Jan 30, 2024 8:57:17 AM | Bear Family More CD reviews.......

VARIOUS ARTISTS

‘THE WANDA JACKSON CONNECTION’

(Bear Family)

31 roots and covers of Wanda Jackson is what is says on the cover, so you know what’s in store, except you don’t, really. Bix Bryant, Betty McQuade and Shirley Jean Wiley anyone? Well maybe if you have a huge vinyl collection, but those three from the 1960’s are all on CD for the first time here. The lesser-known ladies get a real belated stint in the spotlight in this compilation, there’s Vicki Young, there first of the fairer sex to record ‘Riot In Cell Block No 9’ while Rosie Flores has written the foreword to the extensive booklet. There are plenty of rocking boys here too including Shane Fenton and Ray Campi, tracks range from Betty Hutton’s 1953 ‘Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad’ to that girl Rosie Flores again with a bang up to date recording from 2022. It’s a fascinating collection of tunes in celebration of an absolute legend.

Simon Nott

THE KINGS OF OUTER SPACE

‘LAST ELEVATOR TO SPACEVILLE’

(Western Star)

The welcome return of Giggsy and Co with a warp speed six tracker smashed into lurid green 10” of vinyl. It’s up-tempo slapping bass driven offering with an outer space theme which clips along at warp speed, Toni Mega Drive hits those percussive low notes gets to really show of his skills. Twin guitars and an organ keep us flying, ‘Ticking Time Bomb’ is a variation on the theme with a more serious lyric. ‘Moon Buggy Baby’ is a more chaotic stomper with clattering drums and slapping bass in overdrive with an organ that’s pumping on steam. This is a self-penned short sharp bundle of rocking fun which is a bouncing off the walls listening experience from start to finish and highly recommended Sci-Fi neo-rockabilly.

Simon Nott

WANDA JACKSON

‘HONEY BOP’

(Bear Family)

How better to celebrate the crown queen of rockabilly, Wanda Jackson’s 85^th birthday than a 26 minute 45rpm 10” vinyl slab of some of the most blistering rockabilly that she ever recorded. That’s simply what this is. The tracks featured were recorded between 1956 and 1961 and include all those blasters that you’d expect, ‘Honey Bop’ ‘Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad’, ‘Fujiyama Mama’ with only ‘You Don’t Know, Baby’ from 1962 easing up a bit. There’s a free postcard that you are never going to post and an excellent and extensive booklet with notes from Bill Dahl. This is an intense rockabilly Wanda Jackson fix that you just have to have in your collection.

Simon Nott

VARIOUS ARTISTS

‘DESTINATION JURRASIC LAND’

(Bear Family)

There’s no need to tell you that this is another of those themed compilations that Bear Family do so well. I bet the compilers had huge smiles when commissioned with putting this together. They have had a field day, 33 tracks, many of them totally off the wall. It’s many made up of rock n roll and rockabilly with a few wildcards thrown in, anyone who’s got some of the previous releases of this ilk will have come to expect that, in this case, the theme from The Flintstones and a movie trailer for One Million Years BC both of which fit in nicely. There’s well known stuff here, from both sides of the Atlantic and even further flung. Nervous Norvus, Randy Luck and Tommy Steel you will probably know, while The Pre-Historics and Terry Wayne not so much. This is a real fun start to finish listen, of course great sleeve notes and pristine sound complete the package.

Simon Nott

FURIOUS – VERNON AND THE GI’S

‘WE ARE THE TEDS’ – ‘I’M A TEDDY BOY’

(Fury)

A split 7” from Fury records, a Teddy Boy pleasing twin spin spanning forty years. The A – side spot goes to current darling of the Teddy Boy movement, Liverpool’s Furious. A stomping bopping call to Edwardian arms sandwiched between chants of the title, a sure fire floor-filler for boppers. The B – side, a song that would have filled many a bop with bouncing teds, Vernon and the GI’s with their 1979 rock n roll chart hit that is one catchy singalong tune and a favourite that surely never went out of fashion. Pressed on suede shoe blue, this is going to be a must for Teddy Boy Rock N Roll DJ boxes everywhere.

Simon Nott

VARIOUS ARTISTS

THAT’LL FLAT GIT IT! – VOL 46

(Bear Family)

This is the series that’s all you really need as a rockabilly DJ, OK, unless you’re the type that needs to have the originals. In which case this set equates to pretty much priceless when you add the value of the originals, not least this alternative cut of Billy Barrix’s impossible to find ‘Cool Off Baby’. This volume raids the vaults of Chess, Checker and Argo records features 33 tracks in just ploughs on from where the preceding volumes have left off. Back to back quality, including the better known artists, Bobby Charles, Chuck Berry, to the not so, The Galaxies and Jackie Cannon just two. It’s interesting that the PR notes that came with this list Billy Barrix as one of the better known artists. Considering his recording legacy on Chess is incredibly rare the fact we all now know those two tracks is credit to releases like this, long may it continue.

Simon Nott

BANG BANG BAND GIRL

’12 SUPER DUPER EXTRAORDINARY GIRL TROUBLE ROCK N ROLL TRACKS’

(Voodoo Rhythm)

The cover screams ‘WARNING for insane people only’. I would forgive anyone who has heard some of the more extreme recordings this label has unleashed on the record-buying public running for the exit, covering their ears. But, no, hold on, wait, if that’s you, you’re going to actually love this. Yes, it’s weird in places, there’s plenty of fuzz and contains imaginative takes of the eight covers from the dozen tracks. Bang Bang Band Girl is essentially Sherl Corleone with a little help from her friends when needed. Her voice is an sexy contrast to the lo-fi wig-out, Elvis would have been mezmerised at her version of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ while I’m sure Haze would have gone hog wild over ‘No More Hot Dogs’.

Simon Nott

WILD BOB BURGOS

‘A FISTFUL OF ROCKIN’ (VOL 2’

(NPR)

Hot on the heels of the first volume, here’s another fistful of rockin’ from a legend of the UK Rock N Roll scene, Wild Bob Burgos. All the 16 tracks here were written, recorded, arranged and produced by Bob himself and span 20 years, the newest being 20 years old. As you’d expect from the drummer who put the beat into countless recordings and live shows over the years, this is tough stuff. There are no details of the musicians who play on each track, but Bob’s evidently picked the best. Lyrically this is gritty real-life stuff, no doubt autobiographical in content. This is a meat and two veg, no nonsense non-stop rock n roll stomp, did ‘Rebel Rockin’ Billy quit the scene? I very much doubt it.

Simon Nott

VARIOUS ARTISTS

‘KIDS ON THE STREET’

(Cherry Red)

A three CD clamshell celebration of UK power pop and new wave from 1977 thru 1981. This 77 track collection compiles the tunes that us kids of a certain age grew up listening to and pretending to hate at school discos waiting for the rock n roll to come on. If you were one of the cooler kids you’d have heard a lot of this on the John Peel show. The Jam, The Boys, XTC and The Skids bring back a flood of palatable punk memories while Pub rock and even the Mod revival get an airing, one of the greatest fairly unsung bands of the era get a track, The Barracudas, with ‘Neighbourhood Girls’. If you were about at the time, this is essential, if you weren’t, have a listen, it’s the sound of the suburbs.

Simon Nott