You Tried to Ruin My Name – Ain’t Never Gonna Get Married Again – (We’ve Reached) The Beginning Of the End – I Miss You Already

Beautiful as a Faron Young ep on Capitol (perfectly designed by Chris Wilkinson of the Bonneville Barons and the Zazou Cowboys), here comes Charlie Thompson’s latest output. I believed this one had been recorded a while ago as I heard of these sessions from years now (which makes me feel less guilty for my belated review). It’s also a proof that Charlie didn’t want to release it until he finds it perfect and boy, IT IS PERFECT.
Helped by what could be best described as a dream team of musicians (Jeremy Wakefield on steel, Wally Hersom on bass, Dave Stuckey on rhythm guitar, drums and harmony, Carl Sonny Leyland on piano, TK Smith on guitar and Bobby Furgo on fiddle) and recorded by Wally Hersom at his Wallyphonic studio this platter not only looks but also sounds as if it came straight from the 50’s, a period when country music and honky tonky tonk still meant something.
To put it frankly, this is the best album of traditional country music I’ve heard in ages. Actually I can’t even remember having heard such a good mid-50’s honky tonk album played by a modern artist before. The songs choice (coming from the catalogues of Luke McDaniel, Carl Peterson, Webb Pierce, Jim Reeves, Moon Mullican, Pee Wee King and so on) is also very good mixing slow numbers with more rollicking and swinging stuff (it must be hard to resist with a band like this). And of course there’s Charlie’s voice, sounding like Faron Young, Dave Rich and Marty Robbins all rolled into one but in the same time sounding like none other than Charlie Thompson.
If by now you are not taken by a compelling need to buy it, we both have a problem: me as a reviewer and you with your musical tastes.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Starline Rhythm Boys

Published on
//

starlinerhythmboys_liveThe Starline Rhythm Boys – Live At Charlie-O’s

Cow Island CIM011 [2008]
Yellow Jacket / A Dime At A Time / Heartbreak Tennessee / Charlie-O’s / On The Back Row / Life Begins At 4 O’Clock / Wine Me Up / Lonesome On’ry And Mean / Pipeliner Blues / You’re Still On My Mind / One Foot In The Honky Tonk / She Don’t Live Here No More / Dark Hollow / Live And Let Live / Get A Little Goner / Drunk Tank / Playboy / You Can’t Catch Me / That’s Where I Went Wrong / I’m A Lonesome Fugitive / Gotta Travel On / Too Much Fun / Drink Up And Go Home.

The Starline Rhythm Boys – Masquerade For A Heartache

starlienrhythm boys masqueradeCow Island CIM014 [2009]
Masquerade For Heartache / Jive After Five / Trucker From Tennessee / Workin’ Man Blues / Honky Tonk Gal / Red’s Place / A Mess Of Blues / Goodbye Train / I’m Fed Up Drinking Here / Ubangi Stomp

Here’s the cure to the stress of your everyday life and your summertime blues: the hot rockin’ honky tonk swing style of a Starline Rhythm Boys show in your living room! Recorded live at their homebase of Charlie-O’s bar, it features a typical set of the trio mixing classics from Johnny Paycheck, Wayne Walker, Conway Twitty, Faron Young, Chuck Berry, Bill Kirchen… with a couple of band’s own (She Don’t Live Here, Drunk Tank, That’s Where I Went Wrong). Add the presence of Sean Mencher (High Noon) to produce an play second guitar on one track as well as Kevin Maul on steel (both lap and pedal) and you just have to put the cd in the player and let the fun begins.

Masquerade For A Heartache is the perfect companion to Charlie-O’s with 10 more tracks recorded during the same show. Once again it’s very well balanced between originals (Masquerade…, Red’s Place, I’m Fed Up Drinking Here) and covers of Carl Perkins, Merle Haggard, Elvis. This mini album goes from straight Honky Tonk to Rock’n’roll with a good dose of Rockabilly including one of the best version of Ubangi Stomp I’ve ever had the chance to listen to!

You can buy them separately but do yourself a favor and buy both.

the Starline Rhythm Boys - Red's Place
the Starline Rhythm Boys – Red’s Place

The Starline Rhythm Boys – Red’s Place

Cow Island Music CIM05
A Fighting Chance – No Gal Cooks Like Mine – Red’s Place – It’s Anyone’s Guess – (They’re) Cutting Back the Work Force – That’s Just A Thought – The Joke’s On You – Who – The Family Farm – Drunk Tank – Sin & Salvation – Burning A Hole In My Mind – The Old Filling Station – That’s Where I Went Wrong – I’m Fed Up Drinking Here – A Memory of Fred

The Starline Rhythm Boys are a drummerless trio (Danny Coane, acoustic guitar; “Big Al” Lemery, electric guitar; and Billy Bratcher, doghouse bass) that plays in the same league as High Noon (no wonder to find Sean Mencher on the production seat) and Wayne “The Train” Hancock (Billy Bratcher toured with him by the way). But they don’t stick to the trio format and bring a couple of guests to keep things varied and surprising, and most of all highly enjoyable.
Most of the songs are originals written by Bratcher.”A Fighting Chance” is a powerfull slap bass led hillbilly/proto rockabilly (what a guitar too) with harmony vocals. “No Gal Cooks Like Mine” features a fiddle in addition to the steel and praises the simple domestic joys. The title track has more of a late 50’s honky tonk feel with a bit of Buck Owens in it, still with great harmonies, and a superb piano part. Big Al Lemery is not only a wizard on the telecaster, he’s also a poignant singer and proves it on “It’s Anyone’s Guess” a slow number in the vein of “Before The Next Teardrop Falls” with mandolin, fiddle, light snare and pedal steel. “They’re Cutting Back The Work Force” shows once again what a good songwriter Billy Bratcher is, able to write about booze or social issues ( I Got Kids to feed, but there’s no remorse, once they start cutting the work force“) with equal success. “That’s Just A Thought” is a beautiful little hillbilly bop ditty that looks toward the western swing side of things with each members of the horn section taking solos. They turn Jimmy martin’s bluegrass number “The Joke’s On You” into a uptempo rockabilly. Another cover is Little Walter’s “Who“, which becomes a “hillbilly-blues” (and reminds what High Noon did with “Crazy Mixed Up World” on their Texas Style 10″). “Family Farm” is a sad and beautiful waltz with bluegrass accents. Al Lemery wrote and sings “Drunk Tank” a nice hillbilly bop. The honky Tonk “Sin & Salvation“, on a well known theme, is another proof they never falls into facility. They bring modulation and unusual chords. Man that’s good ! Connie Smith’s “Burning A Hole InMy Mind” adds a welcome touch of 60’s country music.On “The Old Filling Station” with simple words (and a beautiful melody) Bratcher paints a melancholic picture (Do you remember when you never pumped your gas/And the man with the Star was a symbol of class). I really enjoyed “I’m Fed Up Drinking Here“, the best song George Jones never recorded. How can’t you love a band that plays right and sings “The Old Juke box that I leaned on/Was a rock for life’s hard knock but now it’s gone/When a man’s mind ain’t clear/ a lack of George Jones is severe“. The set ends with a sincere hommage to a friend of them, Fred, and you can feel both the love they have for him and the personnality of the man, even if you never met him.
Authenticity is not only a matter of music, it’s above all a state of mind. And this guys play genuine country music that speaks to your heart and your feet.
Thank you for that Boys !

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

Kay Marie

Published on
///

kaymarieKay Marie – s/t

LJ 002
A Kiss Goodnight – You’re so Close (to Losing Me) – He Used to Cry – Sunshine in the Moonlight – Artic Sea – Yours Forever – How Can you Blame a Woman? – Dying for Love – Can’t You See – Doghouse Daddy – The World Can Wait – I Won’t Be Scared – Dead & Gone Blues – You Better Listen – Cry Baby Blues

Kay Marie caught the attention of music lovers through the Golden West Trio but now Kay Marie, the girl with the golden voice, goes solo and releases a brilliant debut album. Introduced by laudatory liner notes written by Big Sandy, it’s a collection of 15 songs including 13 originals.
Though the core of the band remains the same as the Golden West Trio (Kay Marie’s brother Aaron Acquafondata on lead guitar, Kevin Morrison on upright bass and Derek McDonald on drums) the young lady – who also produced all but two songs – invited a couple of musicians to add different musical styles to each song.
After the soft introduction of  A Kiss Goodnight that features some nice jazz violin part, you’re treated with a good dose of late 50’s Honky Tonk with steel guitar with You’re so Close and Sunshine in the Moonlight that captures the spirit of the genre. And this song her voice reminded me one of my very favourite singer, the too often forgotten Ginny Wright. You’ll also find some swing, with the clarinet driven He Used to Be or more in a western swing vein Doghouse Daddy, that reminds of Bullfiddle Boogie and features Lee Jeffriess (Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys) on steel. Blues is not forgotten whether it is electric (Arctic Sea), more jazzy (Can’t You See), with harmonica (You Better Listen) or blue yodel in the style of Jimmie Rodgers (Cry Baby Blues). Also on the bill are a waltz with mandolin, a Presley-esque ballad (How Can You Blame a Woman) and a Tex-mex tune with accordion, all played with the same degree of success. But I kep the best song for the end,  I Won’t Be Scared (also released on vinyl single), a fantastic song that mixes a Louis Prima beat with  a rockabilly feel, an acoustic jazz guitar solo and saxes. You’ll surprise yourself to play it again and again (also watch the excellent video she did for that song).
A very good record full of styles, talent (that voice and the band) and strong songwriting.

Fred “Virgil” Turgis

The Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

Published on
///
the Starliters - Stop Kiddin'
the Starliters – Stop Kiddin’

El Toro3023
Come On Stroll – Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home – I’ll Do It Every Time – I’ll Never Be Your Man – I’m Not A Kid Anymore – I’m Wasting My Time – It’s All Your Fault – Little Grass Shack – Long Gone Train – Once Again With You – Take And Give – Tennessee Local – The Honky Tonk Dream – This Chick Drinks More Than Me – Where My Little Love Has Gone – Who Who Boogie

There’s not that much Italian bands, but quantity doesn’t matter, quality does. And you’ll find quality with the Starliters. Featuring members from the Tribal Bops, this combo has, since the mid 90’s established a solid reputation with releases on On The Hill and Tail. With 16 tracks and 9 originals, their latest release is loaded with excitment, joy and first class musicianship. You’ll find a stroller (the opening track), two wild and frantic rockers (Don’t Wanna Fly Back Home and I’m Wasting My Time), hillbilly boogie (Who Who Boogie and Tennessee Local sung by drummer Frank who is very close to Tenneessee Ernie Ford; both featuring guest Jerry Boogie on piano), western swing (Cindy Walker’s It’s All Your Fault, the excellent This Chick drinks more than me), a ballad (Once again with you) and a BR5-49 type of song (Honky Tonk Dream) and some excellent covers (especially Johnny Horton’s I do it everytime). Icing on the cake,  Rockin’ Bonnie joins force to sing duet on the classic Take and Give.
Available at El Toro
Fred “Virgil” Turgis

1 2 3