FERNANDO LAVADO - UNA NOCHE CON MIS HÉROES

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1. Historia de los Rockers   2. Long Long Some Blues   3. Boom Boom   4. As Long As I Have You   5. Glad All Over   6. Rip It Up   7. Donna   8. My Way   9. Anna (Go With Him)   10. The Wanderer   11. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree   12. Blue Christmas   13. As Long As I Have You (versión piano)

Autoeditado / Sin nº de referencia

For those of you who don't know Fernando Lavado, just note that he has been playing Rockabilly since the mid 80's (even before) leading the Spanish band Gatos Locos... So he is not at all a newcomer, but one of the most important names in Spanish Rockabilly story for sure. As simple as that.

With that in mind, I bought the CD even though I don't usually like records that have just covers. At least, I thought, they are not the usual covers that everybody plays.

And when I played the CD... Oh, boy! I found that it was a good record! Fernando Lavado, with the help of a selection of good musicians (some of the from the band Desguace Café), has made his very own covers of some Rock'n'Roll classics. I mean, in his very own style, not trying to copy the originals. That's a clever decision, I believe.

And with that personal style, Fernando Lavado offers outstanding versions of slow songs such as "Donna", "Blue Christmas" or "As Long As I Have You" (I do firmly believe that Fernando Lavado is one of the best singers when singing "rockaballads"). But, more than that, he also delivers good covers of the Rocking songs and "Glad All Over", "My Way" or "The Wanderer" sound also great, as does a very good version of "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree".

By the way, of the 13 cuts included, just "Historia de los Rockers" ("Story Of The Rockers") is sung in Spanish, being all the others in English.

So, this is a covers record, yes sir, but I've enjoyed it a lot. Good work.

THE DRAGTONES - THE DEVIL INSIDE

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CARA A = The Devil Inside   CARA B = Scream

Sleazy Records / SR100

For their 100th reference, regarding 7", the Spanih label Sleazy Records has decided to release a record by The Dragtones in stunning golden vinyl. Really beautiful (and the picture above doesn't make it justice).

Regarding the musical side, what really matters, the side A is for "The Devil inside", a song penned by singer Luis Arriaga and guitar player Mike Barbwire; while a wild cover in Spanish of "Scream" (of Ralph Nielsen And The Chancellors fame), goes on side B. Both songs have a quite similar wild sound and rhythm, full of energy, maybe much in the "garage" side of Rock'n'Roll.

Congratulations to Sleazy Records for their 100th 7" reference... and keep on with the good work!!!

ROCKER. LA GENERACIÓN DE LAS HOGERAS - MARCO ANTONIO LÓPEZ

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66 rpm Edicions

Before going further, please note that the book is written in Spanish, as you probably may noticed by reading the title.

Once this is clear, it is an interesting book, I have to say, this kind of biography written by Marco Antonio López, who has been the drummer in Rockin' bands such as Nu-Niles, The Lazy Jumpers or The Quasars to name just a few. In this book he reminisces about the years when he and his mates discovered the Rock'n'Roll at the end of the 80's and beginning of the 90's. But the story doesn't end there and there are frequent jumps forward and backwards, from those years to the "near present" and back again, giving a quite good dynamism to the narration.

It's good to find books like this one.

THE RAGTONES - THE RAGTONES

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1. She Got The Rhythm   2. Midnite Blues   3. You're Gone   4. Call Of The Rock'n'Roll

Sleazy Records / SRCD22-36

Great kind of letter of introduction for this Spanish new band with a CD including just 4 songs which I found much too short and has left me asking for more and wondering when a full lenght album will see the light of the day.

Classic good, old Rockabilly in three of the songs and a good touch of Country, but with a Rockabilly feeling, in "Midnite Blues". Two of the songs are penned by band members ("She Got The Rhythm" by Jesús López and "Call Of The Rock'n'Roll" by Héctor Quintero), while the other two are well chosen covers ("Midnite Blues" from Charlie Rich and "You're Gone" from Jimmy Lloyd), all of them very well played in my own opinion.

By the way, it is a new group, yes indeed, but its members come from different bands such as The Beerbellys, Pike Cavalero and so on.

A band to keep an eye on and to keep in mind for future releases. I've enjoyed a lot this brief CD. Well done!

GENE VINCENT AND THE BLUE CAPS - BE BOP BOOGIE BOY

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DISCO 1 = CARA A = 1. Rocky Road Blues   2. Yes, I Love You Baby   CARA B = 3. Say Mama   4. Be Bop Boogie Boy

DISCO 2 = CARA A = 1. Who's Pushing Your Swing   2. Over The Rainbow   CARA B = 3. Anna Annabelle   4. Pistol Packin' Mama

DISCO 3 = CARA A = 1. Darlene   2. Wildcat   CARA B = 3. Right Here On Earth   4. The Night Is So Lonely

DISCO 4 = CARA A = 1. If You Want My Lovin'   2. Mister Loneliness   CARA B = 3. Lucky Star   4. Baby Don't Believe Him

DISCO 5 = CARA A = 1. I'm Going Home   2. Love Of A Man   CARA B = 3. Spaceship To Mars   4. There I Go Again

DISCO 6 = CARA A = 1. King Of Fools   2. You're Still In My Heart   CARA B = 3. Held For Questioning   4. Be-Bop A Lula '62

Sleazy Records / SR-99

Less than half a year ago, in June 2015, I reviewed a box-set released by Sleazy Records with 6 EP's by Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps. All the compliments I wrote then for that box-set have to be repeated now for this second part. All and every single one of them. A wonderful brand new release by the Spanish label with, again, outstanding production (Guillermo Jiménez), artwork (Francho Angás) and sleeve notes (Francho Angás and Rocio Cañas).

This time we get songs which had their original release between 1958 and 1963, still on the Capitol Records label. So the last ones recorded by Gene backed by The Blue Caps and the first ones recorded with different supporting musicians and bands, such as the British Sounds Incorporated. Great songs such as "Be Bop Boogie Boy", which is also the title of the box-set, "Say Mama", "Rocky Road Blues", "I'm Going Home", "Love Of A Man", "Over The Rainbow", the Twist version of "Be-Bop A Lula" recorded in 1962 and so on have been included, showing sometimes a more Pop-orientated Gene Vincent, even if it is with the rockinest cuts when we found him more confident... Well, of course he is also at ease with those ballads that no one sang (or will sing) like him! Just take a glance to the track list and you'll see.

Along with the music we get outstanding sleeve notes for each one of the 6 records, with all the info we may need about when each single song was recorded, under which conditions, in which format were they originally released... And, the icing on the cake, there have been also included 6 kind of trading cards with beautiful pictures of Gene Vincent.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's Gene Vincent and it comes from Sleazy Records. What else can I say?

Good? Better!

 

The box-set contents...

THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA - ROCKIN' RUDOLPH

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1. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree   2. Yabba-Dabba Yuletide   3. Most Wonderful Time Of The Year   4. Rockabilly Rudolph   5. Here Comes Santa Claus   6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas   7. Swingin' Joy   8. Carol Of The Bells   9. Little Jack Frost   10. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing   11. O Little Town Of Bethlehem   12. Yabba-Dabba Yuletide (extended)

Surfdog Records / 51021-2

It's difficult to write about a Christmas songs record when we are just reaching the middle of November... Let alone what it was for the musicians recording it several months ago, maybe in the middle of the summer!

This record is just what it seems to be: a Christmas songs album by The Brian Setzer Orchestra. So then, Christmas Swing style, as it become some kind of a tradition for the band. You get what you see. Of course, with the great Brian Setzer taking the lead, top quality is guaranteed, as are guaranteed for sure those incredible guitar licks that nobody can copy.

"Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree", "Yabba-Dabba Yuletide" (a Christmas adaptation of the famous "The Flinstones" song), "Rockabilly Rudolph" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" are likely to be the best songs among the Rocking ones; while "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" (instro) are the highlights among the slow ones.

If Christmas is for you the most wonderful time of the year, you're going to like this CD and would be a good choice to put rhythm with style to the season.

CRAZY CAVAN 'N' THE RHYTHM ROCKERS - THE REAL DEAL

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1. My Baby's Been Cheating Again   2. Rattlesnake Daddy   3. Don't Blame It On Me   4. Smokey Joe's   5. Drapes 'n' Drainpipes   6. Something Wrong With You   7. Zing Zing   8. Drive-In-Movie   9. What Will I Tell My Heart?   10. Hush Your Mouth   11. No Kissing At The Hop   12. Wo Ho-Ho-Ho   13. Little Miss Misguided   14. How Do You Do Me?   15. La La La   16. You Done Me Wrong Domino

Crazy Rhythm Music / CRCD16

Brand new record by the Welsh band and it is their record number... Well, I haven't counted them all but of course they have released a good amount of records along all those years as they are rocking and rolling since the late 60's, being one of the first bands in what was called the Rockabilly Revival.

If we put this new record in comparison with previous ones by the band, we have to admit that probably it is not close to their best ones, mainly if we have in mind such records as "Crazy Rhythm", "Rockabillity" and so on, that are keystones in the History of Rock'n'Roll. More than that, why not to say it, time goes by and Mr. Cavan and his mates are no exception and are no youngsters...

But, once we have admitted that, we have to be fair and also admit that the whole band sounds powerful, full of energy and that it is a good record. Pure, good, old Crazy Cavan 'n' The Rhythm Rockers. Pure, good, old Crazy Rhythm: that beat or style that only this band has and that is their trademark.

There are 16 songs in a little bit more than half an hour. Short and direct, without nothing unnecessary. For that reason "The Real Deal" seems to me a perfect title for this album. Songs penned by Mr. Cavan Grogan himself ("Drapes 'n' Drainpipes", "Little Miss Misguided" and "You Done Me Wrong Domino") along with songs from different sources, with the couple Domino / Bartholomew taking the lead with two songs ("Don't Blame It On Me" and "La La La"). Covers and other's songs are well chosen, far away from standards and common places.

Fast songs such as "My Baby's Been Cheating Again", "Rattlesnake Daddy", "Smokey Joe's" or "Wo Ho-Ho-Ho" and slow songs such as "Something Wrong With You" or "What Will I Tell My Heart?" find their place into the track list, being more the songs from the "fast ones" group... but bearing the history of the band in mind and all their previous records, this doesn't come as a surprise, isn't it?

If I have to highlight one song, my pick will be "Smokey Joe's", a song that has the feeling of the band's old hits. "Rattlesnake Daddy", "Don't Blame It On Me", "No Kissing At The Hop" or "Drapes 'n' Drainpipes" are other goods songs to be highlighted. Anyway, I'll say it once and again, it seems to me a good record.

As a footnote, I'll remark that Michael Coffey, the historical Rhythm Rockers drummer just appears on the 16th cut, "You Done Me Wrong Domino", being Brian Davies who took the drumsticks for the recording of the other fifteen. Lyndon Needs and Terry Walley are still in charge of the guitars, Graham Price of the electric bass and, of course, Cavan Grogan puts his unmistakable voice to all the songs.

Personally, "The Real Deal" is a record I recommend: a brand new record from one of the most important bands in the History of Rockabilly is not a thing you can ignore and let go... More than that, they remain true to their Crazy Rhythm beat and it is a good record. Go get it!

Long live Crazy Cavan 'n' The Rhythm Rockers!

WILLIE NELSON & MERLE HAGGARD - DJANGO AND JIMMIE

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1. Django And Jimmie   2. It's All Going To Pot   3. Unfair Weather Friend   4. Missin' Ol' Johnny Cash   5. Live This Long   6. Alice In Hulaland   7. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right   8. Family Bible   9. It's Only Money   10. Swinging Doors   11. Where Dreams Come To Die   12. Somewhere Between   13. Driving The Herd   14. The Only Man Wilder Than Me

Legacy (Sony Music) / 88875093782

Two true Country & Western veterans such as Willie Nelson (born in 1933, so 82 years old) and Merle Haggard (born four years later, in 1937, and then 78 years old) have released in 2015 this record working together, showing that their age is not a problem at all for doing a good job. Because this record is a very good job, yes indeed.

Good old Country music. The real deal, not that sweetened Pop music that some people want to sell as Country music just because the singer sports a Stetson hat. No way. this CD is not that at all. Of course, with the background of the couple it is impossible to get that and it has to be real Country & Western. And more than that, despite being around 80 years old both of them, their voices sound powerful.

It is, I insist, a classic Country & Western record, with some songs made to dance, such as "It's All Going To Pot" or "It's Only Money"; some others of those called "tear in the beer songs", with "Live This Long", "Unfair Weather Friend" and "Where Dreams Come To Die" outstanding among them; and a third group of songs that remain in the middle of the road, being "Missing Ol' Johnny Cash" the best of them, a beautiful tribute to the Man in Black. A song that I believe is the best one of the whole CD and in which they have received the help of another Country star: Bobby Bare.

Fourteen songs, including some composed by Willie Nelson and/or Merle Haggard and some from different sources, both brand new for this record and old ones receiving a new chance.

The record, in its style, is a good one and I have to admit that I like it a lot. The only "negative" thing of the CD (and it's not that negative!) is to have included another cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Even with the good version recorded by Mr. Nelson and Mr. Haggard, I wonder if the world was really needing the zillionth cover of that song...

Just a few more lines to highlight the good artwork for the sleave and for the booklet, with wonderful pictures of the two stars.

If you like Country & Wester music, you're going to enjoy this record for good.

UNCLE CHARLIE COMBO - 45'S & MORE

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1. Pretendin' To Be Cool   2. Sugar Hill   3. Don't Tell Me Your Trubles   4. Mambo Cut Boogie   5. Fireball   6. Broken Hearted   7. Blues & Truble Everywhere   8. Goodbye Trouble, Welcome Loneliness   9. Lonesome Feelin' Blues   10. (I Know) You Don't Love Me   11. Dire Need   12. Twin Guitar Boogie   13 Drive Me Home   14. It's My Life   15. Pretendin' To Be Cool (single version)

CAB Records / Cab 56011

Uncle Charlie Combo, or Mr. Carlos A. del Bosque with different supporting musicians, presents a CD which is just what its title says: songs previously released in 7" vinyl format plus some others to fulfill a little bit more of 35 minutes of Rockabilly and some Rock'n'Roll. And when I write "Rockabilly" I mean true Rockabilly.

Fifteen songs (or fourteen, because "Pretendin' To Be Cool" has been included twice, though in two different takes), eight of them composed by Carlos A. del Bosque himself, plus two by Carlos and someone else (one with Sonny West and one with Phil Riza) and four songs from different sources (two from Sonny West, one from Ike Turner and one from Vern Pullen).

As said before, it is a record made up of songs from previous singles, etc. As a matter of fact, we can read at the sleeve notes that there have been included recordings from 2010 to 2015. But even with that gap of time between recordings the CD has a quite homogeneous sound and feeling, probably thanks to the fact that all but one the recording sessions had the same persong mastering and mixing (Ely Agramunt) and also to Uncle Charlie's own Rockin' style, a style that comes right from the 50's Rockabilly pioneers and that I have to admit that I love.

To choose a single song of the CD is just impossible, but I would like to highlight "Pretendin' To Be Cool", the instro "Mambo Cut Boogie", "Goodbye Trouble, Welcome Loneliness", the Hillbilly feeling of "Drive Me Home" and "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (with the slapbass work of Adolfo Ruiz shinning by its own). Well, I've mentioned almost all the songs composed by Carlos A. del Bosque... and probably all the songs deserve to be highlighted.

Regarding other's compositions or collaborations, my favourites ones are "Twin Guitar Boogie", with great interplay between two guitar aces such as Carlos and Phil Riza, "Broken Hearted" and "Sugar Hill", reminiscing Buddy Holly from the very first note, no doubt because it comes from the songbook of Sonny West (who wrote for instance the great "Rave On" that was a hit for Buddy Holly).

A wonderfull record, to make it short, that I just have to highly recommend. Good, old, true Rockabilly. By the way, you can get this CD through the artist's own website (www.carlosadelbosque.com).

Uncle Charlie Combo at a 2013 show in Pamplona (Spain),

with Uncle Charlie / Carlos A. del Bosque (guitar and singing),

Adolfo Ruiz (slapbass) and Juan Fresneda (drums).

DANI NEL·LO - SAX-O-RAMA

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1. 4 saxos 4   2. Zarpazo   3. Twist City   4. Chili negro   5. Ciao King   6. Lluvia sobre el cuero   7. El lobo de la ciénaga   8. Pantano Walk   9. Demasiado lejos   10. 60 monos   11. La Cobra vs. McCann   12. Sax Attack   13. Strollin' With The King   14. Las luces del Fillmore

Buenritmo / BR021CD

If there is a sax-player in Spain whose name is immediately related to Rock'n'Roll, that's Dani Nel·lo. He has been the sax-player for such bands as Los Rebeldes, Nel·lo y La Banda del Zoco or Mambo Jambo, to name the most known three, and he has also appeared on stage backing international stars such as Nick Curran.

With that curriculum and in a moment in which Mambo Jambo seems to be having a break, Dani Nel·lo has given himself the pleasure of recording 14 instro songs and to release them in this "Surf-O-Rama", where his tenor sax is almost all the time in the spotlight.

Fourteen instro songs, as with his band Mambo Jambo but, it is important to highlight it, with a quite different style because, as said before, here the sax is always leading the songs.

By the way, the rest of musicians working in this record are top ones, two Mambo Jambo included: Mario Cobo (guitar) and Anton Jarl (drums), plus Dani Baraldés (guitar) and Santi Úrsul (bass).

Along the around 47 minutes of this CD we get from Rock'n'Roll to plain Blues and, above all, Rhythm'n'Blues. Lots of good old Rhythm'n'Blues. It has to be said that this record is in some way a tribute to those saxophonists from the 40's and 50's who played Rhythm'n'Blues and who stepped forward to be Rock'n'Roll pioneers: artists such as King Curtis, Big Jay McNeely or Sam Butera, to name just three.

It is a record that I've enjoyed a lot, maybe thanks to the different rhythms and moods we have along its songs: great slow Blues songs such as "Lluvia sobre el cuero", "Demasiado lejos" or "Strollin' With The King" that are a real pleasure to listen to; mixed with songs with a speeded up rhythm somewhere between Rhythm'n'Blues and Rock'n'Roll such as "Ciao King", "Sax Attack" (my favourite two of the record) or "60 monos", for example. Fourteen songs that are a musical trip from the 40's to the 60's of the 20th Century.

If you like instro Rhythm'n'Blues and the sound of the tenor sax, I think you have to give a chance to this Dani Nel·lo's "Sax-O-Rama".

MARCEL RIESCO - A RECORD DATE WITH

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SIDE A = 1. Long Time No Love   2. Because He Broke Your Heart   3. Dumbstruck   4. Fickle Heart   5. They Say   6. I've Been Draggin' Since You've Gone   7. I Wonder

SIDE B = 1. Little Angel   2. Shook Up   3. Can't Forget Your Love   4. Gypsy Man   5. I Was A Fool   6. Oh Yeah   7. Under The Light Of The Blue Moon

Sleazy Records / SRLP-13

Let's go first for the obvious: when you listen to Marcel Riesco's voice, Roy Orbison comes to your mind. But he is not a copycat. Not at all. Marcel Riesco has his own style, his own way of Rockin' and a lot of years on the stage (and recording). Anyway, he is not trying to hide that his voice is really similar to the voice of "the Big O". It is his voice, so it would be hard to hide it.

As said before, Marcel Riesco has been rocking and rolling for quite a long time, leading for instance the Truly Lover Trio, but this is the first record released using his own name if my memory serves me well.

Time to go for the important part of any record review: the songs. In this LP released by Sleazy Records we get fourteen songs, being ten of them composed by Marcel Riesco himself. The other four are covers: two coming from the team Roy Orbison plus Joe Melson ("Long Time No Love" and "Shook Up"), one from the couple Roy Orbison and Norman Petty ("I Was A Fool") and another one from Joe Melson ("Oh Yeah"). Well chosen covers, I have to say, and making good use of that Marcel Riesco's voice, reminiscing Roy Orbison.

The ten songs composed by Marcel Riesco are also well selected and among them we found a blend of Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly with signs and traces not only from Roy Orbison, but also from Buddy Holly in a certain way. Songs such as "Because He Broke Your Heart", "Dumbstruck" or "Gipsy Man" are good examples of that Rocking part. There are some good ballads included as well, such as "Fickle Heart" or "Under The Light Of The Blue Moon". Good songs all along the record, so to highlight any of them will depend on each one's preferences.

Anyway, the third song of the B side, "Can't Forget Your Love", has become a personal favourite that has me almost hypnotized, listening to it again and again: a wonderful simple song, almost pure acoustic, with drums played with brushes and in which the electric guitar just comes in for the break and to finish the song. Just wonderful, believe me. Pure gold.

Note that the recording was done in Germany, at Lightning Recorders in Berlin, with Ike Stoye and Axel Praefcke as recording engineers... Not bad at all.

A very good record this "A Record Date With Marcel Riesco" that deserves to be included in any decent Rock'n'Roll record collection.

LOS VOLIDOS - THE NEW FAVOURITES OF

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SIDE A = 1. Hot Rods Nite   2. Go Back You Fool   3. Ride On Me, Babe!

SIDE B = 4. Johnny Law   5. I'll Leave My Home   6. Show Me The Light.

Sleazy Records / SR10-09

First of all, I have to confess that Los Volidos is one of my favourite bands among the ones that we can enjoy nowadays in action. And this brand new 10" shows for sure the good quality and high level of the work of these guys from Asturias, Spain, with a style true to the good old Hillbilly mixed up with a good deal of almost as old Rockabilly that makes you dance from the very first notes. No way to remain stand still. Believe me.

A "mini-LP" in 10" format, released by Sleazy Records, in which we get 3 songs per side, four of them being composed by the band: "Hot Rods Nite", Ride On Me, Babe!", "I'll Leave My Home" and "Show Me the Light". All of them really good in that above-mentioned "Rockabilly meets Hillbilly" style where the presence of the steel guitar helps quite a lot in that blend. Or Rockabilly, giving more strength to the "billy" half of the word.

The other two songs are a couple of very well chosen covers, fitting perfectly with the rest of the album: "Go Back You Fool" is a cover of a song recorded by Faron Young as long way back as in 1955 for Capitol, while "Johnny Law" is a cover of a much more recent song, coming from the songbook of Wayne Hancock and having been recorded by Hancock himself in 1997.

Six very good indeed songs, recorded in December 2014 and released in 2015 but that could have been recorded in the 50's of the 20th Century for the Starday label. Now you can say I'm mad for writing that, but go and listen to the record first, please.

It has to be also highlighted the artwork for the sleeve: a beautiful picture in sepia colour for the cover and black and white pictures used for the back, helping a lot in that time-travelling back to the 50's...

Outstanding work of all four Los Volidos' members: Mauro Regueiro playing guitar and singing the songs composed by the band; Mark Polza playing steel guitar and rhythm guitar as well as giving voice to the covers; Marcos Alonso keeping the beat at the drums; and Pikos Kid doing the same but with the double-bass. All of them have to be given their share of applause. So good!

Brief: great 50's style Rockabilly and Hillbilly... made in the 21st Century! Highly recommended.

ROCKABILLY - MANUEL LOPEZ POY (GUIDE)

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Redbook Ediciones

Why do they call it "Rockabilly" when they mean "Rock'n'Roll"? It is true that an explanation about the differences between both of them is given in the introduction, but why not using "Rock'n'Roll" when you are going to write, precisely, about Rock'n'Roll? The only explanation I found is that the collection to which this book belongs is called "Guías del Rock & Roll" ("Rock & Roll Guides" in English) and maybe they are trying to avoid any confusion. Anyway...

This is going to be a short review, as this book is written in Spanish and there are lots of good books written in English about the same matter.

I do believe that this book, written by Manuel López Poy, is a good idea as it is probably the first one to be written in Spanish trying to explain the whole history of Rock'n'Roll through short reviews (very short, sometimes) on singers, groups, labels, etc. from its origins to nowadays. Of course, the selection of the names included is very subjective and any of us will take out some of them to add some others. For instance, I found that Charlie Feathers, Sid King, The Fireballs, Ray Sharpe or Jackie Wilson among the singers and groups and Starday, Meteor, or The Norman Petty Recording Studios among the labels, etc. have more than enough value and importance to have been included... But it is the writer who has the right to choose, so I guess it is fair enough.

What I really dislike about this book is that there are so many typos spread along the text that, sometimes, its reading is just annoying. Maybe a little bit more of attention from the editor's side (or whoever's job was to check those kind of things) was needed.

Brief, a quite good idea with a big problem with typos.

TENNESSEE - LUZ DE GAS

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1. Pretty Woman   2. Tu mal humor   3. Llueve en mi corazón   4. Suena Ding Dong   5. A Marilyn   6. Black Or White   7. Labios de la suerte   8. Guitar Blues   9. Cotton Fields   10. Una noche en Malibú   11. Dame tu amistad   12. Rama Lama Ding Dong   13. Baila conmigo un Twist   14. Siempre lucharé por tu amor   15. Choo Choo Booguie   16. Dame más amor   17. Silhouettes   18. Mil palabras de amor   19. Suspicious Minds   20. Tonto por ti   21. Let's Rock And Roll   22. Te vi correr

Self-released / No ref. #

Tennessee is the pioneer band for Doo-Wop (or Du-Dua, as they call it) in Spain and in my very own opinion they have never received all the respect they deserve for their work... and this CD + DVD, recorded live, is a new proof of their quality.

What we get along the 22 songs included in the CD (25 in the DVD) is a trip through the most well known songs of the band, both own compositions and covers, most of them in Spanish. I would like to highlight "Tu mal humor", "A Marilyn", "Labios de la suerte" (a cover of Ruth Brown's "Lucky Lips" and probably my favourite in this record) or "Guitar Blues", to name just a few. On the other side we have "Pretty Woman" and "Suspicious Minds" being the weakest selections as I believe they do not fit quite OK with the band's style.

It has to be also highlighted the great sound quality of the recording, bearing in mind that it is a self-edited live recording, as both the CD and the DVD have a powerful, clear sound.

By the way, the show was recorded on June 27, 2014 in Barcelona, being a show held to raise funds and give support to an association that helps kids affected by the Sanfilippo disease. The CD + DVD have been released with the same target in mind.

Good record for a good cause!

THE COUNTRY SIDE OF HARMONICA SAM - OPEN LETTER TO THE BLUES

Puedes leer la versión en español de este blog en

elrockandrollyyo.blogspot.com

1. A Double Shot Of Heartache   2. Forbidden Wine   3. Farther Than My Eyes Can See   4. It's Such A Pretty World Today   5. I Regret It Every Day   6. That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk   7. Open Letter To The Blues   8. I'm Walking Slow   9. We Have Strayed So Far Away   10. Followed Closely By My Teardrops   11. The Day I Let Him In   12. The Storm Within My Heart   13. Dying A Little Every Day Is Killing Me   14. I'm Down To My Last Cigarette

El Toro Records / ETCD 6068

Terrific! What a great record! I loved this record from the very first time I played it. Really, what a very good record by the Swedish singer and band members. I knew Harmonica Sam for his Rhythm'n'Blues side: he is very good in Rhythm'n'Blues and Rock'n'Roll, but this step to Country music has been well done, showing a good knowledge of the field he was entering in. After listening to the CD, I feel that Harmonica Sam took the way knowing for sure where he was going to. Doing and not trying.

From the very first notes of the very first song ("A Double Shot Of Heartache") I felt I was listening to a 50's or early 60's Hillbilly band and I kept that feeling up to the last song ("I'm Down To My Last Cigarette"). Pure good old Hillbilly, Honky Tonk, with a Baskerfild Sound feeling and, why not saying it, sometimes Dwight Yoakam's first records coming to my mind.

I'll say it again: it is a very good record indeed, with not a single bad song in it. Fourteen great songs going from uptempo to ballads, including a mixture of own compositions (such as "I Regret It Every Day") and well chosen covers (like "Farther Than My Eyes Can See"). It would be unfair to highlight any of them among the others as all are great songs, very well played.

Believe me, please: if you like old style Country & Western, you'll love this record. If not... this is the record to start loving it. By the way, all the good words and praises witten by Deke Dikerson in the booklet are well deserved by the band and are an act of justice.

Their share of applause has to be given as well to El Toro Records for believing in a Country band from Sweden such as The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam. Note that you can also get this album in vinyl LP format (ref. # BE117).

Standing ovation for "Open Letter To The Blues" by The Country Side Of Harmonica Sam.

Harmonica Sam on the stage

during Ubangi Stomp festival 2015.