CD REVIEWS July/August 2006
by DC Larson

(All reviews copyright (c) 2006 Rockabilly Magazine, reprinted by permission)

Fats Domino
"Alive and Kickin"
(Tipitina Foundation)

New Orleans-based Fats lost both
homestead and prized gold records to
Katrina and was himself missing for
days. But rather than falter in the face
of tragedy, the 78 year-old legend
produced this remarkably-bouyant
testament to the resiliance of musical
muse and human spirit. Piano-key
sprightliness and conversational vocal
stylings are complemented by rich,
sweeping brass and infectious French
Quarter syncopation. All proceeds
benefit the Tipitina Foundation's Big
Easy musicians-support efforts. That's
called, "giving back."

Recommended Tracks "Four Leaf
Clover," "I'll Be Alright"

tipitinasfoundation.org


Elvis Presley
"Concert Anthology 1954-1956"
(Stardust/Cleopatra)

This handsomely-packaged 2-disc set
combines vintage live tapes with priceless
contemporary rewardrobings of classics.
The former feature pioneers Scotty Moore
and Bill Black; enabling the latter's success
are Danny B. Harvey, Slim Jim Phantom
and Lee Rocker.

Recommended Tracks "I Don't Care If the
Sun Don't Shine" (old), "That's All Right
Mama" (new)

elvis.com
cleorecs.com


Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
"Down To Kill"
(Jungle)

Lurking amidst the cultivated junkie -
vagabond iconography was a singular
proto-punk stylist of exquisite rock 'n'
roll pedigree, one whose swiping and
swaggering forever tattooed the global
underground. 2 CDs/DVD offer rare
audio and professional video, arresting
personality and volatile substance
preserved for the ages.

Recommended Tracks "Born To Lose"
(demo), "All By Myself" (live)

thunders.ca
jungle-records.demon.co.uk


The Kings of Nuthin'
"Over the Counter Culture"
(Sailor's Grave)

The Kings continue to strut the line
between Wynonie Harris and wrecking.
Rollicking 88s, honking party saxes and
slap-happy standup join declarative
guitar, driving skins and exhorting vocals
to contrive bachanalian fireworks. Psycho
R&B gon' get your mama.

Recommended Tracks "Only Time,"
"Quick Fix"

kingsofnuthin.com
sailorsgraverecords.com


Guitar Wolf
"Golden Black"
(Narnack)

Some 18 years ago, search-and -
destroy punk power trio Guitar Wolf
detonated over Japan. This incediary
retrospective collects vividly-wrought,
hyper exercises in thunderously-metallic
songcraft spanning a career of spectacular
evil. RIP, Billy Basswolf.

Recommended Tracks "Wild Zero,"
"Invader Ace"

guitarwolf.net
narnackrecords.com


Speedbuggy USA
"The City That God Forgot"
(Split 7)

Old-ways hinterlands rhapsodizing
with ripe voicing. Mandolin and lap
steel find welcome beside guitars,
bass, drums and harmonizing voices.
But as with Fats, the socially-conscious
group intends more than just sparkling
musicality. "All profits from this CD
will be donated to Habitat for Humanity -
Katrina Relief Fund"

Recommended Tracks "Engine #9,"
"Bitter Man"

speedbuggyusa.com
split7media.com


Mad Sin
"Dead Moon's Calling"
(Sailor's Grave)

Craftsmanship is the conscious
governor of the creative impulse.
And, though frenetic in actuality,
these stellar tunes owe their
successes to authorial aptitude.
Psycho vent with dashes of whimsy
and irk. Sweet for midnight pentagram
hoedowns.

Recommended Tracks "Plastic Monsters,"
"TCS"

madsin.com
sailorsgraverecords.com


Koffin Kats
"Straying From the Pack"
(Psychobilly US/Hairball 8)

Hard-driven, smash up minimalist
psycho with "fuck you" aplomb.
Distorted guitar delirium not for the
weak of spirit. CNN reports graveyard
wrecking outbreaks; eight reasons why.

Recommended Tracks "March of the Waynos,"
"For Hire"

thekoffinkats.com
psychobilly.us
hairball8.com


Popa Chubby
"Stealing the Devil's Guitar"
(Blind Pig)

Perhaps the direst, most flame -
annointed blues guitar on this
upworld side of the proverbial
crossroads. Love, lust, desperation
and damnation come in for wry
lyrical examination as does (remarkably)
universal hopefulness. A sharpness to
cut through men's souls. Popa keeps it
real, harsh though it sometimes can be.

Recommended Tracks "In This World,"
"Long Deep Hard and Wide"

popachubby.com
blindpigrecords.com


Jerry King and the River Town Ramblers
"A Date With..."
(self)

Affable, punchy late-50s-type rockin', which
means the emphasis is on melody as much as
vim. As able a group of proponents as on
offer in this age and smoothly-insinuating into
the bargain.

Recommended Tracks "You Forgot Your Name,"
"The Price of Love"

rivertownramblers.com


Jimmy Thackery
"The Essential..."
(Blind Pig)

Jems from the Nighthawks-founding
guitarist's subsequent solo years on
Blind Pig. Sparks by the gut-bucket load,
but also impressive, thoughtful sidetrips
into complex articulation. Two-fisted
blues with strategy.

Recommended Tracks "Jump For Jerry,"
"Wild Night Out"

blindpigrecords.com


Coachwhips
"Peanut Butter and Jelly Live At
the Ginger Wing"
(Narnack)

Forcible obstreporousness and headlong
cacophony may be inimical to the punk
ethos, but they are only parts of the
necessary whole. Energy and largely unfocused
bombast abound, though little centering sense
is discernable. Reason may come with time.
Today, brazen impulse journeys alone.

Recommended Tracks "Letter 2 London," "Ya
No Ya Wanna"

coachwhips@hotmail.com
narnackrecords.com

CD REVIEWS May/June 2006
by
DC Larson

(All reviews copyright (c) 2006 Rockabilly Magazine, reprinted by permission)

The Royal Crowns
"After Dark" (Royal Crown)

Great White North hepsters contrive heat from
coolness. Gently rhythmic, good-humored.
Swaying steel guitar lends particular piquance to
nimbly-twanged Gretsch, stolid standup and
busily ambitious drums. A train called rock'n'roll.
All aboard.

TheRoyalCrowns.com


The Hypsterz
"Live At the Longhorn" (Bomp)

1980s Minneapolis quadrophonics who
reread vintage R&B and garage punk
classics with Ramones-era conciousness.
High-speed, guitar-led, austere sonic
bombardments. Fiercely and defiantly
boisterous. Reissue includes their live
(and only) discs, 1979's "Hypsterz Live"
and 1981's "Hypsterization," plus 15
hitherto unreleased live tracks and three
new 2004 cuts. The hardest working live
band of the era. I was on that scene
and I know.

bomp.com


Easy Bill & the Big Beat
"Stay Tuned!" (Rhythm & Roll Enterprises)

Not unlike a sideshow medium raising
dormant spirits amidst low-rent games of
chancery, Easy employs his guitar to evoke
decades-still Blues and R&B voices,
testifying in dance-worthy and salacious
ambiance. Of course, carnys are merely
conning. "Stay Tuned!" bespeaks an
authenticity grifters can but pretend at.

BigBeatBlues.com


The Living End
"State of Emergency" (EMI/Capitol)

Australia's burning. As apparent as ever
on their new CD, this volatile trio weds brash
punk anthemic spirit with topical and acidically -
critical social commentary of Clash-like
universality: "Sick of all the laws/and we want
more." 14 melodic Molotovs hurled with insight
aforethought.

thelivingend.com
myspace.com/thelivingend
musichead.com.au


Th' Legendary Shack Shakers
"Pandelirium" (Yep Roc)

An intriguing odyssey through a
kaleidoscopic funhouse mirror of
angles, influences, perspectives and
creative strains. Old European muses
like polka share dance-floor real
estate with American rock'n'roll
exuberance. A rewarding United
Nations of song, with boundless
(and boundaryless) adventurousness.

theshackshakers.com
myspace.com/legendaryshackshakers
yeproc.com


Various Artists
"Liquor Brand Vol. 1" (People Like You)

Rival primal urges to create and to destroy enjoy
joint expression in psychobilly. None of which
discounts the mongrel genre as legitimate art, if
of a specifically inartful demeanor. Assembled here
are 20 mayhem squads of varying bent -- some
mellifluent, others corrosive, but all of lethal calibre.

liquorbrand.com
peoplelikeyourecords.com


Stitch Hopeless & the Sea Legs
"Stuffing Coffins Since '77" (Psychobilly US/
Hairball 8)

As magnetically-revolting a psychopunk endeavor
as you're likely to witness above-ground. Relentlessly
buzzing guitars and storming rhythm section offer
hateful backdrop for growled/shouted/sneered
antisocial rants. More kicks than a backyard cage
match.

stichhopelessandthesealegs.com
myspace.com/stitchhopelessandthesealegs
psychobilly.us
hairball8.com


Hellbats
"Dark 'n' Mighty" (Psychobilly US/
Hairball 8)

Rampaging in throes of metallic psycho
distemper unforgiving, seedy apostles of
angst rage against the human machine. Musings
broaching poetic spheres luxuriate against rash
thrash countervail. Existentialism gone wild.

myspace.com/hellbatsofficiel (sic)
psychobilly.us
hairball8.com


Alan Vega
"s/t" (Ze/PVC)

None since have surpassed this compellingly
adventurous 1980 rockabilly fireworks/
moderne techdrone crossbreed. Ex-NYC
synthesizer/vocals duo Suicide frontman Vega
took his signature Brando/Elvis/Iggy stance and
street corner poeticisms to uncharted climes.

Warner Brothers in 1996 retitled this "Jukebox
Babe," coupling it on CD with Vega's 2nd solo
disc, "Collision Drive."