THE DEL PRINCE - SONGS WE LOVE

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1. You Are   2. Bluffin   3. I'm Not Good Enough For You   4. Sweet Thing   5. Your Initials   6. I Believe   7. Lucky Girl   8. Rags To Riches   9. Forever   10. Don't Be A Fool   11. Glistening Lights   12. Let's Fall In Love   13. Learning About Love   14. I'm Gonna Try My Wings   15. I'd Be Satisfied   16. Baby Baby   17. If You Love Me

Soul Food Records / SFR:#001

There are records that you love from the very beginning. Here you have one of them, just released. Why? Well, I don't know how to explain it in a clear way. Maybe it's because it's a record of "pure" vocal Rock'n'Roll, or Doo Wop, with just the five voices of the members of The Del Prince plus an acoustic guitar in some songs. Maybe it's because the selection of songs seems brilliant to me: covers, for sure, but far away from the most repeated ones. Maybe it's because The Del Prince give to these covers their very own style and make them their own songs. Maybe it's because those five voices sound great together, as a real team... I can go on writing reasons, but with the ones already given I think you can get my point. Wonderful record.

I'm not at all a Doo Wop expert, eventhough it's a style in Rock'n'Roll that has always got my attention and interest, specially when the bands sing "a capella", a way of doing it that I find risky and just for the braves. Just like The Del Prince have done this CD: only their voices and the help of an acoustic guitar in some songs, as said before. Probably it was this way how it sounded like in the street corners in some cities in the United States back in the golden era of the style, when some pals gathered together to sing along under a streetlight... Who knows! But this record allows your imagination to fly.

Of the 17 songs included, none of them is above the rest in quality: all of them are great and well sung, so preferences will be in personal feelings or will depend on the moment. Anyway, since I first played the record, "Sweet Thing", I Believe" and "Rags to Riches" are the cuts that more often have made me press the "repeat" button on the remote control.

I'm not going to expand myself much more on this review: it's a wonderful record. Simply ask to The Del Prince, for instance through their e-mail (thedelprincedoowopp@gmail.com), how to get it and you'll see. Much more than warmly recommended: a must have.

The Del Prince, back in 2013, during

their show at the Ubangi Stomp Festival

in Benidorm, Alicante, Spain.

THE SAME OLD SHOES - REAL GONE SESSIONS

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1. Real Gone Baby   2. Can't Get Enough   3. That's A Ball   4. Sittin' On My Hands   5. It Would Be A Doggone Lie   6. Get A Knife   7. Shake'em Up Baby   8. Really Don't   9. Bottle To The Baby   10. Old Bee Tree   11. Everybody's Rockin' But Me   12. Guitar Bound   13. Juke Box Johnnie   14. Beautiful Baby

El Toro Records / ETCD6091

From Forli, Italy, here we have The Same Old Shoes and this CD, just released by El Toro Records, in which they deliver great old-school Rockabilly, 1950's style, along its 36 minutes and a few seconds.

Fourteen songs have been included, with a fifty-fifty share between songs penned by Dario Magnani (singer and rhythm guitar of the band) and well selected covers. All 14 songs seem very good to me and are well played. If I have to choose one among their own compositions, my pick would be "Can't Get Enough", with "That's A Ball" probably close behind. Regarding the covers, Lattie Moore's "Juke Box Johnnie" would be the one.

A record made to dance, with most songs' rhythm going from midtempo to uptempo, leaving very little room for "slows". This record is for party, not for relax, if you see what I mean.

A very good record from these Italian guys and a very good job from El Toro Records, discovering us such a great Rockabilly band. Warmly recommended.

LOS REBELDES - A FLOR DE PIEL

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1. En cuerpo y alma   2. Chuck Berry   3. De presión   4. María querida   5. El loco de la autopista   6. La gloria del hombre   7. Corazón de Rock & Roll   8. Siete lunas de miel   9. Dos horas más   10. Marie, Marie   11. Con su blanca palidez   12. Marihuna Boogie   13. Quiero ser una estrella   14. Un hombre puede llorar

Martin Music / MM0013

Brand new record from Los Rebeldes. Maybe they are not a well known band worldwide, but they were pioneers in the Spanish Rockabilly Revival and the band has been Rockin' and Rollin' since the late 1970's, with around 20 records released... More than that, they still are a top Rock'n'Roll act in Spain, Mexico and so on. Well, when I say Los Rebeldes, I mean Carlos Segarra: their charismatic singer, guitar ace and the only original member remaining.

Anyway, lets go for this record. At first sight I had a kind of scary feeling when I learnt it was all acoustic and there were even an accordion and one of those percussion boxes instead of a drum kit... But as soon as I began listening to the CD I felt reassured. No problem: Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly are there from the beginning to the end and it is a very good record. A great record, as a matter of fact, in my own opinion. Absolutely.

What we get is a good mixture of rockers (8) and and slow songs (6), alternating new songs, re-recordings of old hits from the band and some covers.

On the uptempo ones, we have "En cuerpo y alma"; "Chuck Berry", a tribute to one of Carlos Segarra's heros; "De presión", a wonderful mix of Doo Wop and Rockabilly; "El loco de la autopista", one of the band's most classic songs; "Corazón de Rock&Roll", another top quality classic of Los Rebeldes; "Marie, Marie", a cover of the The Blasters' hit and the only one not sung in Spanish in this CD; "Marihuna" Boogie"; and "Quiero ser una estrella", again an auto-cover of one of their early hits.

Regarding the slows (well, more or less slow) there is "María querida"; "La gloria del hombre", amazing song with beautiful lyrics; "Siete lunas de miel"; "Dos horas más", another of their most known songs that they have re-recorded, giving to it a kind of a Country feel for this CD, and, I have to say it, one of my favourite songs from Los Rebeldes; "Con su blanca palidez", a marvelous, stunning, cover of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" (believe it or not); and "Un hombre puede llorar".

Ladies and gentlemen: a great disc with Mr. Carlos Segarra sounding really good. I love this CD, yes indeed, and I'm playing it once and again.

Los Rebeldes are still Rockin' and well. Good news.

JOHNNY BURNETTE - TEAR IT UP

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Disc 1 = SIDE A = 1. Tear It Up   2. Sweet Love On My Mind   SIDE B = 3. Your Baby Blue Eyes   4. Honey Hush   

Disc 2 = SIDE A = 1.Blues Stay Away From Me   2. Lonesome Tears In My Eyes   SIDE B = 3. If You Want It Enough   4. Touch Me

Disc 3 = SIDE A = 1. Warm Love   2. Boppin' Rosalie   SIDE B = 3. Do Baby Do   4. My Honey

Disc 4 = SIDE A = 1. Just Keep On Goin'   2. Mule Boy   SIDE B = 3. Crazy Legs   4. Wampus Cat

Disc 5 = SIDE A = 1. Settin' The Woods On Fire   2. Ballad Of The One-Eyed Jacks   SIDE B = 3. Little Boy Sad   4. Bigger Man

Disc 6 = SIDE A = 1. Me And The Bear   2. Sweet Baby Doll   SIDE B = 3. Sweet Suzie   4. What A Summer Day

Sleazy Records / SR-115

After the two wonderful boxed-sets of Gene Vincent's EPs and the one of Eddie Cochran's, Sleazy Records offers us a new marvelous box-set with 6 EPs, this time compiling, in some way, the work of Johnny Burnette, with and without the Rock'n'Roll Trio.

Regarding its contents, I believe that all songs included are great, so the selection is pretty good, no doubt about that. Among the 24 cuts included we have a little bit of almost everything: some cornerstones in Rockabilly history, such as "Tear It Up"; some Country, like in "Settin' the Woods On Fire"; demos, such as the one of "Just Keep On Goin'" (in which lead guitar is provided by Eddie Cochran himself); and so on. Note that, as you'll see in the track list above, not many of the most well known songs from Johnny Burnette have been included  and I see that as a wise choice.

The team leading this project is the very same than the one in charge of the box-sets dedicated to Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran and, as a matter of fact, the very same compliments I wrote when reviewing those other box-sets can be repeated regarding production (with Guillermo Jiménez in charge), artwork (from Francho Angás) and sleeve notes (written by Francho Angás and Rocío Cañas). Well, about sleeve notes I have to say that everything seems great until you arrive to the last paragraph on the sleeve of disc #5, where it's said that Johnny Burnette died in a car accident in Clear Lake (California) in August 1964... It's just then when your alarm buzzes as the cause of his tragic death was drowning in a boating accident. An obvious mistake but, anyway, I think it has to be considered just an anecdote when appreciating the quality of the whole work.

Brief, a new limited edition "delicatessen" from Sleazy Records and, of course, more than highly recommended, almost a must have.

The box-set contents...

HUELYN DUVALL - HUELYN DUVALL (ep)

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Side A = 1. Got A Little Girl   2. Let's Make A Block

Side B = 1. Without You

CAB / CAB7004

Close to the 60th anniversary of the release of Huelyn Duvall's first recordings, here we have a brand new release from this Texas born Rocker.

It is true that regarding his voice, he isn't in his heyday, as already said back in December 2014, when reviewing his previous EP (released by Sleazy Records)in this very same blog, but he is still rocking and that's the main point. Anyway, for sure the man and his band sound well enough in this CAB release... Because Mr. Duvall is backed by great musicians, as he uses to do, with Carlos A. del Bosque on lead guitar (probably my favourite guitar player in current Rocabilly scene), Manuel "Lee" Villalba on slapbass and "Lucky" Lobillo on drums.

Side A is for "Got A Little Girl" and " "Let's Make A Block", a couple of fine Rockabillies made to dance and with Carlos' guitar shining all along. Both songs, by the way, are penned by Huelyn Duvall himself.

"Without You" is alone on side B, a much calm song reminiscing that blend of Country and Rock'n'Roll that Johnny Cash made famous and, then, with a lot of "boom-chicka-boom" in the rhythm. Good song, for sure.

Superb sleeve design, with portraits drawn by Nano Barbero.

CAB label does not releases many records... but all of them are worth the money and this EP is no exception. You can get this good record right from CAB (info and orders = cab@hotrock.es) or at the finest record stores.

LOS TWANGS - PLAYING FAVS

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Side A = 1. Come On, Come On   2. Beat Girl

Side B = 3. Skinny Minnie   4. Love Made A Fool Of You

Sleazy Records / SR-112

Los Twangs, not happy enough just releasing a single backing Esther (reviewed in this blog in the previous post), also release an EP by themselves.

The clue for what we will find in this EP is right in the title: "Playing Favs". So four covers of songs that are among the favourites of band members. Four covers, yes, but they have done it in the right way, from my point of view, as they play them in their very own style. Well done!

For sure that's the best this band has: their style, their very own way of playing Rock'n'Roll. Ukelele Frank's voice is far of being one of the best in Rock'n'Roll, but it fits nicely in Los Twangs style. A style based in an open-minded vision of Rock'n'Roll and supported above all by two great guitar players such as Ukelele Frank and Sir Xavier White, plus a clear and precise rhythm by the bass of Skinny Jess and the drums of Sam Tejuelas.

Maybe for all that I come to write, my favourite song in this record is the instro "Beat Girl", a cover of the song recorded by John Barry Orchestra. The other 3 cuts, as said before, are pure Los Twangs. I believe that the best example is on side B, with probably the two better known songs of the record in their original versions: "Skinny Minnie" is not a copy of the one released by Bill Haley & His Comets, nor "Love Made A Fool Of You" is a copy of the great song recorded by Buddy Holly.

If you already know Los Twangs from their (very good) previous records and you liked their work, this brand new EP will please you for sure. Pure Los Twangs.

Once again: well done!

ESTHER & LOS TWANGS - BREBAJE DE AMOR / MY PRAYER (single)

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SIDE A = Brebaje de amor   SIDE B = My Prayer

Sleazy Records / SR-111

Take some good Rock'n'Roll musicians such as Los Twangs, add to them a beautiful voice such as that of Esther and make all them record together a couple of songs: you have all the chances to get at the end a very good disc. And that's what we have here in 7" format: a terrific single.

Side A is for "Brebaje de amor", great cover in Spanish of "Love Potion #9", a song that penned by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (perhaps the most famous team of composers in Rhythm'n'Blues and Rock'n'Roll history?) probably we all know in the voices of The Coasters. Let me say that, in this case, I prefer this brand new cover by Esther & Los Twangs to the original one by The Coasters. Yes, I know it may sound kind of crazy, but it's the truth. Why? Well, maybe for the 60's rhythm they give to the song, or for Esther's voice, or for the great job done by the guitars... Or maybe a little bit of all that and something else. A record that should spin in a lot of Rockin' parties.

On the flip side the rhythm is absolutely different as we get a cover, this time sung in English, of the slow "My Prayer" of The Platters fame. It is not easy to do a version of a so famous song, but Esther & Los Twangs have achived it doing their very own version of the song and not just a "copy & paste" of the original. Good voice, firm and steady bass (great) and drums rhythm and the guitars shinning all along the song. It's a very good cover indeed.

Great record and warmly recommended. I hope there will be more records in the near future from Esther & Los Twangs.

FERLIN HUSKY - GONNA SHAKE THIS SHACK TONIGHT

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1. Black Sheep   2. Prize Possession   3. Detour   4. Tennessee Central #9   5. Cross Eyed Gal From The Ozarks   6. This Moment Of Love   7. Watch The Company You Keep   8. Sioux City Sue   9. I Wouldn't Treat A Dog Like You're Treatin' Me   10. Alabama Jubilee   11. Draggin' The River   12. I Can't Go On This Way   13. Aladdin's Lamp   14. Bebe Beautiful Baby   15. Slow Down Brother   16. I Feel Better All Over   17. I'll Baby Sit With You   18. I'll Be Here For A Lifetime   19. Minni-Ha-Cha   20. You Make Me Feel Funny Honey   21. Pick-A-Nickin'   22. Eli, The Camel   23. Excuse Me Stranger   24. Stand Up, Sit Down, Close Your Mouth   25. What'cha Doin' After School   26. Don't Be Mad   27. Muki-Ruki   28. Bop Cat Bop   29. Missing Persons   30. Wang Dang Doo   31. I Will   32. Little Red Web

Bear Family Productions / BCD17415

In their excellent "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight" series, Bear Family has just released this CD with 32 uptempo songs by Ferlin Husky. For those of you not knowing about this kind of a collection, just note that each CD is dedicated to a Hillbilly singer from the 1950's (and around), including the most danceables and uptempo songs. As said at the beginning, this collection is excellent. Marvelous.

And just that has to be said about this CD compiling songs from Ferlin Husky: marvelous. In it, have been included the songs that ought to be, in my very own oppinion, and to highlight any of them is pointless, as all of them are great and perfect to be played once and again, with rhythms going from plain Hillbilly to almost Rockabilly and everything in between. Each one of you will find your very own favourites. By the way, there have been included some cuts Ferlin Husky recorded under the name of his alter-egos Simon Crum and Terry Preston.

I can go on praising the quality of the music included and also the stunning, almost pristine, sound quality, but the treatment Bear Family gives to their releases has to be always duly highlighted as well: this time we have the digipack type case for the CD including an over 70 pages booklet, complete with bio (written by Scott B. Bomar), comments, recording sessions data, plenty of pictures and so on. Luxurious is the adjective that better fits.

No need, I think, to add much more: if you like old-school, uptempo, Hillbilly music this record compiling songs from Ferlin Husky (any of the ones from this "Shake This Shak Tonight" series, as a matter of fact) will please you a lot.

A STRAY CAT STRUTS. MY LIFE AS A ROCKABILLY REBEL - SLIM JIM PHANTOM

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Thomas Dunne Books - St. Martin's Press

Those of us who discovered Rockabilly and Rock'n'Roll in the 1980's and beginning of the 1990's had in the Stray Cats one of our favourite bands. In my case, the first Rockabilly related non-singer names I learnt were those of Scotty Moore and Bill Black, the couple behind Elvis in his first glorious recordings, plus those of Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom, who along with Brian Setzer were the Stray Cats, the coolest band around.

In this book, Slim Jim Phantom, of real name James McDonnell, tells us in its 277 pages his life in the world of Rockabilly and Rock'n'Roll (and plain Rock too).

He goes quite fast through his origins, how he started playing drums, how he met Lee Rocker and Brian Setzer... and soon we have the three cats boarding a plane with one-way tickets to London. From then on we get a vivid and entertaining account of memories and anecdotes, without too much of a chronological order and not giving too much importance to dates. I mean that reading this autobiography I've learned quite a lot and have had a lot of fun, but I've missed a little of accuracy and also some more "in depth" when reading about certain facts, such as Stray Cats recording sessions, tours, splits, reunions... It seems to me that Slim Jim has given much more importance to anecdotes and to the funny side of his life in Rock'n'Roll, with and without the Stray Cats, than to be precise giving dates and facts.

Not a problem for me as a matter of fact, eventhough I would have liked a little bit more of accuracy, because what Slim Jim Phantom has achieved is to give a good dynamic to the book, which makes it an easy reading one.

Brief, if you grew up listening to Stray Cats and you keep believing they are one of the best bands in "modern" Rockabilly, probably you will find that "A Stray Cat Struts" is an interesting reading and you will have good fun reading it.

CAT CLUB - MUNDO DE LOCOS

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1. Mundo de locos   2. Si te vas   3. Colgada de ti misma   4. True Blue   5. Esclavo de tu amor   6. Por ti he sufrido   7. Amor desordenado   8. Ven mañana   9. Esto se va a quedar así   10. Suena HTHF   11. El último surf.

Marccato Edicions / MTCD066

Three years since Cat Club's previous record, Rockabillyland (2013), it's a long time... so this brand new "Mundo de locos" is more than welcomed.

Their new record sounds, from the first seconds on, as a Cat Club record is expected to sound. Of course there is some evolution, but their very own way of playing Rockabilly, their very own style, is there. As always, Miguel Ángel Escorcia sings and delivers ace guitar picking, while Archie Boogie with the slapbass and Lucky Martínez with the drums form one of the best Rockabilly rhythm sections we can get to listen to.

As a matter of fact, on that Cat Club Rockabilly style can be included most of the 11 songs in the CD, being the most evident examples "Mundo de locos", "Colgada de ti misma", "Por ti he sufrido" (with Ovidi Tormo from Los Zigarros adding second voice), "Ven mañana" (in which they get the help from the great Carlos Segarra, from Los Rebeldes), "Esto se va a quedar así" (where is Gisela Novais who adds second voice), "El último surf"... Most of them, it's already said.

Two beautiful ballads have been included: "Esclavo de tu amor", of which a good videoclip can be watched on YouTube, and "Suena HTHF", in which they go Country and, at the end, speed it up with a few lines of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor". Brilliant!

"Amor desordenado" (where they have Ariel Rot playing lead guitar) is the one in which these cats go quite out of the style we associate them with, as it is a kind of Rockabilly meets Latin Rock and Italian music... Difficult to explain but, anyway, they make it sound OK and is another good cut.

Please pay attention to "True Blue". If in the past they have played Rockabilly covers of songs from Los Panchos (as Los Swingers, in pre-Cat Club times), Roberto Carlos, or the song "Granada", now they have done the same with a song from... Madonna! Yes, sir. It's a cover somewhere between Rockabilly and Doo Wop and is a very good one, I have to say. This one is, by the way, the only song sung in English and also the only one not signed by Miguel Ángel Escorcia as composer.

As you have seen above, Cat Club has got the collaboration from several top artists, to which Candy Caramelo has to be added as producer and also playing piano, Hammond, lap-steel or guitar here and there.

To finish, it's not easy to highlight a song above the rest, but if I have to do it I'll choose "Mundo de locos" or "Suena HTHF" (really different one from the other, I know), with "True Blue", "Esclavo de tu amor" and "Ven mañana" close behind.

A very good record, yes indeed. These cats can rock for sure.

Long live Cat Club!

Since the times as Los Swingers (album released in 1993),

their first record as Cat Club (released in 2008)...

til the brand new "Mundo de Locos":

these cat's discography is gaining strength step by step.

LARRY COLLINS - ROCKABILLY FOREVER / BED TIME STORY GIRL (single)

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SIDE A = Rockabilly Forever (Secrew The Rest)   SIDE B = Bed Time Story Girl

Sleazy Records / SR113

More than fifty years after his glory days being the 50% of The Collins Kids along with his sister Lorrie, here we have Larry Collins back on record, with Joe Perez playing drums and Deke Dickerson playing bass. Of course, Larry Collins himself plays guitar... I suppose a double-neck one. Both songs, by the way, are also penned by Larry Collins.

On side A we have "Rockabilly Forever (Screw The Rest)", a song that is an evident tribute to those singers and groups that formed the first breed of Rockabilly pioneers by naming some of them as well as some of their most representative songs. A kind of Gene Vincent's "Story Of The Rockers", but with lots more of fury and rage. Not bad. I like it.

On the other hand, side B I feel is quite weak. "Bed Time Story Girl" is another Rockabilly, this time at a mid-tempo rhythm that I believe wants to show something, but doesn't get to do it.

For sure this 7" doesn't reach the level of the recordigs done by Larry Collins and his sister back in the 1950's, but I believe that "Rockabilly Forever" is good enough. It's good to see that (some of) the pioneers are still able to rock.

Yes, I agree: Rockabilly forever (screw the rest)!

PIKE CAVALERO - SIN MIEDO A VOLAR

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1. Apuntar alto   2. Cuando caiga la noche   3. Me siento azul   4. Única es   5. Rumbo a lo incierto   6. Ahora que lo tienes   7. Sin miedo a volar   8. Caída   9. Cuando no te echo a faltar   10. A cualquier lugar   11. Desde que no estás   12. Mi nena pequeña

Sleazy Records / SRCD31-45

Two years since the previous album from Pike Cavalero... It's been a long time for sure, eventhough during that gap we were lucky to get some 7" under his own name or under the name of some of the other bands in which he is involved, such as True Blue Trio. Both singles, by the way, were reviewed by yours truly in this very same blog back in February 2015 and February 2016.

Probably this brand new "Sin miedo a volar" is the record coming from this artist with the biggest mix of styles, showing as the title says, that he has no fear to fly, to take risks.

Just listen to the record and you'll see that it's a Rockabilly one, style in which Pike Cavalero is one of the best singers we can listen to nowadays. Rockabilly is for sure there in more or less quantity in the 12 songs included, being the most evident examples "Cuando caiga la noche", "Me siento azul" or "Ahora que lo tienes". But, more than that, he has given some Country feel to "Rumbo a lo incierto"; has had no fear to give a Pop touch (in the better possible meaning of the term Pop) to songs such as "Sin miedo a volar" or "Apuntar alto"; a little bit of Spanish 1960's Rock'n'Roll feeling can be found in "Única es"; and top class Doo Wop shines in "Mi nena pequeña", the only cover included (The Cleftones' "Little Girl Of Mine"). By the way, note that all the songs are sung in Spanish for the first time in Pike Cavaleros LP's.

It is a must to highlight that Pike Cavalero is surrounded by an incredible band, almost a kind of "all-star" one, with Juanny López and Francis Beard playing the electric guitars, Pepe Lee with the slapbass (and an electric bass somewhere) and Jesús López behind the drums. More than that, there are a few top class collaborations from stars such as Diego Cruz from the Sun Rockets adding his voice to some songs, Al Dual showing his great guitar skills at a couple of cuts and the amazing The Del Prince doo-wopping at "Mi nena Pequeña".

It is "Mi nena pequeña" my favourite song of the whole record. This time I have no doubt about it. Anyway, close behind are "Cuando caiga la noche", "Ahora que lo tienes" and "Cuando no te echo a faltar".

To all that said up above, it has to be added a beautiful artwork, with a cool drawing for the cover.

A very good record by Pike Cavalero, no doubt at all, who keeps on showing why he is one of the top Rockabilly acts we have at the moment. It's worth the money of buying this record. Vinyl or CD, that's up to you.

Thubs up for Pike Cavalero.

Pike Cavalero and band on the stage at the

10th Ubangi Stomp (2016).

BIG JOE TURNER - THE VERY BEST OF

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DISC 1 = 1. Shake, Rattle & Roll   2. Flip, Flop & Fly   3. Honey Hush   4. I'll Never Stop Loving You   5. Bump Miss Susie   6. Don't Make Me High   7. Lipstick, Powder And Paint   8. Roll'Em Pete   9. I Need A Girl   10. TV Mama   11. Low Down Dog   12. Rock A While   13. World Of Trouble   14. Blues In The Night   15. Married Woman Blues   16. Well All Right   17. Time After Time   18. Nobody In Mind   19. Don't You Cry   20. Cherry Red   21. Wee Baby Blues   22. You Know I Love You   23. Switchin' In The Kitchen   24. After A While   25. Morning, Noon And Night

DISC 2 = 1. Corrine, Corrina   2. Hide And Seek   3. Boogie Woogie Country Girl   4. The Chicken And The Hawk   5. I Get The Blues When It Rains   6. Love Roller Coaster   7. Midnight Cannonball   8. Trouble In Mind   9. Rebecca   10. Red Sails In The Sunset   11. The Chill Is On   12. Still In Love   13. Oke-She-Moke-She-Pop   14. Teenage Letter   15. Sweet Sixteen   16. Ti-Ri-Lee   17. You're Driving Me Crazy   18. Until The Real Thing Comes Along   19. We're Gonna Jump For Joy   20. Here Comes Your Iceman   21. St. Louis Blues   22. When I Was young   23. Pennies From Heaven   24. Morning Glories   25. Baby I Still Want You

Not Now Music / NOT2CD607

One of those cheap editions that are always welcomed to fill a gap in your collection or for those that are just starting one. Sometimes those kind of CD's don't have good sound quality, but this is not the case: the sound is good enough. "Cheap" does not always mean "bad quality": here we have an example.

The content of the double CD is absolutely clear just reading the title: Big Joe Turner's very best songs... which means that we have not only Rock'n'Roll, but also Blues and Jazz... Of course, being Big Joe Turner there are songs than can fit in more than one of the above-mentioned styles. To highlight any of the 50 songs included above the rest will be a hard and nonsense work: it is a Big Joe Turner greatest hits, so top quality everywhere for sure... Just take a glance at the track listing and you'll see.

So, we get 50 great songs by one of the true Rock'n'Roll pioneers, in good sound quality and at a bargain price... Maybe it is not a record for "experts", but if your collection lacks of a Big Joe Turner record, this one released this year by Not Now Music is a very good option.

JUNIOR MARVEL & THE HI-FLYERS - SATURDAY NIGHT

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Side A = 1. Love My Life Away   2. Get Out Of My Mind   3. Where's A Will There's A Way   4. Hopalong Howie   5. Kinda Late   6. Saturday Night

Side B = 7. Won't You Be My Baby   8. Act Like You Love Me   9. Keep Me Satisfied   10. Beer Ball Boogie   11. The Great Pretender   12. Blues At Midnight

Sleazy Records / SR10-14

The new record released by Junior Marvel comes in 10" format... and maybe the word "new" is not the most accurate one: probably "last release" will fit better as the 12 songs included were recorded from 2004 to 2014. Not bad at all. That's a "take it easy" way of doing things...

Anyway, this is a very good 50's style Rockabilly record, as previous records by this singer who, in my own oppinion, is one of the best we can find in Europe nowadays. The songs included are a mix of songs composed by Frank Marquez (aka Junior Marvel) himself and/or The Hi-Flyers' members, along with well chosen covers (not those that everybody does). Regarding the rhythm of the songs, it goes from the most danceables such as "Get Out Of My Mind" or "Keep Me Satisfied"; to the mid-tempos, such as "Kinda Late"; to some slows, such as "Act Like You Love Me" (a version of the Hayden Thompson's song). And all that, it's already said, in a very evident 50's style, with electric guitar (Nils Becker), slap-bass (Brend Scheffer) and drums (Markus Spieker), plus the voice and rhythm guitar of Junior Marvel, of course.

Talking about the songs, please pay attention to the amazing cover that these guys do of the Doo Wop classic "The Great Pretender", which Mr. Junior Marvel and his band take to an absolute Rockabilly rhythm. Wonderful.

Just to point out a little defect of this release, probably the sound is at some moments far from perfect but, anyway, good enough to enjoy the record without any kind of problems.

About the artwork of the sleeve, it is OK, being also 50's style like the musical content of the record.

Brief, if you like 50's style Rockabilly, this is a record I believe you will enjoy for sure.

EDDIE COCHRAN - TEENAGE HEAVEN

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RECORD 1 = SIDE A = 1. Tired & Sleepy   2. Fool's Paradise  SIDE B = 3. Rockin' & Flyin'   4. Skinny Jim

RECORD 2 = SIDE A = 1. Twenty Flight Rock   2. Completely Sweet   SIDE B = 3. Pink-peg Slack   4. Sweetie Pie

RECORD 3 = SIDE A = 1. Summertime Blues   2. Little Lou   SIDE B = 3. C'mon Everybody   4. Pretty Girl

RECORD 4 = SIDE A = 1. Nervous Breakdown   2. Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie   SIDE B = 3. Teenage Heaven   4. Somethin' Else

RECORD 5 = SIDE A = 1. Guybo   2. Jam Sand-witch   SIDE B = 3. Fast Jivin'   4. Shotgun Wedding Theme

RECORD 6 = SIDE A = 1. Hallelujah! I Love Her So   2. Ah! Pretty Girl   SIDE B = 3. My Way   4. I Remember

Sleazy Records / SR-110

And when after two EP's box-sets of Gene Vincent released by Sleazy Records, we believed that they couldn't surprise us again, here we have the Spanish label releasing an astonishing box-set of 6 Eddie Cochran EP's. Yeah, of course... after Gene, here comes Eddie.

I've said astonishing and yes, it is so for sure, as were so the two Gene Vincent box-sets (reviwed in this blog in June and November 2015).

We got 6 EP's with songs by the Cochran Brothers, Eddie by his own, Eddie as studio musician, Eddie experimenting with different recording techniques... I guess it has been a hard work to pick the 24 songs to be included. It is important to highlight that the songs included are not always from the take we are used to, as many of them come from alternate takes, the "official" take minus the overdubs and so on. All that, of course, with the so good sound quality that the label usually offers.

The team that has put together this great release is the same  that did it possible for the two Gene Vincent's box-sets: Guillermo Jiménez as producer, "Francho" Angas for the artwork and, again, "Francho" Angas, along with Rocio Cañas, for the sleeve notes.

All that said, with the good sound quality and the brilliant selection of songs, it has to be also highlighted the beautiful artwork, both for the sleeves and for the box itself, and the great, informative, sleeve notes providing info about session dates, musicians, where and when were the songs first published, etc.

Very good sound, stunning artwork, informative sleeve notes, great songs selection, it's Eddie Cochran... No doubt this box-set is somethin' else.

Six EP's, so a total of 24 songs by

Eddie Cochran,in this box-set

released by Sleazy Records.