Two Hundred Pounds of Swingin' Hound - s/t

Name: 200 lbs. of Swingin' Hound
Album: s/t
Year: 1995
Style: Rockabilly
Similar Bands: Stray Cats
"One-Word" Review: Country Pub Raw Swing Band.
Based Out Of: Philadelphia, PA
Label: Apple-Z Productions,

Cover, Back

CD, Sleeve Back

200 lbs. of Swinging Hound (1995)

1. When Your Baby's Got the Blues 3:45
2. Nearly Perfect 4:23
3. 30 Lovesick Days 5:47
4. Rock 'n' Roll Party 2:56
5. Hot Lips! 4:03
6. The Cold Bed Blues 2:48
7. Single Again 3:34
8. Lies 4:33
9. Lifetime Guarantee 5:32
10. I'm A' Gonna Get Ya 2:43

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Ace Filipini - Vox (Reach Around Rodeo Clowns, Kingpins)
• Joe Gallo - Guitars
• Wally Wollet - Drums, Backing Vox, Piano
• Trey LaRue - Standup Bass
• Mike Lampe - Standup Bass (Steve Guyger)
• Bob Williams - Engineer
• Rick Stranix - Logos, Art Direction (Apple-Z Graphix)
• Ken Hinchey - Cover Photo

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. When I bought the record, my mind was infected with the late 90's swing movement, and i thought this might have been right in that swing/rockabilly sweet spot, but i don't actually ever remember listening to the album. I reckon this is a small pub band version of the rockabilly-big band sound.

Album Review: Straight up swing & rockabilly, predating the revival of the late 90's. A couple of the songs rock out a little more, but it leans toward the country vibe at it's heart. It seems like it is pretty good for what it is. "Lies" has a slightly more aggressive punk tone to it.

Not much out there on this band based out of the Philly area, just based on their phone and mailing address contacts. "Hot Lips" appears on a compilation of Ace Filipini songs that's on Spotify (Songs That Made Him Infamous) , but is not playable.

Stand Out Track: Lies

Links:

Discogs - wrong name

amazon

Reverb Nation - Ace

Soundcloud - Ace

Flinch! - Dyslexic Rhino

Name: Flinch!
Album: Dyslexic Rhino
Year: 1999
Style: Rockabilly, Punk, Grunge
Similar Bands: Dead Milkmen, Butt Trumpet, L7, Danzig, Misfits
"One-Word" Review: Raw Raucous Rock
Based Out Of: Gaithesburgh, MD
Label: none

Cover & Backs

Liner Notes & CD 

Dyslexic Rhino (1999)

1. Lonely Holiday 1:54
2. Kick the Can 1:33
3. Hail Bop 2:02
4. Octopus 2:48
5. Angie Speaks 2:31
6. Candle 2:25
7. Baby Said 1:50
8. Schizophrenia 3:02
9. Downtown 3:32
10. Here We Go Again 2:01
11. Expontaneous Combustion 11:04

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Doug
• Kevin Good - Mixing
• Djodjo - Mastering, Artwork
• Melissa  - Vox
• Al - Vox
• Stephanie - Photo
• Rodrigo - Artwork
• Rossano - Artwork
• James Belmore - Vox
• Al Armbrister - Drums
• Luciano Silva - Bass
• Thomas Kendrick - Guitar

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, from the album + randomly generated title, they're about 5 years to late for the self-made alt-grunge vibe the album puts out. The poor quality photo with a "green screen" effect makes them look like the album should have been made in 1991. Adding to the dated vibe is the 11 min long track 11, which is in all likelihood, concealing a hidden track of phone pranks and fart noises.

Album Review: The songs are solid: fast and driving punk, like Hail Bop, with touches or rockabilly like on Schizophrenia, and juvenile humor. Octopus sounds like a straight up Dead Milkmen song. Candle, or the fuck you song, reminds me of The Misfits.  Three songs are fronted by female "guest vocals," guests, because none of the band members are listed on the liner notes. The final song is a 3:35 instrumental, followed at the 9:30 mark by a raunchy sexualized hidden track. 

Nothing is out there on the internet about this band, aside from a minimal Discogs page (which doesn't include this album...only a compilation of this and another one) and some download/download requests). Which is a shame, because these folks sound quite competent at what they do.

Stand Out Track: Candle, Kick the Can

Links:

Discogs

Tenpole Tudor - Let the Four Winds Blow

Name: Tenpole Tudor
Album: Let the Four Winds Blow
Year: 1981
Style: Rockabilly, Punk
Similar Bands: XTC, Clash, Mink Deville, Dead Milkmen, Sugarplastic
"One-Word" Review: Jokey Theatrical Punk
Based Out Of: London England 
Label: Stiff

Cover, Record

Back, Record

Let the Four Winds Blow (1981)

1. Let the Four Winds Blow 3:24 (single)
2. Throwing My Baby Out With the Bathwater 3:28 (single)
3. Trumpeters 4:10
4. It's Easy to See 3:48
5. What You Doing in Bombay 4:03 /
6. Local Animal 4:04
7. Her Fruit is Forbidden 2:58
8. Tonight is the Night 3:45
9. The Unpaid Debt 3:19
10. The King of Siam 3:58

Album Rating (1-10): 9.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Eddie Tudorpole - Vox, Sax, Guitar, Piano (Sex Pistols, Visitors, Cage Against the Machine, Richard O'Brien, Petter Baarli, Die Toten Hosen)
• Gary Long - Vox, Drums, Percussion (Tudors, The Commercials, Pearl Harbour, The Deadbeats)
• Bob Kingston - Vox, Guitar, Piano (Tudors, Pearl Harbour)
• Dick Crippen - Vox, Bass (Tudors, The Weird Things, King Kurt, Ministry of Ska, Pearl Harbour)
• Munch Universe - Vox, Guitar, Percussion
• Jos Holloway - Indispensable Man
• Alan Winstanley - Producer, Finger Cymbals
• Dave Allen - Machinery Operator
• Kim Aldis - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Their name, album art and album name create a concept album of medieval reenactments. They look like a group ready to embark on an album of Baroque / Prog meanderings.

Album Review: Their style and chosen identity is not represented at all musically. They are a mix of punk ala The Clash and rockabilly like Stray Cats, with some complex arrangements of mid-period XTC sprinkled in. 
Their big break was when singer Tudor-Pole starred in the Sex Pistol's 1980 film The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, and instead of replacing Johnny Rotten, Vicious died & the Sex Pistols folded, and he was able to pick up with the group he organized a few years earlier. While they only lasted a few years, and put out two albums and a slew of singles, Tudor-Pole has reformed the grouped often over the years, and has a bit of a style-rollercoaster of a career, playing in Cajun, jazz and swing acts and focused on acting for a time, which included hosting a UK gameshow The Crystal Maze in the late 90's. They were apparently goofy odd-balls with a wacky live show, adopting the chain mail and knights armor on stage stemming from Tudor-Pole's claim to descend from Henry VIII's lineage. 

Stand Out Track: The King of Siam, Let the Four Winds Blow

Links:
Spotify album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Trouser Press
Punky Gibbon
Nostalgia Central

Rave Ups (The) - Town + Country

Name: The Rave Ups
Album: Town + Country
Year: 1985
Style: Americana Country, Alt-Country
Similar Bands: Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven, Thorns, Uncle Tupelo, Del Fuegos, Blasters, Wire Train, BoDeans, Lone Justice
"One-Word" Review: Twangy Brooding Alt-Country
Based Out Of: Pittsburgh, Pa / LA, CA
Label: Fun Stuff Records

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Liner Notes, Record

Town + Country (1985)

1. Positively Lost Me 5:10 (single)
2. Remember (Newman's Lovesong) 2:53
3. Better World 4:42
4. Class Tramp 3:29
5. In My Gremlin 2:10 /
6. Radio 5:12
7. By The Way 3:25
8. Not Where You're At (But Where you Will Be) 3:43
9. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere 4:31 (Bob Dylan cover)
10. Rave-Up/Shut Up 1:50

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Stephen Barnlard - Producer
• Clyde Kaplan - Recording Engineer
• Russell Nathan Castillo - Mixing Engineer
• Bernie Grundman - Mastering
• Terrmeister - Editing
• Robert Fusfield - Art Direction
• Jimmer Podrasky - Vox, Guitar (Lovin' Miserys, Jimmer)
• Terry Wilson - Guitar, Vox (Springfield, MO All Star Band, The Dog People, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, J. Wunderle, Jimmer, Flat Creek, Giorgio Moroder, Amii Stewart, Big Trouble, Kenny Loggins, Skeletons, )
• Tom Blatnik - Bass (Dancing Hoods, Lonsome Strangers, Whittier)
• Timothy Jimenez. - Drums (Jimmer)
• Sneaky Pete Kleinow - Pedal Steel Guitar (Burrito Bros, Burrito Delux, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon, Sir Raleigh & The Cupons, Flying Burrito Bros, Grease Band, John Braden, Lynn Blessing, Joe Cocker, Dillard & Clark, Denny Brooks, Bill Cowsill, Eve, Carp, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Hedge & Donna Capers, Mother Hen, Marc Ellington, Bob Gibson, Daniel Moore, Potter St. Cloud, Don Everly, Burton & Cunico, Billy Joel, Little Feet, Cherokee, Helen reddy, Al Kooper, Barry McGuire & The Dr., Byrds, Joni Mitchelle, Crazy Horse, Little Richard, Jackson Browne, Frank Zappa, Martin Mull, Bee Gees, Yoko Ono, John Lennon  more)

Unknown-ness: I never heard of this band. Just from the cover + band name, i imagine this to be a mid 80's jangle pop band, where the name is full of energy, but the cover looks like middle america, and the back band photo on the railroad tracks with pastel highlighted clothing furthers the working man's band, complete with bolo tie and the 80's fad Pretty in Pink Duckie hat.

Album Review: So rather than jangle pop, this midwestern (Pittsburgh might as well be the midwest), this college rock band accents heavily on the slide country guitar, and american working class mentality. Aside from looking like extras from Pretty in Pink a year before its release (Podrasky was dating & had a child with Molly Ringwalks older sister, Beth), they actually were in the film (as well as Beverly Hills 90210, where Podrasky had a brief relationship with Shannon Doherty). They also touch on Roots Rock and Rockabilly ("In My Gremlin"), and their moody "Radio" reminds me of James in parts. There have been a couple incarnations of the band, as members gathered and fell off as Podrasky moved from Pitts to LA back to Pitts and then back to LA. This main and steadiest version is the band happened after Podrasky's second move LA where he worked in the mailroom of A&M records along  with the other 3 members.

Stand Out Track: By The Way

Links:

Spotify Album
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Facebook

yahoo e-news

IMDB

1990 LA Times Article

Omnivore re-release

Stereo embers interview

the recoup

trouser press

Jimmer site

Phantom, Rocker & Slick - s/t

Name: Phantom, Rocker & Slick
Album: s/t
Year: 1985
Style: Rockabilly, Arena Rock, Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Love & Rockets, Primal Scream, INXS, Wolfgang Press, Cramps, Blasters, Gin Blossoms
"One-Word" Review: Dirty Grimy Small-Time Arena Rock.
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: EMI, Capitol

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Phantom, Rocker & Slick (1985)

1. What You Want 4:28 (single)
2. My Mistake 3:20 (single)
3. Hollywood Distractions 4:18
4. No Regrets 4:01
5. Well Kept Secret 4:17 /
6. Men Without Shame 6:20 (single)
7. Runnin' From the Hounds 3:50
8. Time Is On My Hands 3:27
9. Sing For Your Supper 4:10
10. Lonely Actions 3:37

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Steve Thompson - Producer
• Michael Barbiero - Producer, Engineer
• Peter Doell - Asst Engineer
• Alex Haas - Asst Engineer
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering
• Slim Jim Phantom (James McDonnell) - Drums, Vox (Stray Cats, Drain Bramaged, Dead Men Walking, The Head Cat, 13cats, Bill Wyman, Carl Perkins, Steve Salas, Peter Golding, Brian Setzer, Conny, Gilby Clarke, Ramones, Levi Dexter, Micke Finell, Katmen, Glen Matlock, Swing Cats)
• Lee Rocker - Vox, Bass (Stray Cats, Los Rebeldes, Mystery Train, Michael Ubaldini, Carl Perkins, Dave Edmunds, Scotty Moore, DJ Fontana, Ringo Starr, Swing Cats, Wanda Jackson, Micke Finell, Rich Shapiro)
• Earl Slick - Guitars, Vox (David Bowie, John Lennon, Silver Condor, Dirty White Boy, Little Caesar, New York Dolls, Yardbirds, Sleepy People, Tracks, Leo Sayer, Ian Hunter, Tonio K, Carmen Maki, Danny Spanos, Peter Mclan, Yoko Ono, Tim Curry, Graham Brazier, Jimmy Destri, Lisa Bade, Billy Thorpe, John Waite, Strange Advance, Belouis Some, Jim Diamond, Randy Bishop, Bill Bergman, Jacques Dutronc, James Freud, Junkyard, Joe Cocker, Henry Lee Summer, Tomohisa Kawazoe, Doro, David Coverdale, Joey McIntyre, Box of Frogs, Mick Jagger, Chris Catena, Janice Grace, Billie Rainbird, Anik Jean, Sarah Fimm, Dean Batstone, Game Theory, Jerry Gaskill, Lisa Ronson, Glen Matlock, Whitesnake, Rooftop Screamers, Carmine Appice)
• Keith Richards - Guitar (Rolling Stones, Blues Incorporated, X-Pensive Winos, Little Boy Blue & Blue Boys, Nanker Phelge, Dirty Mac, First Barbarians, Glimmer Twins, lots of credits )
• Nicky Hopkins - Piano (Rolling Stones, Kinks, The Who, Cliff Bennett & Rebel Rousers, Climax Blues Band, Cyril Davies, Jeff Beck, Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends, Neil Christian & Crusaders, Night, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Soul Survivor, Sweet Thursday, Terry & the Pirates, Immediate All-Stars, Jerry Garcia Band, The Sessions credits)
• Carlos Alomar - Vox (Bowie, Listen My Brother, The Band, Harlem Experiment, Iggy Pop, Patti Labelle, Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Simple Minds, Belouis Some, Soda Stereo, Cousin Ice, hen-Gee & Evil E, Raphael, Kenny Barron, ben E King, Luther, Jimmy Owens, Imperials, Jimmi Destri, Innocence in Danger, Ayuo Takahashi, Debbie Harry, Arcadia, Robin Clark, Pretenders, Yukihior Takahashi, Paul King, Julia Fordham, Fabio Concato, Julien Cierc, Debbie Gibson, Jellybean, Yukiko Ito, Cyndi Lauper, Bee Gees, FUN, Kurtis Mantronik, Tin Machine, Prefab Sprout, David Morales, Raphael, Scissor Sisters, Scott Chasolen, Alicia Keys, Brandon Flowers, Mark Ronson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Carly Simon, Jennifer Rush)
• Diva Gray - Vox (Change, Chic, Lemon, Harlettes, Roy Buchanan, Love Symphony Orch, Teresa Wiater, T.Life, David Spinozza, Major Harris, Phyllis Hyman, Joe Thomas, Meco, James Montgomery, Ray Barretto, Atlantic Family, Jimmy Ponder, Garland Jeffreys, Sambu Soul, Gregg Diamond, Norma Jean, Richard T. Bear, Kiss, Ramona brooks, Duke Jupiter, Euclid Beach Band, Felix Cavaliere, Samantha Sand, Kikio, Roundtree, NYC band, Spyro Gyrsa, B.Baker Chocolate Co, Gotham, Markena Shaw, Toru Oki Blues Band, Herbie Mann, Paul Evans, Bette Midler, Wilbert Longmire, Sister Sledge, John Tropea, Ray Gomez, Cousin Ice, Rhetta Hughes, Wilbert Longmire, George Benson, Marshall Tucker Band, Steely Dan, Leon Bryant, David Sanborn, Silence, High Fashion, Roberta Flack, Weather Girls, Junior, Marcus Miller, Damaris, Peabo Bryson, Talking Heads, Paul Habara, Brian Setzer, David Bowie, Steps Ahead, Ann Anello, Ronnie Spector, Cindy Valentine, Toshiki Kadomatsu, Scritti Politti, Myleka, Jorn Hoel, Linda Eder, Andreas Vollenweider, Charlie Sexton, Grace Jones, Natasha's Brother, Julien Clerc, Maggie's Dream, Hen-Gee & Evil-E, Debbie Gibson, Judy Collins, Marc Cohn, Tony Verderosa, Dr, John, John Tropea, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Spin Doctors, BB King, Patricia Kiss, Luther Vandross, Celine Dion, Horii Katsumi, Elton John, Jewel, Natalie Cole, Herbie Mann, Janis Siegel, Marilyn, R,. Kelly, Elaine Elias, Kiss, Joe Lynn Turner, Surtek Collective, Jennifer Rush)
• Robin Clark - Vox (Chic, Don Cooper, Danny Cox, Robin Kenyatta, Esther Phillips, Gary Glitter, Linda Lewis, David Bowie, Roger Moon, Peabo Bryson, Roy Buchanan, Brecker Bros band, Average White Band, Ringo Starr, Atlantic Family, Bette Midler, Tommy James, Leon Bryant, Firefly, Melba Moore, Change, Garland Jeffreys, Silence, High Fashion, Irene Cara, France Joli, Fonzi Thornton, Weather Girls, Luther Vandross, Melissa Manchester, George Benson, Innocence in Danger, Teddy Pendergrass, Marcus Miller, Belouis Some, Simple Minds, Masayoshi Takanaka, Ben E King, Aztec Camera, Julia Fordham, Sheena Easton, Charlie Sexton, Linda Eder, D'Atra Kicks, Lou Gramm, James Freud, Michael Bolton, India, Debbie Gibson, Hen-Gee & Evil E, Jellybean, Toshinobu Kubota, Grayson Hugh, Billy Squire, Jon Lucien, Al Green, Foreigner, David Lee Roth, Repercussions, Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler, BeBe Winans, Veronica, Earl Slick, New Rising Sons, Natalie Cole, Kathy Troccoli, Full Moon, Laura Nyro, David Morales, Scissor Sisters, Frankie Valli, Leona Lewis, Jennifer Rush)
• Dave LeBolt - Strings (Spy, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Itamar, Richie Havens, Steve Hackett, Citi, Bonnie Tyler, Martin Briley, Julian Lennon, Foreigner, Stevie Nicks, Aldo Nova, Carly Simon, Belouis Some, Power Station, Aretha Franklin, Cutting Crew, Chris Spedding, Alphaville, Chaka Khan, Karen Kamon, David Van Tieghem, Eddie Rabbit, Sheena Easton, D'Atra Hicks, Laurie Anderson, Tom Kimmel, Beggars &Thieves, Dionne Warwick, Donny Osmond, Roberta Flack, Sinead O'Connor, Peter Noone, Expose, Turtle Island String, Paul McCartney, Braids, Steve Hackett, Jennifer Rush)
• Jim Maelen - Percussion Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel, James Taylor, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, The Jacksons, Talking Heads, The Velons, Ambergirls, Doobie Brothers, Shobizz, Hollywood Vampires, Latin Dimension more)
• Glenn Palmer - Wardrobe
• Rich Modica - Guitar Tech
• The Block - Band Assistant
• Eric Gardner - Mgmt
• Henry Marquez - Art Direction
• Gavin Cochrane - Photography
• Tom Nikosey - Logo Art

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, or these three artists based on their names. They are an interesting looking bunch, spanning the artistic look from Rockabilly to Punk to Glam to Goth to Powerpop. Looking at them, i expect the music to be something like Poison, to be honest. They look older, so this may be a supergroup of seasoned musicians I just don't know about. But i do know one thing, the fonts chosen for their name on the sleeve and back look awful, like horrendous clip art..although 1985 did not have computer clip art, so maybe they paved they way for what is terrible-looking now.

Album Review: The music is part sleazy arena rock and part hard country rock, but not necessarily rockabilly. maybe a good comparison would be if the Rolling Stones and INXS cross-bred and left the baby to a rich family in the American mid-west. The band was a result of The Stray Cats breaking up, as Phantom & Rocker were both Cats. Slick had been a guitarist for both Bowie and Lennon. On top of that pedigree, Keith Richards plays guitar on the track "My Mistake" and Nicky Hopkins (Who, Kinks, Stones) plays piano on 2 tracks. They only had 2 albums, this one doing well, but the second, Cover Girl, failing.

Stand Out Track: Hollywood Distractions 

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Spotify full album

wolfgangs

Spirit of Nine

altopedia

rue morgue Tomb's Jukebox

many fantastic colors

Blood on the Saddle - Poison Love

Name: Blood on the Saddle
Album: Poison Love
Year: 1986
Style: Country College Radio, Cowpunk, Alt-Country
Similar Bands: X, Blasters, Lone Justice, Screamin' Sirens, Cramps, Rev. Horton Heat
"One-Word" Review: Train Jumping Hobo Country
Based Out Of: Los Angeles
Label: Chameleon Records

 Cover, Record

Record, Back

Poison Love (1986)

1. One Step Away 3:56
2. Police Siren 2:05
3. Steal You Away 2:12
4. Poison Love 3:07
5. I Though I Heard Some Thunder 4:10
6. Johnny's At the Fair 2:35 / 
7. A Bed of Roses 2:48
8. Colt 45 1:49
9. Promise your Heart to Me 2:20
10. Down and Out 1:54
11. In the Pines 3:04 (cover)
12. A Mother's Love 2:53
13. Abilene 4:20

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Rod Botelho - Bass, Mixing (Bobbi Bratt, loafin' Hyenas, Groovy Rednecks)
• Greg Davis Vox, Guitar, Banjo, Mixing, Producer (Vandals, Candye Kane, Dead Hippie, The Drivers, Vandals)
• Hermann Senac - Drums, Percussion, Vox (The Loafin' Hyenas, Crowbar Salvation, Guilty Hearts, Skull Control, Bea Pickles, Ether Hogg)
• Annette Zilinskas - Vox, Harmonica (Bangs, Bangles, Ringling Sisters, Medicine, Screamin' Sirens, Don Coyote, Leaving Trains, Weather Bell)
• Larry Menshek - Engineer, Mixing
• Barron Abramovitch - Engineer, Mixing
• Beatrix Zilinskas - Design, Illustrations, Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. But from the name and the untracked VHS looking artwork + year, I imagine this will be some dark, cold new wave with lots of synth and goth themes.

Album Review: It was not that- definitely not synth, new wave or goth. This is a jangly college radio version of country rock, with heavy lean on the country element. Although i would not associate the sound as punk at all, they came from the Cowpunk movement, apparently more raw on their first album. The songs are definitely more driving and foot stompin' than typical country. The band name is taken from a Tex Ritter song of the same name that was played by Big Al; one of the animatronic bears at Disneyland's Country Bear Jamboree. Annette was in the band the Bangs, which became the Bangles, but left them to join this band right before the Bangles first record came out (but after an EP). Her vocals are strong on the whole album, especially on their cover of traditional folk song In the Pines, which sounds an awful lot like House of the Rising Sun. "Johnnie's At the Fair" sounds like a traditional native american song.

Stand Out Track: Colt 45, In The Pines

Links:
spotify album with bonus tracks
youtube album with bonus tracks
Wiki
Discogs
Allmusic
Rate Your Music
facebook
bandcamp

Spider Murphy Gang - Spider Murphy Gang Live!

Name: Spider Murphy Gang
Album: Spider Murphy Gang Live!
Year: 1983
Style: 50's style Rock and Roll, Rockabilly
Similar Bands: Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Stray Cats, NRBQ, Ramones
"One-Word" Review: Foreign Retro Oldies Tribute
Based Out Of: Munich, Germany
Label: EMI

Cover, Sleeve Record

Back, Sleeve, Record

Spider Murphy Gang Live! (1983)

1. Reissverschluss 3:17
2. Rock'n'Roll Schuah 3:00
3. Schickeria 3:57
4. Ich Shau' Dich An (Peep Peep) 3:06
5. So A Schoner Tag 5:30 /
6. Wer Wird Denn Woana 8:22
7. Mir San A Bayrische Band 3:20
8. Wo Bist Du? 3:17
9. Skandal Im Sperrbezirk 4:00

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Barny Murphy - Guitar
• Michael Busse - Keys (Band Fur Afrika, Minature Tigers)
• Gunther Sigl - Bass, Vox (Band Fur Afrika, Ludwig Seuss)
• Franz Trojan - Drums (Band Fur Afrika, Peter Kent, Schmidbauers)
• Willy Ray Ingram - Sax (Udo Janson, Nick Woodland & the Magnets)
• Schrat Und Funzel - Live Production
• Armand Volker - Engineer, Producer
• Wolfgang Thierback - Engineer
• Von Harald Steinhauer - Producer

Unknown-ness: I know I've heard the name Spider Murphy mentioned before (Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock), but i don't know anything about this band with that namesake. Based on the cover & back, they look like a typical powerpop band, obviously from Germany, so I'm guessing this band has adopted a US rock aesthetic, and play American-style rock and roll.

Album Review: This German band does, in fact, take on the Elvis/Berry rock n roll vibe and sing orignal songs in German. They are still around and playing shows, slated to perform this summer (2020) in Germany (Covid-19 pending). It is fun oldies rock music with a little updated, punky attitude, at least live it sounds like it is performed faster. Schickeria sounds an awful lot like Chuck Berry in the verse. "Wo Bist Du" is basically "I Fought The Law" played like the Ramones. However, "Wer Wird Denn Woana" sounds very much like a jittery new wave track from the era.

Stand Out Track: Wer Wird Denn Woana (album version)

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
band names explained
IMDB
website (german)
Laut.de (german)
Allmusic

Billy Burnette - s/t

Name: Billy Burnette
Album: s/t
Year: 1980
Style: Honky-Tonk, Rockabilly, Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Stray Cats, Southside Johnny, Buddy Holly, Marshall Crenshaw
"One-Word" Review: Truck Stop Bar Demos
Based Out Of: Memphis TN
Label: CBS, Columbia

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Billy Burnette (1980)

1. In Just a Heartbeat 3:59
2. Oh, Susan 2:44
3. Danger Zone 3:32
4. Don't Say No 3:04 (single)
5. Rockin' LA 2:17 /
6. Honey Hush 2:26 
7. Rockin' With Somebody New 2:29
8. One Night 3:02 (Elvis Presley cover)
9. Sittin' On Ready 2:21
10. Angeline 2:37
11. Tear It Up 3:09 

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Billy Burnette - Guitar, Vox, Production Assistant (Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, Spirit of the Forest, Shawn Camp, Townes Van Zandt, Michael Smotherman, Roy Orbison, Troy Newman, Dwight Twilley, John Fogerty, Christine McVie, George Strait, Jimmy Barnes, Todd Sharp )
• Kimme Gardner - Bass (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke, Badger, Garwood Pickjon, Quiet Melon, The Birds, The Creation, Wobblers, Ronnie Wood)
• Chris Brosius - Guitar, Backing Vox (Lisa Nemzo, Karla DeVito, Moon Martin, Judy Street)
• Ian Wallace - Drums, Percussion (21st Century Schizoid band, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, Crimson Jazz Trio, Fission Trip, King Crimspn, Snape, The Quireboys, The Sleepy, Wallace Trainor Conspiracy, Warriors, The World
• Barry Seidel - Producer
• Nicholas Von Sternberg - Neon Photo
• Sam Emerson -Band Photo
• Gregg Cobar - Billy Photo
• Biff Dawes - Engineer
• Les Cooper - Assoc. Engineer
• Patrick Burnette - Assoc. Engineer
• Ken Perry - Masterting

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band / singer songwriter. Looks like it will be some John Mellencamp Americana by the back photo, but perhaps mixed with some new wave tendencies based on the neon cover

Album Review: Apparently, I share a birthday with Billy, some 25 years later. He recorded his first record with Ricky Nelson at the age of 7, partially due to the fact that his father was famous performer, Dorsey Burnette, who even had him on tour at 3 1/2 years old. After many brushes with a slew of legendary acts and legendary acts who played songs he wrote, his biggest success was replacing Lindsay Buckingham in Fleetwood Mac: an experience that took him away from rockabilly/country music for a few years. The pub rock element comes through more than rockabilly on most of the songs. Most songs feel like demos, too...there is just something missing in the production.

Stand Out Track: Oh Susan

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
Facebook
website
Fleetwood Mac fanWiki
Rockabilly Hall
IMDB
Allmusic

B. (Bruce) Willie Smith - World's Favorite Songs

Name:B. (Bruce) Willie Smith
Album: World's Favorite Songs
Year:1980
Style:Big Band, Swing, Oldies, Boogie Woogie, Rhythm & Blues
Similar Bands: Darts, Benny Goodman, Stray Cats, Blasters, J. Geils Band
"One-Word" Review: Great Grandpa's Youth Revisited
Based Out Of: New Haven CT
Label: Trod Nossel Artists

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Worlds Favorite Songs (1980)

1. Walkin' Blues 3:02 (Jesse Powell Orch w/ Fluffy Hunter cover) 
2. Waitin' On You 2:02
3. Handle Now 1:43
4. I Can't Get It 1:44
5. Just a Little Bit 2:40
6. Steal My Heart Away 2:17
7. Stay With Me 2:55 / 
8. Wiggle Waggle 2:03
9. Be Mine 2:08
10. Please Please 6:08
11. Route 66 3:03 (Nat King Cole Trio cover)
12. Take Me With You 3:37
13. Come On Lets Go (All the Way) 2:35

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Mike Cavadini - Piano, Alto Sax (Roger C. Reale & Rue Morgue)
• Bob Elliott - Bass, Vox (Bandidos)
• Jerry Connolly - Harmonica, Drums, Vox (the Workshop)
• Bob Boettger - Tenor Sax, Baritone, Guitar, Vox (Robert Crotty, Loren Connors, Bandidos)
• Bruce W. Smith - Vox, Drums
• Steve Baldino - Guitar (8 to the Bar)
• Eight to the Bar Trio - Backing Vox
• Thomas "Doc" Cavalier - Exec Producer
• Richard P. Robinson - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
• Jeff Franklin - Additional Engineering
• Karen E. Burgess - Album Design
• James Montesanto, Jr - Photos

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but from the cover, they remind me of the band the Q-Tips, and with the date & fonts, I'm thinking this might be some Blue-Eyed Soul mixed with New Wave.

Album Review: I should have looked at the back, as the way the individual members looks like the seated and stacked big band groups of the 20's, and that is what a majority of the songs are similar to. They also incorporate some harmonica blues numbers, pushing their style into rockabilly and 50's R&B style songs. The song Just a Little Bit sounds like J. Geils Band They are still reuniting (as of 2016) for bluesy shows with choreography among the members, and were popular in CT in the 70's (1972) through 80's.

Stand Out Track: Just a Little Bit

Links:
Discogs
Registered Citizen 2016- Connecticut
New Haven Registry 2013
Reverb Nation

Charlie Ainley - s/t

Name: Charlie Ainley
Album: Bang Your Door
Year: 1978
Style: Pub Rock, Disco, Country, Rockabilly, Blues
Similar Bands: Steve Forbet, Lou Reed, Marshall Crenshaw
"One-Word" Review: Randomized Bar Jukebox Singer
Based Out Of: Cornwall, UK
Label: Nemperor Records, CBS Records

 Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Bang Your Door (1978)

1. Bang Your Door 3:05
2. Angry 3:28
3. Try to Be a Good One 4:15
4. Pig Farm Blues 2:50
5. I Don't Need No Doctor 4:00 / (Ashford & Simpson cover)
6. Deed I Do 3:15
7. New York, New York 3:41
8. Heat of the Night 3:18
9. The Whistler 3:55
10. R.U. 1 3:05

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Charlie Ainley - Writer, Vox (Charlie & the Wide Boys, Shakin' Stevens)
• Tony Ashton - Producer, Organ, Tubular Bells (Ashton & Lord, Gardner & Dyke, Broken Glass, Chicken Shack, Family, Green Bullfrog, Roger Glover & Guests,  Remo Four, Wizard's Convention)
• Stuart Elliot - Drums, Percussion (Cockney Rebel, Keats, Steve Harley, Al Stewart, Alan Parsons)
• Chas Hodges - Bass, Backing Vox (Chas & Dave, Black Claw, Cliff Bennett & Rebel Rousers, Green Bullfrog, Heads Hands & Feet, Heinz & the Wild Boys, House Band, Oily Rags, Ritchie Blackmore Orchaestra, Rockers, Soul Survival, Outlaws, Sessions and more)
• Richard Worthy - Guitar (Charlie & the Wide Boys)
• Pete Wingfield - Bosendorfer, Keys (Band of Gold, Jellybread, Olympic Runners, Hollies, Keef Hartley Band, Dexys Midnight Runners, Olivia Newton-John)
• The Misdemeanors - Backing Vox
• Howie Casey - Brass (Howie Casey & the Seniors, Rockestra, Tony Sheridan & the Beat Brothers)
• Martin Frith - Brass (National yo9uth Jazz Orch. Ian Gillian Band, Herb Miller Orch.)

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this singer/songwriter, but I expect a general slacker meets hipster songsmith.

Album Review: This record jumps all around the styles from pub rock to disco to country. The vocals don't sound like they're the same person on any one track, which might have been a goal, but this feels like a genre compilation more than a solidified album. He sounds like Zappa, Lou Reed, generic honky-tonk, or Robert Plant at any one time. Not positive, but I suspect the album title and first track is a veiled references to asking for anal sex.

Stand Out Track: Bang Your Door

Links:
Discogs
Robert Christgau
Punk Music Catalogue
facebook
allmusic
rate your music
website

(the) Magnolias - Concrete Pillbox

Name: (the) Magnolias
Album: Concrete Pillbox
Year: 1986
Style: Punk/Garage Rock
Similar Bands: Dead Milkmen, Social Distortion, Violent Femmes,
"One-Word" Review: Billy-Angst-Punk
Based Out Of: Minneapolis, Mn
Label: Twin/Tone

Concrete Pillbox: Cover & Record

Concrete Pillbox: Back & Record

Concrete Pillbox (1986)

1. Reach Out 2:21
2. Keep It Inside 2:21
3. High Class 2:10
4. Don't Know you Anymore 1:44
5. Didn't Want It To Happen 3:42
6. Together Again 3:48/
7. Got No Place 1:45
8. Entertaining Bad Thoughts 2:59
9. My Own Life 2:33
10. Going Down 2:38
11. She Cracked 3:23
12. One More Reason 3:57

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

John Freeman - Vox, Guitar (Pushbacks, Acrtion Alert)

Grant Hart - Producer (Husker Du)

John Paul Joyce - Bass

Ron Anderson - Drums

Steve Fjelstad - Engineering

Tom Lischmann - Guitar

John Freeman - Cover Photo

J.P. Joyce - Painting

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of these guys. But the picture on the front of the album was very appealing to my musical sense. Since I classify my musical taste as evil carnival music, the cover photo of amusement rides in an abandoned lot amongst post-apocalyptic looking apartment buildings set against a nuclear orange sky could be great. The album name concrete pillbox also works as cookie cutter commentary, like the song “Little Boxes.”  Now, contrasting on the back, is an abstract art painting that usually strikes me as signifying overly-complicated artsy rock, or shoe-gazing blandness (even if the artwork seems to provoke the ideas of violence and blood). So I’m not sure what to make of the musical content. Even the label, Twintone is a good one, but had a variety of artists on its bill.

Album Review: “Reach Out” starts out with bass, and kicks in with a little rock-a-billy edge. But the vocals are nervous and rough, with a little angsty attitude behind them. The song is driving on a one track course with rocking guitar solos but it travels straight on a single line.

“Keep It Inside” begins with a distorted guitar hook that picks up into a garage rock style. The vocals remind me a little of Joe Jack Talcum from the Dead Milk Men: they have a similar nasally delivery, but the song style is similar to Social Distortion. It also reminds me a bit of the plain, simple nature of the Violent Femmes.
“High Class” has a bouncy bass line and a rocking, distorted guitar, complete with slide guitar sections. This is good, punk sense with garage rock application. It is intensely driving and remains catchy.
“Don't Know You Anymore” comes back to the Dead Milkmen sense of vocals, the cadence does not always match the melody, it can be stretched our or rushed through, but it carries with it an irritated personality that gives the music youthful energy, even if it is comes out chaotically or misdirected.
"Didn't Want It To Happen” is a more mellow, complicated musical heavy piece. After the first minute and a half, the vocals come stumbling in, feeling like they forgot their cue. But by the chorus, they meet their mark, and the lazy slacker rock vibe takes effect. And it was bugging me for a while, but the jangley guitar in this track reminds me of Fine Young Cannibals' song "Don't Look Back."
“Together Again” rocks out from the start with a short and repetitive guitar hook. With this song, I feel like I’m listening to a not-quite-as-angry NoFX, with the nasally vocals and repetitive chording guitars. The chorus consists of a bunch of La-La-lala-la-La-La’s

“Got No Place” goes back to the feel of Social Distortion music wise on a more amateur level. I could hear Mike Ness singing this song. Even the vocals have a similar cadence. The strained vocals, though, remain constant through out the song.
“Entertaining Bad Thoughts” is a pop-punky song still brimming with youthful angst, but with a much more melodic delivery. The vocals are nasally and lack a deep musical wealth, but work well with the music.
“My Own Life” also has the punk-rock-a-billy bass and lead guitar riffs. But over all, a casual listen might not reveal the theme. It is buried below the vocals and rough production.
“Going Down” starts with a jangely, short repeating guitar section. The theme carries through, with the only signs of “punk” being the vocals’ don’t-give-a-shit delivery.
“She Cracked” rings in with echoing guitar, and quickly takes off running with a chugging rhythm guitar tempo. The timing of the vocals feels punk, with short syllables mixed over down scale guitar chords. This recipe is mixed up a bit as the sections repeat.
“One More Reason” does not feel like an album closer. It has jangley production, mixed with rockabilly time signatures and foot stomping tempo. But it is a fun song, and it feels like it promises more material, not the final track.

Stand Out Track: High Class

Links:

Twin/tone album page

Discogs

history

audiophile

allmusic
twin/tone band page
Minne-wiki

(the) Kingbees - s/t~ & The Big Rock*

Name: (the) Kingbees

Albums: s/t~, The Big Rock*
Years: 1980~, 1981*
Style: Rockabilly, Oldies, Roots Rock
Similar Bands: The Blasters, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Stray Cats, Buddy Holly, Beatles, Elvis Presley & Chuck Berry, etc. The Wonders, Squeeze*

"One-Word" Review: upright bass pompadour

Based Out Of: Southern California
Label: RSO, Polygram

s/t~ - cover & record

s/t~ - back & record

The Big Rock* - Cover & Record

The Big Rock* - Back & Record

S/T (1980)~

1. Sweet, Sweet Girl to Me 2:21
2. My Mistake 2:49
3. Man Made for Love 3:52
4. No Respect 3:35
5. Fast Girls 1:58/
6. Shake-Bop 2:31
7. Once is Not Enough 2:27
8. Ting-A-Ling 2:28
9. Follow Your Heart 2:15
10. Everybody's Gone 5:13

The Big Rock (1981)*

1. The Big Rock 3:33
2. She Ain't My Baby 2:16
3. She Can't "Make-Up" Her Mind 2:39
4. How Can I Love You 3:27
5. Let Myself Go 2:13
6. Stick It Out! 2:30 /
7. Right Behind You Baby 2:22
8. Wishing 1:54
9. Boppin' The Blues 2:43
10. Burnin' The Town Tonight 2:11
11. The Ugly Truth 2:50
12. Rockin' My Life Away 3:52

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0~*

Members & Other Bands:
Mark Ettle - Engineer~*

Rich Fitzgerald - Producer~*

David J Holman - Engineer & Producer~*

Rex Roberts - Drums, Vox~*

Michael Rummans - Bass, Vox~*

Jamie James - Vox, Guitar~* (Bob Seger, DQ & The Sharks, Steppenwolf,

Bernie Grundman - Mastering~*
Glenn Ross - Art Direction & Design~*
Peter Martin - Cover Photo~*
Craig Dietz - Back Photo~
Ron Slenzak - Back Photos*
Tim Owens - Art Direction*

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of them. But from the big bold titles and black and white new wave / pop cover phots, I'd assume they were a garage revival of sorts, reminding me of the MC5 or even the A's. It is a blatent style of a band that carries with it a minimal but experienced image of not just playing the music, but being the music too, and knowing all about how to put on a show. The photos on the back of both albums only further support this image and idea.

Album Review: So this singer has also played with Steppenwolf as well as two actor/band projects with first Harry Dean Stanton and later, Dennis Quaid. The band The Kingbees were in the Dick Clark movie "The Idolmaker."

“Sweet, Sweet Girl to Me” begins exactly like any Wesley Willis song with the country-style bass. But the style over all is Buddy Holly / Roy Orbison country rock. Basically, rockabilly with a Beatles back beat drum section.

“My Mistake” begins with a bass line that reminds me of the B-52’s first album (as well as Midnight Oil “Beds are Burning” which also sounds just like Weezer’s “hashpipe” song). The singing has a simple songwriter vibe, but it is funneled through Chuck Berry guitar style.
“Man Made for Love” has an introduction section that is slow and building, like the foreword of a novel. Then the song launches into a basic honky tonk pub rock song with a fast bass line and dramatic breaks in the music to emphasize and punctuate each verse. This song for some reason reminded me of Soul Asylum, but I can’t really figure out why. It ends with a nice slowed down version of the main hook.
“No Respect” has the first few bass notes that make me think that the song “On Broadway” is going to start next. Then the rockabilly guitar is added and it is definitely not the same song, although the bass line never wavers, and the guitar even mimics the familiar hook. The vocals are given a little more leniency and waver more nervously than before, which is a nice touch. The end of the song is a repetition of the title that reminds me of Elvis Costello, specifically “Accidents Will Happen’s” ending.
“Fast Girls” borders on punk with its speed and nervousness of lyrics. But the instrumentation and tone of the vocals is decidedly rockabilly. And there is more vocal play in the repetitive uttering of the title, similar to “No Respect”, but done much better.

“Shake-Bop” feels like an early Beatles song done in a country western style thanks to its the guitar and bass production. It is a solid song with time changes, two or three sections tied together seamlessly. But it makes the weakest of the hooks the most repetitive. This was a popular style where a nonsense word phrase becomes a title only meaningful in the energy it generates.
“Once is Not Enough” is another simple song that feels like it is composed of two sections from songs we’ve already visited on this album. The one difference is that the main guitar is tuned to a Beach Boys style, even if the vocals are more nervous and jittery, something akin to rockabilly.
“Ting-A-Ling” is a slow Elvis Presley style song (mixed with Buddy Holly, who is the song's author) with wavering vocals and the theme of how love affects the heart. For the most part this is a slow country rock song
“Follow Your Heart” starts with a near perfect parody of early Beatles, then the song simplifies itself and the song becomes much more like a Chuck Berry song, thinking “Maybellene” or “Sweet Little 16.” That is not trying ignore the similarities in the two mentioned artists.
“Everybody's Gone” ends the album nicely with one final dance/jumping number, which is also themed with an empty party. This has a real good “My Aim Is True” - Elvis Costello feel to it, but lacks the refine nature Elvis has with his singing style and meaningful, emotional lyrics. There is a long drum instrumental section in the song around the 2 min marker, which extends into a jam section with each instrument taking a turn. It comes back in about 2 minutes later with vocals declaring that he wants to rock & roll. Now this is something I never quite grew attached to: songs that reference the style of music they are trying to portray. It just seems too obvious.

“The Big Rock” starts off the second album with a surf rock bass line. It is more of the same Rockabilly and Roots rock mixed with a little surf and all oldies rock and roll influenced. Again, the singer is asking for a little rock and roll, which still seems like he’s out of ideas of what to sing about. But maybe it is OK here, because this whole song is about big rock songs.
“She Ain't My Baby” picks up more of a surf rock feel at the outset. And in this song, he says about rocking away blues. More music genre dropping. I like the chorus of this song. It breaks the mold that the verse sets, and quiets it down a little while bringing a nervous attention.
“She Can't "Make-Up" Her Mind” is a quick sung skiffle song that has the momentum and rhythm of a train. It is minimal, and a little quiet, but it prepares the listener that it might explode at any moment. The musical break is highlighted with the rockabilly guitar that quiets down for the lyrics to return.
“How Can I Love You” reminds me of a slow Squeeze song. In fact, the songwriting here reminds me a lot of Glenn Tillbrook. This is generally a slower song, not a dance number, but definitely not a slow dance either.
"Let Myself Go” feels like a second Squeeze song, but this one is much more fun and rooted more in the classic rock and roll. The rockabilly guitar is discarded for a much more mainstream pop rock guitar. And the end of the song features a chorus of echoing voices in the background and hand claps.
“Stick It Out!” begins with a rolling drum and a surf bass beat, with a return to the rockabilly style. This song has too short of a repetitive hook for my taste, and I am not a fan of the way he plays with the vocals when he gets room to let loose. It sounds tired and a little forced

“Right Behind You Baby” is straight up oldies rock with a lot of accented breaks in the verse, and a rolling melodic bridge right into the chorus. The production gives it a little more oomph than the original style, but the genre is represented very authentically here.
“Wishing” continues with the authentic oldies style of a love ballad (written by Buddy Holly). This song reminds me of the Beatles “Michelle”, especially with the way they say “wishing,” it almost mimics “Michelle” exactly.
“Boppin' The Blues” could only be defined as pub rockabilly. It is a straight up bar song, talking about the music genre and how people dance to it. The end of the song sings “rhythm and blues,” kinda ironically, to the exact rhytm and blues style it sings about.
“Burnin' The Town Tonight” follows up very well carrying authentic pub rockabilly through on this album. It features an all over the place, rollercoaster bass line and the specific style of rockabilly electric guitar both of which drive the song on.
“The Ugly Truth” strays away from pub rock with harmonized vocals in the chorus and a less grimy and more poppy beat. The way he sings the title in the chorus reminds me of Matthew Sweet’s song of the same name. It is a song that has three distinct sections that could repeat interlocking ad infinitum.
“Rockin' My Life Away” is the perfect ending song, summarizing what the band is about. It is not too much in any one genre, but it displays characteristics of each. Its not a pub rock song, but it could be. It is not a rockabilly song, but it could be. It is not a surf song, but…etc. It is a straightforward, driving pop song with a variety of influences and production elements to cover all the bases.

Stand Out Tracks: "Fast Girls" ~

"Let Myself Go"*

Links:

Allmusic

Wikipedia for Jamie James

JJ's website
Allmusic for Jamie James

Myspace
Rate Your Music

(the) Five - s/t

Name: (the) Five
Album: s/t
Year: 1987
Style: Rockabilly, Metal, Punk, Blues
Similar Bands: Cows, Social Distortion, Glenn Danzig
"One-Word" Review: Grueling-Growl-blunk
Based Out Of: Pittsburgh/Boston
Label: BEM

(the) Five - Cover & Record
(the) Five - Back & Record

(the) Five (1987)

1. The Long Haul 3:22
2. No Regrets 2:59
3. All The Way 3:44
4. Invocation 2:28
5. All Right 3:31
6. Pray For Me 2:59 /
7. Sacred Heart 3:50
8. The Only Honorable Thing 2:44
9. Same To Me 3:46
10. Cut me Loose 2:24
11. The Fat Lady Sings 3:09
12. When Yr Done 3:33

Album Rating (1-10): 8

Members & Other Bands:

Reid Paley - Vox (Reid Paley Trio)

Tom Moran - Guitar (Deliberate Strangers)

Dave Doremus - Bass (The Cuts, The Dark)

Brian Gillespie - Drums (My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Busted Statues, Concussion Ensemble)

Lou Giordano - Produced & Engineered

Butch Belair - Jacket Design & Photography

John Maxon - Live Sound

Jack Bresnahan - Cover Boy

Unknown-ness: I’ve never heard of these guys. But with the dark and depressing blue textures and bold purple font, grouped with the scratchy handwritten liner notes (along with the dates) I was given the impression that this might be like Dinosaur Jr. or something from that pre-alternative indie time frame and genre. Side A was recorded about a year after Side B, so we’ll see if there is any digression in sound change from side to side. And the shorthand text and instrumentation also adds to the Dino Jr./slacker categorization.

Album Review: “The Long Haul” has a shoe gazing guitar and drum kicks that are quickly replaced by loud rock guitars and stong, deep vocals similar to, but more melodic than Tod A from Cop Shoot Cop / Firewater. Perhaps like a bluesier (and definitely more melodic) version of the Cows. “No Regrets” is a fuzzy honky-tonk guitar & pub blues song. It leans toward hard rock-a-billy as well; I could hear them this song being played at the same show as Social Distortion. I like the chorus of this song. It kinda leaves you dangling waiting for another syllable or note, but never delivers initially. “All The Way” starts with a few scattered slide guitar notes, and then the heavy pub blues bass carries the song, with wailing guitars and hi-hat percussion. Paley bellows away like Glen Danzig in Mother. “Invocation” is a more driving song noted immediately with the count off drumming. The bass line jumps around, reminding me a bit of Green Day’s Longview. “All Right” has industrial tool sounding guitars echoing the shouted vocals. The upturned melodies at the end of his lines makes me thing of classic metal acts. This is a very minimal song, and basically a highlight real for interesting lead guitar effects and solos. “Pray For Me” continues the Dum-De-Dum rockin beat with bass and lead guitar as well. It has a creative and catchy little guitar hook that is very fun.

“Sacred Heart” starts again with the shoegazy loopy guitars like the first album did. But then the devious, dark pub rock-a-billy driving tempo takes over. His vocals also sound s little like Keith Caputo’s deep grumblings from Life Of Agony. “The Only Honorable Thing” is darker, heavy country-rock bass and grinding guitars. He has a very interesting and fun voice to follow along with. He skates the fine line between satanic metal and spoken word punk. I bet they were a hell of a great live show. “Same To Me” begins initially as a slow sea-shanty of a ballad; it picks up fuzz and noise a couple of times, but mainly goes back to the oscillating rhythm. He croons, again like Danzig, and hangs onto the notes with an incredibly deep groaning. “Cut me Loose” enters with two bass notes and a kick drum that sets the song into motion with punk rock pace and Rancid-like use of metal guitars. “The Fat Lady Sings” features a sliding scale guitar that leads you back to the great same six note back and forth hook. Featuring lots of metal lead guitar solos, and some spoken word sections, the song displays what Paley’s vocals are best at: strained gruff shout-singing. “When Yr Done” shows more diversity in Paley’s voice. He sings lower and calmly in the chorus, counterbalanced by the unpredictable volume and intensity increases in the verse. It has a real pure rock and roll guitar to this song that breaks right down into another impressively strong vocal performance of the chorus to end the song and the album

This is a really solid and fantastic album; it is hard to put a finger on what category to place it in, whether it be metal-blues, country-punk, or demon-rock-a-billy. Whatever. It is just good. And seeing that Reid is out playing a show at L.A.’s the Mint on inauguration day, I hope to see him live here in Philly some day.

Stand Out Track: Pray For Me

Links:Reid Paley on Wikipedia

Reid Paley on allmusic

Reid Paley Trio

Album Site
Deliberate Strangers Site

Wayne-Wise Paley review

Dirtrag Paley Bio

Brutal Truth Paley Interview

Open Mag Paley Review

(the) Fabulous Thunderbirds - What's The Word

Name: The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Album: What's The Word
Year: 1980
Style: Country, Blues, Rock
Similar Bands: Blasters
"One-Word" Review: Countrified rock-blues
Based Out Of: Austin, Texas
Label: Takoma Records, Chrysalis,

What's The Word - Cover & Record
What's The Word - Back & Record

What's The Word (1980)

1. Running Shoes 3:39
2. You Ain't Nothin' But Fine 1:48
3. Low-Down Woman 3:17
4. Extra Jimmies 2:38
5. Sugar Coated Love 3:01
6. Last Call for Alcohol 2:55
7. The Crawl 2:13
8. Jumpin Bad 2:27
9. Learn To Treat Me Right 3:08
10. I'm A Good Man (If You Take A Chance) 2:48
11. Dirty Work 3:04
12. That's Enough of That Stuff 2:08
13. Los Fabulous Thunderbirds 1:10

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Kim Wilson: Vocals, Harmonica, Drums, Harp
Jimmie Vaughan: Guitar (Vaughan Brothers)
Keith Ferguson: Bass (The Leroi Brothers)
Mike Buck: Drums (The Leroi Brothers, The Exiles)
Fran Christina: Drums
Denny Bruce: Producer, Management
Bob Sullivan: Engineer
Frank DeLuna: Mastered
El Mero Guero - Vocals

Unknown-ness: I have definitly heard of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, but I've never heard them. So I picked up the album thanks to its high-energy artwork, new wave look, and date of 1980.

Album Review: Track 1: “Running Shoes.” Right off the bat, the bouncy southern country guitar twang greasily oozes from the speakers. It completely reminds me of the Blasters, with a more enjoyable voice. The guitar & bass plays in a continuous loop, with countrified blues vocals cried over top. The harmonica adds the last bit of necessary country feel. “You Ain’t Nothing But Fine” feels like a country version of any Buddy Holly song. It possesses simple pop song structure, with a country bass and harmonica to push it over the edge. While the vocals are sung, the music is turned down a notch, and they come back to the forefront during the musical jamming interludes. It is just too short, but that makes it even more like a 50’s rock n roll song. Low-Down Woman is a blues number, sped up a just a little. The bouncy bass & drums set the pace, with the harmonica taking the musical lead. Extra Jimmies is an instrumental with a swing guitar, rockabilly guitar and jazzy bass & drumming. “Sugar Coated Love” has the bass line similar to Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus. And let me just tell you, that that band and that song in particular is my most hated song of all time and across all genres. And I hate it mostly for the bass beat too. So I don’t particularly like the bass in this song. But the song’s structure in its sections and vocal style is much more pop than Depeche Mode could ever try to do. “Last Call for Alcohol” is a staggeringly paced start/stop instrumental. The harmonica and guitars team up in this song that feels like the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance from Back to the Future. “The Crawl” is introduced like the dance “The Roach” from Hairspray. The lyrics explain how the dance is done, but the music is just like any oldies rock number, with a little rockabilly mixed in. ”Jumpin Bad” is an instrumental song, and it sounds like a rockabilly version of both “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” and “One For The Money.” “Learn to Treat Me Right” is a jaunty bluesy country rock song. It comes complete with all the elements already exposed on the album. And the bass line is similar to the theme of Sesame Street. “I’m A Good Man” has a bluesy guitar and vocals, over a quicky bouncy bass & drum combo. After a short false-quick start, “Dirty Work” slinks into a swaggering, smokey southern blues tempo. “That’s Enough Stuff” is more of the same. Without sounding repetitive, is slightly more fun and upbeat blues interpretation of rock. It features more oldies style bass and drum work, and is heavy on the harmonica. “Los Fabulosos Thunderbirds” is “sung” in Spanish. I believe it is an add to see the Thunderbirds spoken in Spanish over typical thunderbirds style instrumental, as various Texas cities are mentioned. An interesting way to end the album.

As this is more country than anything I would like, I cannot say I like the record. I do appreciate the obvious oldies influence, and that is why I am adding “You Ain’t Nothin’ But Fine” as the stand out track, which I feel fully illustrates the oldies influence. So if you like country-rockabilly-roots rock, then you’ll like it. Me, not so much.

Stand Out Track: You Ain’t Nothing But Fine

Links:
Fab T-Birds - Allmusic
Fab T-Birds - Wikipedia
Fab T-Birds - official site
Fab T-Birds - another site
Fab T-Birds - Myspace
Fab T-Birds - Austin Music

The Blasters - s/t

Name: (the) Blasters
Album: s/t
Year: 1981
Style: Oldies Rock & Rockabilly
Sounds Like: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Stray Cats, Jerry Lee Lewis
"One Word" Review: Country-Vocal-Ruined Rock-a-oldies.
Based Out Of: California
Label: Slash, Warner Bros Records, WEA International

Blasters Cover

(the) Blasters (1981)

1. Marie Marie (2:06) (Sample)
2. No Other Girl (2:32) (Sample)
3. I'm Shakin' (2.24) (Sample)
4. Border Radio (2:42) (Sample)
5. American Music (2:14) (Sample)
6. So Long Baby, Goodbye (2:22) (Sample)/
7. Hollywood Bed (3:31) (Sample)
8. Never No Mo' Blues (2:52) (Sample)
9. This Is It (2:11) (Sample)
10. Highway 61 (3:02) (Sample)
11. I Love You So (2:51) (Sample)
12. Stop the Clock (2:02) (Sample)

Album Rating (1-10):
5.0

Members and Other Bands:Phil Alvin - Vox, Guitars, Harmonica
Dave Alvin - Guitars (Dollar Store)
John Bazz - Bass
Bill Bateman - Drums
Lee Allen - Sax
Steve Berlin - Sax (Los Lobos)
Gene Taylor - Piano
Gustav Alsina – cover design
Gary Leonard - Photos
Steve Bartel - Art Design
Roger Harris - Engineer
Pat Burnette - Engineer
David Ahlert - Second Engineer
J Ruby Productions - Packaging
Shelly Heber - Manager / Agent

Unknown-ness: I thought I had heard of the is band, but I've not. The cover art looked very interesting, and a powerful name (and logo) like the Blasters, and a production date of 1981, I was expecting a high energy, new wave or punk record.

Album Review: The first time I heard this tape, I hated it. The second time I listened to it, I hated it again, but perhaps a little less. I kept listening to it and now, although there are some elements that I appreciate, I still find it somewhat unlistenable. Although the music is good, I find his high, squeaky voice very irritating most of the time. And as I've said before the voice is what makes or breaks a band for me.

"Marie Marie" is the first song, and it has a great rock n' roll beat, and classic oldies guitar solos, but his voice sounds like a whiny pubescent-breaking pathetic man. "No Other Girl" sounds like a great Elvis Presley record. The vocals begin normal enough and do not get too out of hand, but still, there are cringe-worthy moments where it seems it will break too far. The rockabilly bass and honky-tonk piano are really good, and really save the song. I cannot stand the bluesy "I'm Shaking." The cat-like-strut of the bass, drums and sax is something that makes me shiver with annoyance almost as much as I get from "Personal Jesus'" bass line. The vocal quality of his gospel chant of 'I'm Shakin' is very irritating. "Border Radio" is a slowed up version of "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." The vocals are somewhat steady in this tune, and the result is a good oldies, radio friendly song. "American Music" is a quick paced, bouncy country swing song. It borrows song construction from Chuck Berry's "Rock N' Roll Music." "So Long Baby Good Bye" is another oldies-rockabilly-country song, where the singer is crying in his annoying country crooning whine. The brass is really good though, it actually sounds like a harmonica (perhaps there is one buried under there too).

"Hollywood Bed" is a piano based country song, that is perhaps the best example of the high pitch annoying vocal styles, most prevalent in his "Hey-Hey-Hee" & "Who-Who-Who-Wee" vocal bridges. The drums are a quick march, like machine-gun fire. The bass trips up and down, and the music recreates the image of a rag time saloon. The song fades out without vocals, and the next be-boppin' rockabilly song "Never No Mo' Blues" comes on, with the most irritating feature being the vocals. But this time, they go from bad to worse, as he adds yodelling into his arsenal of grating effects. "This Is It" is a Jerry Lee Lewis rocking song. I figured out the most annoying aspect of the vocals: his little upturns in pitch at the end of every line. It is that which I detest about this and country music as well. "Highway 61" is a bluesy bounce full on with harmonica filling in the gaps behind and between the lyrics. He sounds like Mississippi Gary from "Kids In The Hall," but somehow, worse because it is not for comedy. "I Love You So" rocks out at first with guitars, then adds shaking maraca, and a bouncy bass line. I'm just gonna ignore the vocals. Or try to at least. A tick-tocking wood block starts the final song "Stop the Clock," which carries the same melody as "Whole Lotta Shaking Goin' On." Again the song blends the great qualities of oldies and rockabilly.

So without continuing to be harsh about the vocals, I will focus on the music, which upon further review, is fantastic. The authentic oldies and musical structures belong in the late 50's. I've read it in many reviews, and I can agree that they take many elements of old music, and rebirthed them as if just discovering the new time signatures to make new Rock N' Roll.

Stand Out Track:
No Other Girl

Links:
Blasters Allmusic
Blasters Wikipedia
Blasters Album Wikipedia
Blasters Webpage
Blasters testament
Phil Alvin interview 2004
Dave Alvin Page
Blasters on Trouserpress
Blasters Interview Pop Matters
Cover Art Gallery Page
shoutfactory: the blasters