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!